Arab Educational Information Network

This study aims at evaluating the extent of acquired skills by the female students in the Preparatory Year Program (PYP) at King Saud University, and the impact of the academic track and the post-PYP level of their skills on these acquired skills. The study used the descriptive approach, and the study sample consisted of female PYP students 464, college students 589 and faculty at colleges 115. A questionnaire was designed to assess these skills, and a program theory was developed for the PYP, and the program learning outcomes were identified. The results showed that the students have gained many skills, and the differences were statistically significant (α =0.05) among the three groups, favoring college students across all dimensions except research and health, where PYP students’ rates were higher. Female faculty view PYP acquired skills as moderate 3.28 generally, but low in mathematics and statistics, scientific research, health and entrepreneurship. The college students overall average rate of the acquired skills was 3.68, while that of PYP students was 3.63. The rates of the skills were higher above 4 for Arabic language, computer, personal and social skills, communication and teamwork skills, and life and readiness for the profession skills. The college students’ average rate of the added value for the skills was 0.47, while that of PYP students was 0.37. Both were statistically significant (α =0.05), except computer skills dimension. There were no statistically significant differences in the level of post PYP skills among the students in the different academic tracks (humanities, health and science) in the total score and in all sub-dimensions, except English language skills, computer and information technology skills, mathematics and statistics skills, where the differences were statistically significant (α =0.05), favoring humanity colleges. The study showed the possibility of predicting the level of student skills acquired after PYP through the level of the student skills before PYP. The study was concluded by recommendations. (Published abstract)