This research explores the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools among higher education students in Saudi Arabia, aiming to understand their current perceptions of these technologies. This study utilizes the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the theory of Task-Technology Fit (TTF) to examine students’ utilization, perceived benefits, and challenges associated with these tools. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, yielding 859 responses. The findings indicate that 78.7% of students frequently use GenAI tools, while 21.3% do not, often due to a lack of knowledge or interest. ChatGPT emerged as the most widely used GenAI tool, utilized by 86.2% of respondents, followed by other tools like Gemini, Socratic, and CoPilot. Students primarily use these tools for defining or clarifying concepts, translation, generating ideas in writing, and summarizing academic literature. They cite benefits such as ease of access, time-saving, and instant feedback. However, they express concerns about the challenges, including subscription fees, unreliable information, plagiarism, reduced human-to-human interaction, and impacts on learning autonomy. This study underscores the need for increased awareness, ethical guidelines, and robust academic integrity measures to ensure the responsible use of GenAI tools in educational settings. These findings highlight the need for a balanced utilization of GenAI tools in higher education that maximizes benefits while addressing potential challenges and guides the development of policies, curricula, and support systems.

This small-scale qualitative study aimed to explore learning programming through online experiences among middle school students in a school for girls in Saudi Arabia. The low uptake of computing by girls has been a persistent problem in schools and beyond. In Saudi Arabia, there are similar issues in encouraging learners and girls in particular to be interested in computer coding. To explore how to engage learners in coding, an informal online course on programming for learners (age 12) was designed using a community-of-inquiry approach and a gamification process enabled through the use of Thunkable™ and TalentLMS™ to engage learners. An inductive qualitative research approach was used to explore influencing factors for engaging learners in programming. The data comprised three individual interviews, one focus group, a teacher’s diary, and a content analysis of the activities recorded in the TalentLMS™ system’s student progress reports. Findings highlighted the need to consider digital learning agency in the online learning environment and that learning programming online was best facilitated through student collaboration using live tools with teacher support to develop the online community. Further, findings revealed the rationale for the girls enrolling in the online programming course, which included improving their online learning skills, planning future careers, and developing résumés. These findings may contribute to offering some insight into pedagogy that can encourage greater interest in computer programming in schools.

This research aimed to investigate the perceptions and experiences of in-service teachers participating in a professional development (PD) program focused on computer science (CS). The main research question explored the teachers’ perceptions of their experience in the CSPD program, while sub-research questions examined the challenges encountered and the program’s impact on their capacities to teach CS in elementary schools. The study adopted an interpretivist paradigm and employed a qualitative research approach to understand the subjective meanings and hidden factors underlying teachers’ experiences. Data collection involved observations, reflection essays, and a semi-structured focus group interview. The data analysis was guided by the community of practice elements. The findings revealed prerequisite challenges faced by the teachers, such as the need to develop self-directed learning and research skills. Additionally, the PD program was found to enhance teachers’ knowledge, skills, and confidence in teaching CS. It also fostered changes in their beliefs and self-efficacy. Challenges in the pre-implementation and implementation stages were also revealed, including conflicting perspectives, limited supervisor support, and passive learning and teaching. These findings provide valuable insights that can contribute to the design of effective PD initiatives in CS education and promote sustainable education practices.

This study identified appropriate pedagogy for computational thinking in K–12 computer education. The Delphi technique was employed to collect different views, ideas and opinions derived a consensus from a panel of 12 international experts through a series of questionnaires. The experts have various experiences in computer science, computer education and computational thinking. After three rounds of survey, the expert panel identified a total of 13 appropriate teaching/learning strategies to develop computational thinking skills in K–12 computer education distributed among the nine skills of computational thinking: eight strategies derived from the 12 teaching and learning strategies in the first draft of the Delphi survey questionnaire and five strategies suggested and agreed by the panel. This study demonstrated the importance of finding an appropriate pedagogy for computational thinking with a focus on K–12 computer education.

This study aimed to determine the techniques that students perceive as important to support their engagement in computer science online learning, and to examine the effect of the gender and educational stage on students’ appreciation of these techniques. The study relied on the descriptive approach and used a questionnaire to collect data. The questionnaire consisted of 29 techniques to support students’ engagement, divided into three main categories: engagement among students, engagement between student and teacher, and engagement between students and educational content. The questionnaire was distributed electronically after verifying its validity and reliability. The study sample consisted of 405 male and female students in middle and high school in Riyadh. The finding indicated that students saw the importance of all the techniques to support their engagement in computer science online learning, and the student-teacher engagement techniques were the most important for students, followed by the student-content engagement techniques, then the student-student engagement techniques. In addition, the results indicated that there were statistically significant differences in the average of sample’s responses related to the variable of gender in favor of females; and related to the variable of educational stage in favor of the high school. The study recommended the importance of paying attention to the engagement techniques in online learning environment generally because of their great importance for both male and female students, and the need to develop teacher preparation programs in line with the modern trends towards online learning. Keywords: Engagement Techniques, online learning, computer science