Understanding Arab Students’ Behavioral Patterns in an Online Course: An Explanatory Study Based on Hofstede’s National Cultural Dimensions

Ahmed Tlili, Mouna Denden, Saida Affouneh, Soheil Hussein Salha, Zhenyu Cai, Mohamed Jemni, Aras Bozkurt, Ronghuai Huang and Lixin Zhu
Additional contact information
Ahmed Tlili: Smart Learning Institute, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Mouna Denden: University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, LAMIH, CNRS, UMR 8201, 59313 Valenciennes, France
Saida Affouneh: Faculty of Educational Sciences and Teachers’ Training, An-Najah National University, P.O. Box 7, Nablus 707, Palestine
Soheil Hussein Salha: Faculty of Educational Sciences and Teachers’ Training, An-Najah National University, P.O. Box 7, Nablus 707, Palestine
Zhenyu Cai: Smart Learning Institute, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Mohamed Jemni: Research Laboratory of Technologies of Information and Communication & Electrical Engineering (LaTICE), Tunis Higher School of Engineering (ENSIT), University of Tunis, Tunis 1008, Tunisia
Aras Bozkurt: Distance Education Department, Open Education Faculty, Anadolu University, Eskişehir 26470, Turkey
Ronghuai Huang: Smart Learning Institute, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Lixin Zhu: Smart Learning Institute, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 22, 1-18

Abstract: The provision of online learning experiences has been implemented by many universities worldwide to overcome several challenges, including inequality in education. However, this experience is still not a common approach in public universities in the Arab region. Furthermore, several research studies have pointed out that a country’s culture should be considered in order to enhance online learning, as students may behave differently based on their cultural backgrounds. Nevertheless, little is known about how a given culture may affect the learning behavioral patterns of students. Therefore, to better understand the cultural phenomenon and to enhance the adoption of online learning in the Arab region, this study aims to understand how an Arab culture may affect the online learning behaviors of students. Specifically, this study applies a lag sequential analysis (LSA) approach to understand the behavioral patterns of 116 students from Tunisia in a six-week online course. The study then further discusses the different learning behavior patterns based on the theoretical framework of Hofstede’s national cultural dimensions. The findings highlight that culture can affect how students engage in online learning discussions and how they maintain their learning performance online. The findings further indicate that online learning experiences may be beneficial for female students who experience social pressures in Arab cultures.

Keywords: Hofstede’s cultural dimensions; gender; online learning; Arab culture; lag sequential analysis; Tunisia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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