Rapid development of communication tools has brought about contentious issues in communication management in distance learning (DL) programs. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between communication management indicators, namely, communication practices, communication tools, and students' cognitive engagement in distance learning programs.  A conceptual framework for communication management was developed from Moore’s Transactional Distance Learning Theory (TDLT) and other existing literature. This study was conducted using quantitative research design. A questionnaire (a survey method) was used to elicit responses from 450 randomly selected in-service teachers from three Malaysian Public universities that offer blended mode distance-learning programs. Data analysis was conducted using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) software to test the structural path of communication practices, communication tools, and students' cognitive engagement. Tests of hypotheses provided evidence of measures of fit statistics. The findings provide evidences that effective communication practices and communication tools have strong positive influence on distance students’ cognitive engagement.

Aims: This paper introduces how substantial decision-making and leadership styles relates with each other. Decision-making styles are connected with leadership practices and institutional arrangements. Study Design: Qualitative research approach was adopted in this study. A semi structure interview was use to elicit data from the participants on both leadership styles and decision-making.

Although the Electronic Records Management System (ERMS) is necessary for organizations to enhance their performance, many organizations are yet to embark on its implementation, while some others attempt at implementing it without model, thus leading to an ineffective and erroneous implementation. On the other side, researchers have already started applying cloud computing in ERMS implementations of education sector for its benefits. Therefore, this paper aims to propose a model for cloud ERMS implementation in an attempt to improve the Yemeni public sector educational institutions competency, using Technology Acceptance Model 3 (TAM3). The study used the quantitative approach through questionnaire that was used as instrument to gather data from 350 respondents working in the education sector of Yemen. Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to predict the relationship between the constructs. The findings revealed that both dimensions of ERMS and Cloud are important in implementation of ERMS. The results also showed that ERMS has a significant relationship with the competency of the public sector educational institutions. This has arises implication whereby the public sector needs to pay attention to the factors found in the model in order to promote a successful implementation.

Abstract-This study examined the role of administrators in facilitating instructors and students of distance education programme (DEP) to the use of effective communication tools of the present digitized environment. Administrators/coordinators of DEP were purposively selected from three different universities in Malaysia. Their responses from interviews had been transcribed and coded. Students' feedback and monitoring activities on Learning Management System (LMS) were also collected and analyzed. Findings suggest that administrators did not consider certificate or experience in distance learning while recruiting instructors to teach in DEP. Instead, they perceived that university lecturers from the conventional programme should be able to fulfil course learning outcomes designed for the DEP. Evidence had shown that administrators bureaucratic decision in mandating LMS with grade attached, seemed to deter lecturers from using effective communication tools such as emails and facebook. When asked on plans to improve the administration of DEP, the administrators mentioned that training has really helped lecturers to improve their content delivery skills. It is concluded that the circumstantial or semester training through LMS which involved training among lecturers who are new in the e-learning environment is inadequate. The monitoring of DEP through the LMS is recommended to be focused on upgrading communication practices as well as attitudes among lecturers for effective online instructions which are critical to the eventual achievement of the DEP learners.

Preparatory (prep) year students presently encounter a significant disparity between prior to college English writing and the much superior level of competence needed for potential academic programs in Saudi Arabia. Study has verified the operational efficacy of the methods of e-journaling and writing workshop on alleviating writing apprehension but on a separate basis. This study represents an original contribution to knowledge through exploring the effects of merging these two outstanding methods. Accordingly, the degree to which this new method reduced Saudi prep-year students' writing apprehension was statistically examined. Tools 48 included an instructional program and a writing apprehension test. The researcher applied the randomized control-group posttest-only design in the experiment. Students were randomly assigned to an experimental group, that studied the new program and a control group, that did not experience such treatment. At the end of the experiment, the two groups were post-tested using the writing apprehension test. Statistical treatment of the results was carried out, and the findings revealed that there is a statistically substantial difference between mean scores in favor of the experimental group students. This indicates that the integration of the e-journaling and the writing workshop methods has substantial effects on minimizing students' writing apprehension as compared to the control group students. Further research is needed to develop new consistent methods of teaching writing that cope with and benefit from the current digital outbreak, especially in the Saudi, Arab and EFL foundation/prep-year contexts.

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Vocabulary learning plays an essential role in foreign language learning. It is also central to language teaching and is of paramount importance to a language learner. Mnemonic is a technique that is used to instruct vocabulary and it helps learners remember better. The association of images and sounds with mnemonics can make it more powerful and effective to help language learners remember better and for a longer time, this can be achieved through applying a method called the keyword method. This study was designed to investigate university Saudi students’ attitudes towards the mnemonic keyword method. By employing a survey research design to discover the attitudes of the students enrolled in the preparatory year program at Taibah University. A questionnaire about ‘Students’ Attitudes towards Keyword Method (SAKM) having four Likert scales was used as an instrument for data collection from a sample of 40 students. Descriptive statistics (mean, median, mode, standard deviation.) and independent-sample t-test were exploited to analyze the data. The results of the study showed that Saudi students have positive attitudes towards the mnemonic keyword method that was used to instruct vocabulary.

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between communication management indicators namely communication practices, communication tools and learners' cognitive engagement in distance learning programme. A set of hypotheses concerning correlational links between constructs are derived from the literature. This study was conducted using quantitative approach. Questionnaire was used to elicit responses from 405 randomly selected distance learners from three Malaysia Public universities offering distance-learning programmes. Data analysis was conducted using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) version 18 software to test the relationship between communication practices, communication tools and learners' cognitive engagement. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to establish the validity and reliability of the items. Tests of hypotheses provided evidence of measures of fit and statistical significance of the measurement model. The findings provide evidences of model fit and that effective communication practices and communication tools have strong positive relationship with students' cognitive engagement. The study establishes the relevance of communication management in enhancing self-directed, self-motivated and self-dependent distance learners.