EFL Majors' Attitudes toward Distance Learning via MOOCs: A Comparative Study between Egypt and Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the attitudes of EFL majors in both Egypt and Saudi Arabia towards distance learning with Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and the underlying factors influencing such attitudes. A mixed method was employed to meet such an end, incorporating a quantitative method of investigation (an attitude questionnaire) and a qualitative one (semi-structured interviews). Quantitively, the participants, who were randomly selected, were 218 EFL majors: 114 from the Faculty of Education for Boys in Cairo, Al-Azhar University in Egypt, and 104 from the College of Science and Humanities, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University- Saudi Arabia. Qualitatively, ten EFL majors (five Egyptian and five Saudi) were purposively selected using Convenience Sampling Technique. Quantitatively, the results revealed that both Egyptian and Saudi Arabian EFL majors exhibited negative attitudes toward distance learning via MOOCs. Qualitatively, some underlying factors interpreting the participants’ attitudes were revealed, i.e., a lack of interactivity and social interaction, limited technological proficiency, language barriers, inadequate feedback, unclear learning objectives, insufficient resources, and concerns about the credibility of MOOCs certificates. The research recommended raising the EFL learners’ awareness about MOOCs, empowering them with systematic support to overcome the technical and linguistic challenges, and fostering collaboration among universities and MOOCs services providers.