Exploring the Perception and Experiences of Nursing Instructors With E-learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia

Background/objective: Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic's effect on the educational system, the integration of e-learning became essential. Consequently, it is necessary to explore nursing instructors' perceptions and experiences with e-learning. This study aims to explore the perception and experiences of nursing instructors in Saudi Arabia regarding e-learning. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among nursing instructors at Saudi Arabian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were invited to respond to an online questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed utilizing SPSS version 22 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), employing both descriptive statistics to summarize the responses of the participants and inferential statistics to identify significant differences in perception and experience levels based on demographic variables. Results: The results demonstrated that nursing instructors in Saudi universities had a high perception of e-learning, with an average rating of 4.55/5. Instructors aged 41-50 years, of Indian or Saudi nationality, and holding a doctoral degree exhibited significantly higher levels of technological and computer experience compared to others. Moreover, instructors in these categories also had significantly higher levels of perception toward e-learning, with an overall average rating of 4.56/5. Conclusions: The study concluded that nursing instructors at Saudi universities possessed a high level of experience in technology and computer usage, and they exhibited a favorable perception toward e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instructors aged 41-50 years, of Indian or Saudi nationality, and with a doctoral qualification demonstrated higher levels of experience in technology and computer usage, as well as a more positive perception of e-learning during the pandemic.