Emergency remote teaching during COVID-19: traits and constraints that arise when teaching computer skills to Saudi preparatory year students

This study aimed to identify the traits and implications of teaching an online computer skills course to Preparatory Year students at a university in Saudi Arabia. For the purposes of this study, mixed methods were used. Focus groups were therefore conducted with 15 students to identify the advantages and disadvantages of an online course to develop students’ computer skills. Based on an analysis of the focus group interviews, a self-developed closed-ended survey was conducted amongst a sample of 112 students. This survey was validated and piloted to ensure its fitness for use. The survey results were then triangulated by interviewing 10 of the sampled students. The results of this study revealed five traits that promoted students’ positive perceptions of learning computer skills online: ownership of a computer device, knowledge of the availability of the required apps free of charge, practice during lectures, the course instructor, and factors of e-learning. However, numerous challenges were also identified as eliciting negative perceptions amongst the students, with regard to learning computer skills online. These included large class sizes, lack of opportunity to practice during sessions, technical issues, limited opportunities to interact with peers, and personal factors. This study therefore recommends various design principles to be followed by online teachers when teaching practical skills online.