Active Learning

  On 2 December 2020, a webinar was organized by the Language Research Center (LRC) of the Faculty of Languages and Translation dedicated to those students who are often overlooked by the teachers and are tagged as bad students entitled "Exploring the Infringing Behaviors of Students Inside an EFL Classroom: A Research Study From the Teacher’s Vantage Point." At the beginning of the webinar, Dr. Najmus Sarifa and Ms. Rakshinda Jabeen began by explaining their study's purpose, which is centered on the premise that there are neither bad students nor bad teachers, noting that only expertise, competence, and cooperation can do wonders in the class.   Sarifa and Jabeen introduced their topic by stating the fact that the infringing behavior of students is defined as a set of undesired and objectionable behavior that hampers the flow of teaching-learning activities in the classroom. Such behavior, they said, can result in a disturbance in class and eventually hinder the entire learning process. Not only is it annoying for the teachers, but it is irritating, exasperating, and tiresome for the learners as well, they added. They pinpointed some common misbehavior types such as disobedience, rudeness, non-attentiveness, daydreaming, unpunctuality, and most importantly, not completing classroom tasks.   Their research study investigated how university teachers perceive misbehavior and sheds light on the underlying causes of such undesired behavioral traits. It was based on a descriptive survey, the result of which showed the common inappropriate behaviors the teachers encounter and the reasons for such behaviors. The findings of the study, they said, would help to establish a well-managed classroom.   To achieve proper education goals, Sarifa and Jabeen explained that it is important to create an ideal learning environment that fosters a positive attitude among the students.   While explaining the potential reasons for misbehavior, they mentioned some scholars Başar (1998), Bull & Solity (1996), and Stephens & Crawley (1994). According to these scholars, they said, students with variegated characters may have problematic behaviors. Students' past experiences may result in misbehavior as well. The teacher's attitude towards students may also give rise to such undesired attitudes.   Sarifa and Jabeen emphasized that skillful classroom management will make a significant change and lessen the amount of undesirable behavior in class. The presenters further recommended that effective instruction and the smooth running of a lesson require interaction patterns, and teaching methodologies that create diverse communication contexts in an EFL classroom.   They concluded that students rarely misbehave without cause. The research study opens room for further analysis and discussion on outside factors as well as the inside factors responsible for disruptive behaviors. They recommended further exploration of the reasons for misconduct among students.   During the question-answer session, LRC Director, Dr. Ismail Alrefaai, emphasized that it is important to explain the rules, regulations, and expectations at the beginning of every course or class. He also placed emphasis on reducing teacher talk time in language classes and ensuring teaching and learning strategies are student-centered and encourage active learning.   The webinar was very interactive yielding insights into a better understanding of the appropriate methods to care for, motivate, and support underachieving students in the Bachelor of Arts in English program.   The Bachelor of Arts in English program at the Faculty of Languages and Translation is committed to ensuring that students are provided with effective academic, professional, psychological, social guidance, and counseling services through qualified and sufficient staff. Date: 12/3/2020 Source: Mohammad Adil Siddique

  On 25 November 2020, a webinar was organized by the Language Research Center of the Faculty of Languages and Translation that addressed the importance of teaching for quality learning entitled "Probing into the Holistic and Atomistic Ways of Learning Adopted by Students at the Tertiary Level." At the beginning of the webinar, Ms. Tanzina Halim and Ms. Shanjida Halim began with quotations by Tyler (2013) and Taba (1962), who emphasized the importance of students' ability to transfer teaching to their lives outside school and focused on why real teaching should be given preference over memorizing facts.   The presenters introduced their topic by labeling learning as dependent on a complex interaction of factors. In this way, there are different approaches to learning conditioned by concepts of learning. They differentiated the two central concepts – Holistic and Atomistic approaches. When the approach is holistic, they said, a learner preserves a structure and focuses on the whole in relation to the parts. On the other hand, the atomistic approach allows a learner to distort the structure, focusing on the parts. The former, they added, is an in-depth approach to learning and the latter, on the other hand, is a surface approach that is primarily based on memorization with little emphasis on meaning. As far as the quality of learning is concerned, the presenters labeled the holistic approach more effective. The atomistic approach results in lower quality learning outcomes, they added while quoting Marton & Saljo (1984) and Process & Millar (1989). The presenters explained in detail the characteristics of these two approaches and the factors that affect the learners' approaches to learning at the tertiary level. They focused on the importance of having a proper understanding of 'deep' and 'surface' approaches among educators. They also explained the role of teachers to make learning engaging and changing learners from passive to active.   They concluded that learning is the acquisition of new concepts and beliefs. It was suggested that there is a need for reframing how educators understand 'deep' and 'surface' approaches. The webinar was very interactive yielding insights into a better understanding of effective teaching with better learning outcomes. It was well-structured, insightful, and rich in content with the active participation of both male and female faculty members.   The Bachelor of Arts in English program at the Faculty of Languages and Translation is committed to ensuring that teaching and learning strategies are student-centered and encourage active learning. Date: 11/26/2020 Source: Mohammad Adil Siddique

  On October 7, 2019, Hassan Costello delivered a workshop titled 'Introduction to Building Quality Online Courses'. The workshop, organized by the E-Learning Unit at Faculty of Languages & Translation in collaboration with the Deanship of E-Learning, was initially tailored toward the English teachers at the Faculty of Languages and Translation (FLT). However, under the supervision of Vice Dean of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, and guidance from E-Learning Unit Supervisor, Mohsin Khan, the FLT decided to open the program to all faculty members in the university system. The college expanded the program university-wide because the material is applicable to online course design across a broad spectrum of professions and disciplines. Members of the FLT and faculty from the College of Medicine attended the workshop.   As the overall quality of online courses is paramount, Mr. Costello framed the workshop in accordance with the eight general standards of Quality Matters (QM). Teaching online requires the skillful interplay of two distinct but closely related activities- course design and student interaction.   Course design requires clarity of purpose. That is, everything in the course must support the desired learning outcomes for the students. Also, online courses must be logically formatted and clearly presented with easy navigation. As students will generally not have unfettered access to the course instructor nor their classmates, the course designer should make individual student autonomy a high priority. Tracking the QM Rubric in the design process helps assure that the ultimate course objectives can be met.   Student/teacher interaction with online courses is very different than traditional classes. Students often work during irregular hours and/or at their own pace. The teacher might not be available to students at mutually convenient times. Also, a teacher may not have the time to respond to every student inquiry in a timely fashion based solely on the number of students enrolled in the class. The limitations on the level of expected student/teacher interaction must be carefully considered in the course design.   In his presentation, Mr. Costello introduced the attendees to each of the QM Rubric standards and provided a summary of 'best practices' for complying with same. The current QM Rubric (6th edition, revised in 2018) has 42 specific standards that are used to evaluate the design of online and blended courses. "Applying the QM Rubric to your course is all about 'alignment'. That is, each lecture, assignment, and activity furthers an objective supporting one or more desired learning outcomes. Aligning tasks and activities with objectives translates into a fully integrated course. The end result is a successful and positive learning experience. Think of the eight general standards of the QM Rubric as a road map that we use to design a course so that both the students and teacher reach the objective in an efficient and pleasant manner," he said.   Mr. Costello provided an introduction to and the best practices of the following general standards:   The Course Overview and Introduction; Learning Objectives (Competencies); Assessment and Measurement ; Instruction Materials; Course Activities and Learner Interaction; Course Technology; Learner Support; Accessibility and Usability.   Mr. Costello also paid particular attention to the issue of accessibility. Unsurprisingly, accessibility in course design is a top priority for many schools and institutions around the world. In point of fact, accessibility is so important that the QM Rubric includes an 'Accessibility and Usability' component. King Khalid University fully embraces the goal of expanding access to course work. King Khalid University was the first university in the Kingdom to subscribe to the tenets of QM.   Mr. Costello's presentation was chock-full of information. He acknowledged that it was hard to take it all in at once. But he encouraged the attendees in saying, "I want you to think of this workshop as a primer to the 'Applying the Quality Rubric (APPQMR) Workshop'. That workshop is provided free of charge and is sponsored by the Deanship of E-Learning to all interested faculty members. The APPQMR workshop is QM's flagship presentation on the QM rubric. There you will review many of the concepts and requirements we have seen today. Being exposed to the material and having access to the resources will be valuable in the future."   Faculty members in attendance from the College of Medicine showed great interest in applying the strategies Mr. Costello explained in his presentation. The medical college currently has an online course taught by 20 faculty members, and this workshop provided the tools to make substantial improvements to that course.   The FLT hopes to repeat this workshop to benefit more of the faculty in the near future. The Faculty of Languages and Translation is dedicated to providing world-class language education to an ever-expanding segment of the population. Date: 10/9/2019 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

Our honorable Dean, Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi, was invited as a guest to The First International Conference on EFL Education (ICEFL 2016) held by the University of Jeddah at the Hilton Hotel from 10/31/2016 to 11/02/2016. The theme of the conference was to expand research and improve outcomes. Its main aim was to put together a fantastically diverse and engaging collection of speakers and workshops to enhance English Language teaching practices. The Faculty of Languages and Translation bolstered ICEFL’s 2016 main aim through the excellent representation of Vice Dean, Dr. Ali Alamir, and Lecturer, Mr. Md Mahmudul Haque. The papers presented at this conference were: 1-"The L2 Performance of Saudi EFL Students in the Online Environment."      Dr. Ali Hussein Alamir 2-"The Catalytic Role of Metacognition in Fostering Learner Autonomy for ESL/EFL Learners."      Mr. Md Mahmudul Haque Several Keynote speakers and distinguished L2 researchers from different parts of the world including the USA, the UK, and Canada participated in this conference! A large number of Saudi educators from various Saudi public and private sectors (e.g., students, teachers, advisers, educational consultants, and managers) as well as both domestic and international educational institutions and publishers attended this event and participated in some of the allocated training workshops for this conference. Some of our MA students also attended several sessions of this conference. The event was an extraordinary scientific occasion for EFL Education in Saudi Arabia and Saudi EFL Educators in particular. Participants enthusiastically enjoyed the conference papers, presentations, and workshops. They expressed their exhilaration to be part of this event and have the opportunities to learn more about the current issues of Saudi EFL education and research. Moreover, they were overjoyed by the ability to share their constructive comments and feedback with keynote guests and other respected participants. Overall, the conference was a comprehensive event which contributed to the collective understanding of creative teaching and active learning.   Date: 11-9-2016 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation