Evaluation of the virtual learning environment by school students and their parents in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic after school closure.

Background: Very few previous studies have involved school students or their parents in the evaluation of virtual learning environment (VLE). Thus, this survey was performed to evaluate the satisfaction of both school students and their parents with the VLE in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was distributed online for VLE evaluation. The questionnaire was based on previous studies and expert opinions from validated instruments for assessing distance education, integrative and literature reviews of VLE environment. A median value >3 indicated participant satisfaction in each of the 5 domains of the questionnaire as well as overall VLE satisfaction. The used questionnaire was checked after its implementation by all possible statistical means and it was found to be of acceptable validity and reliability.

Results: Six hundred and ninety-three participants including 571 Saudi citizens and 122 non-Saudi residents participated in this survey. The number of school students who agreed or strongly agreed were significantly lower than the number of students who disagreed or strongly disagreed with preferring the VLE over traditional education (p<0.001). The participants evaluated the VLE experience as unsatisfactory with a median value ≤3 for 4 out of 5 questionnaire domains with an overall satisfaction value of 2.8. Among the 117 participants who gave further written opinions/comments, 42(35.9%) participants supported the VLE as an alternative to traditional classrooms, if equipment and internet are made available and for the safety of their children.

Conclusions: This is one of few available adequate population-based studies for exploring the VLE satisfaction of both Saudi citizens and non-Saudi residents school students and their parents. This study showed the participants' unsatisfactory VLE experience. The VLE is accepted as an alternative to traditional classrooms to keep up with learning and to maintain the safety of children and it can be a supplementary learning method but many measures are still needed to develop the VLE.