Challenges Encountered by Faculty Members in Implementing E-Learning in a Saudi University

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an emergency introduction of e-learning amidst the social distancing health directives. Even after the pandemic subsided, the need for e-learning continued to increase while simultaneously raising concerns about its implementation. This posed significant challenges for both faculty members and students in adapting to the shift from physical classes to online classes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preparedness of faculty members for e-learning in terms of adapting and obtaining the necessary skills. The study also aimed to establish the role of universities in providing proper facilities for e-learning. A mixed-method design was utilised, collecting data via a questionnaire and one-to-one interviews. The questionnaire was completed by 147 faculty members of the Imam Abdulrahman-Bin-Faisal University, Saudi Arabia, of whom 6 participated in the interview. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate participants’ responses using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Meanwhile, thematic analysis was performed on the qualitative data. The findings of the study revealed that the faculty members faced both organisational challenges and self-challenges in implementing e-learning. Notably, the statistical analysis showed that academic rank, gender, type of discipline, job status, and years of experience did not significantly affect the results. To overcome these challenges, proper training in technical, communication, and time management skills is recommended to reduce the barriers between lecturers and students.