The Acceptability of Online University Degrees in Arab Academia

تقبل الدرجات الجامعية اإللكترونية في األوساط

األكاديمية العربيةDr. Gamal M. M. Mustafa

Associate Prof. of Foundations of EducationAl-Azhar University, Egypt & Imam University, KSA

gmmmostafa@yahoo.com

Basic Facts• In the past few years online enrollment

has been growing substantially faster than overall higher education enrollment.

• More than one in four higher education students now take at least one course online (Allen & Seaman, 2010).

• In Arab countries many universities began to offer online programs, either entirely online, or through blended learning.

• The steady expansion of online education has created considerable controversy regarding the quality of the instruction, educational outcomes, the reputation of the providing institutions, and regulatory policies used to evaluate and manage these important resources.

Basic Facts

Challenge !!!!!!!!!

ARE THE ONLINE UNIVERSITY DEGREES

accepted in the labor market or for further study?

Study Design

The study attempts to answer the following

questions:

• To what extent are the online university degrees accepted in the Arab Academia from the perspectives of faculty members in Arab universities?

• Are there any significant differences regarding the acceptance of online university degrees in the Arab academia according the study variables :

academic position.place of work. academic specialization.place of getting the highest academic degree. studying online courses. teaching online courses.

Literature Review

Literature Review reveled that online

degrees are distrustful.Carnevale (2005), Monaghan (2009) , DeFleur

& Adams (2004) , Adams (2008)

Methodology

The study gathered its data through an online questionnaire which consists of three parts:

demographic data about participants.factors affecting the acceptability of

online degrees in the Arab academia.an open-ended question.

Distribution of Respondents

Delimitation

Because of the small size of the study sample, the

present study just gives indicators about its topic.

Results

In line with the literature reviewed, it has been assured that the online university degrees are not equal to traditional ones, and still not highly accepted by faculty in the Arab academia as credits to get a position or acceptance for graduate study.

Results

AgreeNeuteralDisagree0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

15%

15%

70%

Lack of trust in criteria of acceptance for e-learning programs.

DisagreeNeutralAgree

ضعف الثقة في معايير القبول ببرامج التعلم اإللكتروني

ضعف الثقة في الممارسات التربوية والتعليمية المتبعة في برامج التعليم

اإللكتروني

17%

17%

67%

Lack of trust in learning and educational practices in e-learning programs.

DisagreeNeutralAgree

ضعف الثقة في الجامعات والمؤسسات العربية التي توفر

.برامج الدراسة الجامعية اإللكترونية

25%

13%62%

Lack of trust in Arab universities that provide e-learning programs.

DisagreeNeutralAgree

شيوع االعتقاد بأن مثل تلك البرامج تمثل بابا خلفيا للحصول على درجات

جامعية

17%

7%

77%

The commonality of the belief that e-learn-ing programs are back doors for getting

university degrees.

DisagreeNeutralAgree

عدم اعتراف بعض المؤسسات بمثل تلك الشهادات كمؤهالت للتوظيف

بها

10%

13%

77%

Non- recognition of the degrees obtained online as qualifications for getting jobs by

some employers.

DisagreeNeutralAgree

عدم اعتراف بعض المؤسسات بمثل تلك الشهادات كمؤهالت للتوظيف

بها

7%

17%

77%

Lack of practice of student's activities in e-learning programs compared to traditional

ones

DisagreeNeutralAgree

اللوائح والتنظيمات بالجامعات التقليدية ال تسمح لحملة الشهادات الجامعية اإللكترونية

بااللتحاق الستكمال دراساتهم بها.

8%

32%60%

The regulations of some traditional universities don't allow online university degree holders to join

them for further and graduate studies.

DisagreeNeutralAgree

The open ended questionimagine yourself as a member of a

university committee to sort three applicants for a position or further graduate study;

the first got his/her degree traditionally via face to face study.

the second got his/her degree through blended learning.

the third got his/her degree entirely online.

traditionalonlineblended0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Resposes on open ended question

Than

k You

Questions ?????