EFL REMOTE LEARNING IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID19 PANDEMIC: THE PERCEIVED TRAINING NEEDS OF STAFF MEMBERS AT SAUDI UNIVERSITIES

This study aimed at exploring the EFL remote learning training needs in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic as perceived by staff members at Saudi universities. The attempt was also made to examine how the participants’ perceptions of their training needs may differ according to the variables of gender, years of experience, and specialization. A descriptive-analytic method based on the needs analysis of the perceived training needs of the staff members was used. Data collection was carried out by means of a questionnaire developed by the researcher, which consisted of five main domains of the training needs in the field of EFL emergency remote learning, these were: planning and designing learning experiences, Facilitating students' learning,  engaging students, evaluation, and professionalism. The questionnaire was verified in terms of face validity, and reliability was examined using Cronbach's alpha coefficient on a pilot sample of the nonparticipants in the main study. The instrument was administered to a sample consisting of 124 staff members specialized in EFL in a number of Saudi universities. Data analysis was conducted via descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, and ranks) and inferential statistics methods, which included the independent samples T-Test and  one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results revealed that the overall perceived training needs of the staff members in the field of EFL remote learning were high with means amounting to (2.93). The third dimension, engaging students, ranked first as the highest perceived training needs from the participants’ perspective (very high, mean=3.59), followed by the first dimension, planning and designing learning experiences, which was also viewed as very highly needed (mean= 3.26). The second dimension, Facilitating students' learning, ranked third among the “highly” required training needs from the participants’ perspectives (mean= 3.16), followed by the fourth dimension, evaluation, which was viewed as moderately needed (mean= 2.66), and finally the professionalism dimension (mean=1.99). It was also found that there were no statistically significant differences in the perceived training needs in the field of EFL emergency remote learning as reported by the participants according to the variables of gender, years of experience, or specialization. In light of the results reached, the researcher recommended developing a professional development program to develop the EFL emergency remote learning competencies among EFL Saudi staff members in light of the results of the needs analysis conducted in this study.