eLearning in context: teaching practices and conceptions mediated by eLearning within the socio-cultural context of a Saudi Arabian University

eLearning technologies have become increasingly available in many parts of the world. While such technologies may have potential for teaching and learning, this potential depends on a number of factors. At the centre of these factors are teachers’ conceptions of teaching and their perceptions of the role of eLearning in teaching and learning. The other factors are related to the socio-cultural context in which teachers, students and eLearning are embedded. The current study adopts a holistic approach to exploring teaching practices and conceptions within the context of a Saudi Arabian university, during the university’s transition from traditional face-to-face teaching to a more eLearning-mediated teaching environment. Taking the university as a case study, ten university teachers and four eLearning staff were each personally interviewed. This was followed by observing teachers’ face-to-face and virtual classes. While teaching conceptions were found to be consistent with previous studies by others, a mismatch between teaching conceptions and eLearning use was found in some teachers’ practices. Moreover, particular perceptions of the role of eLearning were found to be unique to the context of Saudi Arabia higher education. More specifically, some teachers reported that they were motivated to use eLearning in their teaching to bridge the gap between male and female students’ access to learning resources. It was also found that some teachers used eLearning not only for teaching but also for pastoral care and students’ wellbeing reasons. The current study is not primarily concerned with the teachers’ eLearning relationship but with teachers’ practices as mediated by eLearning. This meant that the role of context must be considered. In order to do that, the study adopted the Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as its theoretical framework (Engeström, 1987). The model of second generation CHAT as well as principles derived from the theory e.g. principles of contradictions and object-orientedness, were adopted. The CHAT model provided a basis for analysing the teaching activity as one activity system with multiple aspects including explicit and implicit rules, the division of labour between teachers, students and administrators as well as the role of eLearning tools. The theoretical principles used provided further explanations of the use of eLearning in teaching and learning. The study concludes with the importance of taking a holistic approach to eLearning use in higher education, an approach that is sensitive to the socio-cultural contexts of institutions and countries.