An evaluation of the Intensive English Programme for the preparatory year at King Saud University: female section

Abstract

Saudi Arabia is keen to develop higher education through continuous financial support and encouragement to students, not only to master English but also to engage in its associated culture and practices even though this may involve disregarding some Islamic objections to the Western world. Hence, the Preparatory Year Programme (PYP) was established which is a qualifying year for students to 1) bridge the gap between secondary and higher education where the language of instruction moves from Arabic to English; 2) prepare them to obtain a position in the labour market.

The Intensive English Programme (IEP) forms part of the PYP at King Saud University(KSU). The purpose of the present study is to explore the extent to which the IEP meets its goals of preparing students for university and work by equipping them with academic English and the necessary study skills. This research focuses on the IEP female section of which no evaluation studies have so far been carried out. Furthermore, it considers the extent to which cultural diversity affects the implementation of the IEP.

The participants are female IEP and KSU students, instructors and administrators of the2013–14 academic year. A mixed methods approach is implemented in which data are qualitatively collected through 41 interviews, 6 observations and document analysis and are quantitatively gathered through 642 questionnaires. The researcher employs a model developed by Stufflebeam (1971, 2007) that evaluates programmes according to their context, input, process and product (CIPP), allowing recommendations for changes and improvements to the IEP. Findings show that 1) the IEP positively enhances students’ personal and educational skills; 2) the IEP does not suffice in terms of preparing students academically for university study; 3) there are incompatibilities between IEP textbooks, assessments and teaching approaches; 4) cultural diversity has both positive and negative impacts on individuals.

Date of Award	Dec 2017
Original language	English
Sponsors	The Saudi Arabia Cultural Bureau & King Saud University
Supervisor	Rosalind Pritchard (Supervisor), Jacqueline Reilly (Supervisor) & Helen Hou (Supervisor)