شبكة المعلومات العربية التربوية

In 2005, the Saudi government started a new scholarship program that sent many female and male students to some Western countries including the United States of America. When Saudi female students enroll in universities in the United States and register for mixed-gender (face-to-face and online) classes, they have to participate in the classroom. Saudi female students do not have experience in participating in mixed-gender classes because single-sex education is provided in the education system in Saudi Arabia. This study investigated the perceptions toward online and face-to-face discussions of Saudi female students studying in the United States. A total of 277 Saudi female students participated in an electronic survey developed by the researcher. Among the results, it was found that the students' marital status affected their level of comfort when participating in face-to-face learning discussions and attitudes toward technology affected level of comfort in online learning discussions. Factors affecting social interaction, language skills, and learning environment were also identified. Implications for instructional designers and teachers who might have Saudi female students in their classes were discussed. (As Provided)