Higher Education in the Arab World [electronic resource] : E-Learning and Distance Education / edited by Adnan Badran, Elias Baydoun, Sandra Hillman, Joelle Mesmar.

1. Introduction -- 2. An Overview of E-Learning and Distance Education in the Higher Education Landscape: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly -- 3. The Pedagogical Ecology of Learning Technologies: A Learning Design Framework for Meaningful Online Learning -- 4. The Future of the University: Outlook for a 21st Century Economy -- 5. Distance Education: Is it any Longer a Paradigm of Choice? The University of Jordan; a Case Study -- 6. Delivery of Online and Blended-Learning Higher Education Programs in the Arab World-A Case Study from Sohar University in Oman -- 7. A Flexible Blended Approach to Learning. 8 -- E-Learning at the University of Petra during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons and Recommendations. 9. Interactive and Collaborative Distance Learning Approaches: A Decision-making Framework for Higher Education in Developing Countries -- 10. Bridging the Digital Divide in Higher Education: North African Challenges and Initiatives -- 11. Hands-On E-Learning and Distance Education in Engineering: Wishful Thinking or a Practical Reality -- 12. Enhancing Collaborative and Self-Paced Learning in Traditional and Distance Education Settings -- 13. The Impact of Online Learning on Career Performance among Practitioner Engineers -- 14. The Implementation of Online Medical Education in the Arab World -- 15. Transnational Education and E-Learning -- 16. Cognitive Presence as a Catalyst for Creating a Community of Inquiry in Online Learning in a Lebanese Higher-Education Context -- 17 -- Beyond Digital Learning Modalities and Tools: Centering Learners' Socioemotional Wellbeing in the Context of E-Learning in the Arab Region.

This book provides a comprehensive insight into the benefits and advantages of adopting technology-driven learning as a central pillar of the universities' teaching, learning, research, and social-responsibility strategies. Despite the importance of adopting technology-enhanced learning within higher education institutions, Arab countries are still slow to change. Arab Universities are facing the need to adopt new methods of learning to serve the demands of a changing demography in the higher education community as well as the requirements of Industry 4.0 and Society 4.0. E-Learning and distance education are not just about technology, but they are about education, pedagogy, curriculum design, research, and innovation. The book also discusses the best methods to implement these modes of learning while taking into consideration all the hurdles and challenges specific to the Arab world. The needs of students (undergraduate and postgraduate), faculty, and the university at large are considered while drawing on the best quality-assurance practices to ensure the quality of education remains uncompromised. Also featured in this book are experiences from Arab Universities and recommendations for improvements that facilitate the use of education technology tools as part the university's pedagogy to harness the full potential for implementing e-learning and distance education. .