The effect of online EFL classes during the Covid 19 pandemic: Evaluating the performance of university students and teachers in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

During the COVID19 Pandemic, universities all over the world switched to online teaching environments for their students. The Saudi government too initiated many developmental activities for students to adapt to the new learning environment. However, both students and teachers have been facing challenges in the new dispensation. While many previous studies evaluated the short-term impact of this change, a relatively limited number of these focused on the evaluation of the long-term performance of the stakeholders in Saudi Arabian universities. There is a demand for more research to understand the perception of both EFL students and teachers after a substantial period of online learning and also its impact on their performances. With this objective, this study conducts a survey with 137 EFL students and 58 teachers across three Saudi universities. The study employs a mixed-method analysis to draw insights of EFL students' and teachers' experiences of online classes. The outcomes of study highlight a significant improvement in the performance of students in the new learning environment. Most students accept that the online classes enabled them to improve their learning skills. However, the content analysis of teachers' responses reveals a demand for technological improvement to provide an effective learning environment for EFL students.