Teaching Academic Writing Using Online Tools: An Experimental Study at Imam Abdulrahman University

It is presumed that there is a dearth of research on how best to acquire academic writing online at this critical juncture. To fill this gap, 126 Saudi students were surveyed online, and 20 of them were chosen to complete a semi-structured interview. Five main obstacles were identified: lack of active student-teacher communication, technological difficulties, time allotted to perform tasks, insufficient academic assistance, and issues related to feedback from the teacher. Four main mechanisms for coping with these obstacles have also been identified: flexibility regarding limiting the time allotted to complete tasks online; choosing a student in each group to present problems regarding online academic writing; making initiatives to develop students' awareness of dealing with educational tools in academic writing; and activating feedback from teachers and peers. Two benefits of online writing education were found: extensive use of educational materials and online teaching platforms, and available opportunities to practice academic writing online.