Investigating the Lack of Utilization of Information and Communication Technologies in Saudi Schools

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) make the educational process more efficient by facilitating the imparting of information. Recently, many research and studies asserted that the use of ICT will significantly improve the outcomes of the educational process. Therefore, Saudi Arabia's government invested massively to integrate ICT in the education sector, but the implementation has been disappointing and not achieving the desired goals. Therefore, this study aims to explore the main factors behind the lack of ICT utilization in Saudi schools. Furthermore, the results of this study and the recommendations set forth in this paper will contribute towards the successful utilization of ICT in the education sector of Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. Data have been collected by conducting semistructured questionnaires and interviews with teachers working at secondary schools in Madinah city. Then, these data have been analyzed by using qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods. The study reveals that there are four main factors behind the lack of ICT utilization, which are: lack of infrastructure and technical support, lack of ICT management and strategies, lack of ICT training courses, and negative teachers' attitudes and beliefs towards utilization of ICT. In conclusion, we provide some recommendations that contribute to overcoming these factors and promoting the full usage of ICT in the educational process.