The Role of Learning Resource Centers at the Northern Border University in Increasing the Academic Achievement in English Language Courses

Abstract

The study aims at understanding the relationship between the use of IT applications in the Learning Resources Centers (henceforth, LRCs) at the university and increasing the academic achievement of the English language students at the Faculty of Education and Literature at the Northern Border University? The researcher relied on the research methodology of the field study, which allowed him to collect the views of a random sample of the English language learners at the university to measure and analyze the effectiveness of the use of IT within the LRCs. The study showed that the IT within the LRCs is one of the most important strategic resources at the level of educational institutions and the main factor in the development of its sectors. There is an interest from the Northern Border University on upgrading and supporting the IT infrastructure, especially in education for it is the basis for community development. A high proportion of English Language students at the university are keen on using and applying many of the technological learning media within the LRCs as a constitutive factor in understanding mental processes such as visualization, thinking, learning and creativity which is the first step towards knowledge and innovation.

The Importance of Developing Learning Resource Centers to Improve the Quality of Learning in Remote, Disadvantaged, Leading Areas

“…Learning resource centers are often called alternately without eliminating the essence of their meaning, with various terms such as learning laboratory, learning center, media center, learning resources center, center for learning resources, and so on. The learning resource center is: "A place -which can be anything from part of a room to a complex of buildings -that is set up especially for housing, and making available for use, a collection of learning materials in different media, or for providing facilities for the production as same" [15,17]. Merrill and Drob refer to the learning resource center as the Center for Learning Resources, which is defined as: "An organized activity consisting of a director, staff, and equipment housed in one or more specialized facilities for the production, procurement, and presentation of instructional materials and the provision of developmental and planning services related to the curriculum and teaching on a general university campus" [18,19].…”

“…Or the learning resource center as a place where there are organized activities, led by a chairman supported by all staff, production equipment, and adequate funds, who run the program actively in the design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of learning resources, to facilitate and improve the learning outcomes and learning of individuals and groups, as well as provide development and planning services related to curriculum and learning. Learning resource center is a special unit in an educational institution that serves to provide services to learners, educators, and education managers in terms of procurement, development, production, maintenance, and utilization of various learning resources so that learning activities can run effectively and efficiently [17,20]. A learning resource center is an institution that provides a variety of learning resources that have been organized into the learning system to meet the needs of educators and learners.…”