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3. Objectives of the Study

This study aims mainly at exploring the challenges of e-learning within the Saudi
students enrolled at the English Language Institute affiliated to the University of Florida
as perceived by students themselves throughout a survey focusing on the issues of e-
learning and its applications.

Objectives of the study

The main purpose of the current study is to explore the challenges of e-learning within the Saudi
Arabian students enrolled at the English Language Institute during the summer semester of the 2018/2019
academic year starting from May 13, 2019, to August 9, 2019.

4. Research Questions

The current study is guided by these two main questions:
1 What are the challenges of e-learning encountered by Saudi students at the University of Florida?
2. What are the common challenges among male students and female students?

5. The review of literature

This review of literature focuses on two main topics: (1) the challenges of e-learning within the
Arab students; and (2) the challenges of e-learning within the Saudi students.

5.1 Regional previous studies on e-learning:
This section includes five main studies focusing on e-learning in Iraq, in the Arab Gulf, in Arab
universities, in the Arab world, and in Sultan Qaboos University in Oman.
First, AlAzawei, Parslow & Lundqvist (2016) studied the barriers and opportunities of e-learning
implementation in Iraq. They see that although the implementation of e-learning initiatives has reached
advanced stages in developed countries, it is still in its infancy in many developing nations and the Middle
East in particular. Recently, few public universities in Iraq have initiated limited attempts to use e-learning
alongside traditional classrooms. However, different obstacles are preventing the successful adoption of
this technology. The present research aimed to highlight challenges that hinder effective implementation
of e-learning in Iraq and recommend possible solutions to tackle them.
A total of 108 respondents voluntarily participated in this research. They consisted of academic
staff (N=74), professors in charge of e-learning (N=3), and undergraduate students (N=31). Three methods
were used to collect data: a survey instrument, semistructured interviews, and focus groups. Data were
then analyzed and reported quantitatively and qualitatively. This provided an indepth understanding of the

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