Riyadh Alhassan | King Saud University (original) (raw)
Papers by Riyadh Alhassan
The use of WebQuests and the Internet might be the right vehicle to motivate and lead to better E... more The use of WebQuests and the Internet might be the right vehicle to motivate and lead to better English language acquisition. The present study was conducted to find out whether there were significant differences between EFL students who were taught using WebQuest writing instruction, and those taught using traditional in-class writing instruction. The participants were 52 Saudi male students in their second year of English language department in the college of languages at King Saud University. The participants were assigned into two groups: experimental and control groups. Before the treatment, both groups were given a pretest and a post test six weeks later. The experimental group received WebQuest writing instruction whereas the control group conducted the traditional writing instruction.
Results of T-test (Independent Samples Test) and a within group two paired samples T-test were reported. The findings indicated that the writing performance of students who were taught using WebQuest writing instruction, the experimental group, was better than students who were taught using the traditional writing instruction, the control group, in terms of length, vocabulary and grammar. The results indicated that students in the experimental group improved their writing performance significantly more than those in the control group. The present study recommends that using WebQuest Writing instruction can result in better performance.
This quasi-experimental study aimed to measure the impact of project-based learning and the ARCS ... more This quasi-experimental study aimed to measure the impact of project-based learning and the ARCS motivation
model on students’ motivation to acquire the necessary database applications skills in the secondary level. We
adopted a quasi-experimental methodology based on pre- and post-tests for two groups of students. Two classes
of the second secondary grade were selected, one to be the experimental group and the other representing the
control group. A sample of 65 students was chosen and divided into two classes enrolled in the second secondary
grade. We explained the database programs to the students in the control group using traditional teaching
methods, which involve the teacher first explaining the concepts, and then giving the students the opportunity to
apply their practical computer skills in the laboratory. Students in the experimental group were taught using
project-based learning strategies. At the beginning of the semester, students were given projects that they needed
to complete by the end of the course. In addition, the ARCS motivation model was applied to the subject matter,
whereby additional subject matter was added to the student book, making the database sections more attractive
and relevant to the students by including real-life examples. The results showed that students in the experimental
group (the project-based learning group) achieved higher post-curriculum test grades and obtained higher grades
on the motivational scale.
The purpose of the present study was to determine whether giving English as a foreign language le... more The purpose of the present study was to determine whether giving English as a foreign language learners podcast lectures in addition to the traditional lectures help them to enhance their English language writing, and to explore and discover useful information regarding the adoption of podcasting as a learning or training tool in order to better understand and improve learning and teaching methods. This study was conducted with fifty five level two male students at the scientific section of the Preparatory Year in King Saud University. They were assigned into the experimental and control group randomly. The experimental group listened to podcast lectures as well as the in-class traditional lessons. Meanwhile, the control one was given traditional classroom lessons only. To assess the performances in the pre- and post-tests, analytic scoring rubric was used. To answer the research’s questions, a within group two paired samples t-test was computed. In addition, a survey questionnaire was administered to the podcasting group to explore their attitudes towards using podcast instruction to improve writing ability.
The results showed that the students in the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group. There was a significant decrease in spelling, punctuation and capitalization errors. Questionnaire’s results reported that EFL learners in the experimental group mostly conveyed positive attitudes. The current study recommended that EFL learners need to be familiarized and trained with the use of podcasting technology in language learning in order to get better gains. EFL teachers are suggested to integrate podcasting lectures into their EFL writing teaching.
Keywords: Mobile learning, Podcasting, Writing accuracy, Attitudes.
The use of WebQuests and the Internet might be the right vehicle to motivate and lead to better E... more The use of WebQuests and the Internet might be the right vehicle to motivate and lead to better English language acquisition. The present study was conducted to find out whether there were significant differences between EFL students who were taught using WebQuest writing instruction, and those taught using traditional in-class writing instruction. The participants were 52 Saudi male students in their second year of English language department in the college of languages at King Saud University. The participants were assigned into two groups: experimental and control groups. Before the treatment, both groups were given a pretest and a post test six weeks later. The experimental group received WebQuest writing instruction whereas the control group conducted the traditional writing instruction.
Results of T-test (Independent Samples Test) and a within group two paired samples T-test were reported. The findings indicated that the writing performance of students who were taught using WebQuest writing instruction, the experimental group, was better than students who were taught using the traditional writing instruction, the control group, in terms of length, vocabulary and grammar. The results indicated that students in the experimental group improved their writing performance significantly more than those in the control group. The present study recommends that using WebQuest Writing instruction can result in better performance.
This quasi-experimental study aimed to measure the impact of project-based learning and the ARCS ... more This quasi-experimental study aimed to measure the impact of project-based learning and the ARCS motivation
model on students’ motivation to acquire the necessary database applications skills in the secondary level. We
adopted a quasi-experimental methodology based on pre- and post-tests for two groups of students. Two classes
of the second secondary grade were selected, one to be the experimental group and the other representing the
control group. A sample of 65 students was chosen and divided into two classes enrolled in the second secondary
grade. We explained the database programs to the students in the control group using traditional teaching
methods, which involve the teacher first explaining the concepts, and then giving the students the opportunity to
apply their practical computer skills in the laboratory. Students in the experimental group were taught using
project-based learning strategies. At the beginning of the semester, students were given projects that they needed
to complete by the end of the course. In addition, the ARCS motivation model was applied to the subject matter,
whereby additional subject matter was added to the student book, making the database sections more attractive
and relevant to the students by including real-life examples. The results showed that students in the experimental
group (the project-based learning group) achieved higher post-curriculum test grades and obtained higher grades
on the motivational scale.
The purpose of the present study was to determine whether giving English as a foreign language le... more The purpose of the present study was to determine whether giving English as a foreign language learners podcast lectures in addition to the traditional lectures help them to enhance their English language writing, and to explore and discover useful information regarding the adoption of podcasting as a learning or training tool in order to better understand and improve learning and teaching methods. This study was conducted with fifty five level two male students at the scientific section of the Preparatory Year in King Saud University. They were assigned into the experimental and control group randomly. The experimental group listened to podcast lectures as well as the in-class traditional lessons. Meanwhile, the control one was given traditional classroom lessons only. To assess the performances in the pre- and post-tests, analytic scoring rubric was used. To answer the research’s questions, a within group two paired samples t-test was computed. In addition, a survey questionnaire was administered to the podcasting group to explore their attitudes towards using podcast instruction to improve writing ability.
The results showed that the students in the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group. There was a significant decrease in spelling, punctuation and capitalization errors. Questionnaire’s results reported that EFL learners in the experimental group mostly conveyed positive attitudes. The current study recommended that EFL learners need to be familiarized and trained with the use of podcasting technology in language learning in order to get better gains. EFL teachers are suggested to integrate podcasting lectures into their EFL writing teaching.
Keywords: Mobile learning, Podcasting, Writing accuracy, Attitudes.