Abstract:

The research project is a case study about using a virtual learning environment (VLE) to increase the use of information and communication technology (ICT) by the university teachers of Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. The study aims to investigate the effect of the VLE as a training course in ICT to improve the university teachers’ ability to use ICT in their teaching through continues professional development (CPD) programme.
The problem area of the study is that most of the university teachers do not use ICT in their teaching. Thus, the researcher utilised a VLE (Moodle) course as a training programme to increase the university teachers’ ability to use ICT to enhance a better understanding of the affordances in their teaching. The project places the teachers in the position of students where their teachers use VLE to teach them. Beside it draws their attention to the benefits that will be gained by using ICT in the teaching.
The study aims to answer the following question:-
-Can a VLE affect the use of ICT in teaching by university teachers in Jazan University to support their teaching?
Questionnaire is used as a data collection method two times, a pre-test and post-test adopted before and after the implementation of the VLE. After the data collection SPSS software is used to analyse the data.
The result of the study reveals that there are differences between the pre-test and the post-test, for the benefit of the post-test. The mean of the university teachers’ ICT usage in the pre-test is 1.94 and for the post-test is 2.59. The study recommends that the university policy makers should support the use of VLE in the CPD programmes and create more ICT training programmes. Additionally, the university teachers need more ICT skills improvement. Finally, the policy makers should consider some training programmes for the students to enhance their competence of using ICT in the purpose of learning.