Arab Educational Information Network

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is exerting efforts toward digital transformation. It put emphasis on integrated projects between technology and education. The 2016-2030 Saudi Government Vision with a target of improving education through technology, and the English Language Development Project (ELDP) ‘Tatweer’ which was launched in 2014 in integration between technology and English language teaching are examples of these initiatives. This research investigates the impact of smart boards on teachers' attitudes towards teaching writing skills in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to intermediate school students in Saudi Arabia. While extensive research exists on how smart boards impact student learning in general, there is a gap in knowledge specifically regarding teachers' perspectives on their effectiveness in EFL writing instruction. This study aims to explore factors influencing teachers' attitudes, such as interaction, self-efficacy, course design, technical support, and convenience/accessibility. The findings can potentially contribute to developing evidence-based strategies for integrating smart boards effectively into EFL classrooms and improving student learning outcomes. Moreover, the current study investigated the perceptions of intermediate female teachers (n=55) in Haf Al-Batin, Saudi Arabia, regarding the use of smart boards to improve students' writing skills. The research employed a descriptive quantitative methodology, utilizing a questionnaire adapted from a Jordanian study by Saed et al. (2024). Convenience sampling was used to select participants from the population of 109 teachers. All participating teachers agreed on the value of smart boards for enhancing writing skills. Among the various aspects of smart boards, convenience and accessibility were rated as the most important (mean = 2.98), while technical support received the lowest rating (mean = 2.75). These results suggest that intermediate teachers in Haf Al-Batin view smart boards as a beneficial tool for writing instruction. While all participants acknowledged their potential, aspects like ease of use and readily available support seem to be of greater importance than technical functionalities. (Published abstract)