English abstract
The use of new learning theories such as connectivism in a computer-supported
collaborative learning (CSCL) environment in the Omani context has not been thoroughly
explored. Therefore, this study aims to investigate perceptions of the effectiveness of
connectivism-based CSCL in the Omani higher education context, specifically, taking
Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) as an example of Omani's higher education. This
research seeks to answer three questions. The first question explores students' and
instructors' perceptions of the effectiveness of connectivism-based CSCL, while the
second and third questions investigate the relationships between several research variables
and the participants' perceptions.
Two questionnaires were developed to answer these research questions. To verify the
validity of the questionnaires, they were presented to six reviewers who specialize in the
field of instructional and learning technologies. A Cronbach's alpha (α) was calculated for
the items in the questionnaire to ensure their internal reliability. The sample consisted of
262 students and 60 instructors of both genders and from all colleges at SQU.
The results indicated positive perceptions of the effectiveness of using connectivismbased CSCL at SQU from the perspectives of both students and instructors. No significant
statistical differences in the students' and instructors' perceptions attributed to gender and
experience variables were revealed; however, there were significant differences attributed
to the college variable. In light of these findings, several recommendations are made for
policymakers, curriculum developers, instructional designers, and educators at SQU to
widely adopt connectivism-based CSCL principles in learning environments. In addition,
several suggestions for future research relevant to this topic have been offered.
