Date of Graduation

8-2013

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Workforce Development Education (EdD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders

Advisor/Mentor

Biggs, Bobbie T.

Committee Member

Beck, Jules K.

Second Committee Member

Farah, Mounir A.

Keywords

Education; Computer use; Human resource development; Motivation; Online; Professional development; Riyadh School District; Saudi Arabia; Teacher education; Workforce development

Abstract

Eight hundred Saudi Arabia educators from the Riyadh District participated in this study to determine teachers' access to computers, computer skill level and motivation to enroll in online courses pertaining to professional development. Participants, who were chosen according to a stratified sampling technique, completed a survey which provided the data for the study.

The correlation between the motivation to take online courses and the computer skill perception of participants was weak but statistically significant indicating that as the rate of computer skills perception increases, the rate of motivation to take online classes increases as well. Other factors pertaining to increased motivation to participate in online courses were having fewer children and instructional level. Educators who had three or less children scored significantly higher on the motivation measure than those who had four or more children. Educators in elementary schools scored significantly higher on the same measure compared with educators in middle and high schools. Gender had no statistical significance on motivation and computer skill perception in this study; however, age of participants was statistically significant in computer skill perception, but not in motivation to take online courses. Educators, who were 39 years old or less, scored significantly higher than older educators in this study in regard to computer skills.

Educators in private schools and educators in the city of Riyadh also scored significantly higher on the perceived computer skill measure than those in a more rural location. Single educators had a significantly higher score on this measure than did the married educators. Educators with a monthly income of 1,000 - 4,999 SR scored significantly higher on computer skills than those educators with an income above 11,000 SR, while the 5,000 -10,999 income groups scored significantly higher than those educators with an income above $11,000 SR. Educators who held a doctorate degree scored significantly higher than those with associate, bachelor or master degrees. Also, educators who had taught for less than 20 years scored significantly less than educators with teaching experience for more than 20 years.

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