X Spaces (formerly Twitter) and Reading Communities in the Arab World across a Technological, Cultural, and Educational Landscape

Authors

Keywords:

Reading skills, social media platforms, ethnographic approach, qualitative research, language skills, voice culture

Abstract

Reading is not a luxury, but rather a necessity, with the command word “read.” This practice has deep roots in Arab cultures, fostering creativity and offering alternate realms of existence. However, the advent of modern technologies has diverted individuals' attention and consumed most of their time. This research aims to identify the contribution of digital spaces within the X platform, "Saturday Breakfast Spaces," in nurturing a culture of reading within Arab society. This research adopted a qualitative ethnographic approach to comprehend and elucidate this technological cultural and educational landscape. Data were gathered through a focus group with the organizers, and a year-long observation of (43) such spaces. Data analysis employed the Reflexive Thematic Analysis method, assisted by the NVivo software. The findings showed the success of these reading spaces in building a widespread community transcending geographical boundaries, characterized by interconnectedness and a strong sense of belonging. The findings outlined methods for encouraging reading and identified the factors that attract readers to these spaces. The recommendations target stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, educational institutions, and individuals, with the aim of promoting the effective use of digital technologies on social media platforms to enhance reading 

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Author Biographies

Heba K. Aladsani, Assistant Professor of Educational Technology, Department of Curriculum and instruction, King Faisal University

Assistant Professor of Educational Technology, Department of Curriculum and instruction, King Faisal University

She received her PhD from the University of Sheffield, UK in 2019. She has several research papers published in ISI-classified English journals with renowned publishers such as Elsevier, Routledge, Springer, SAGE, and MDPI. Her research interests include e-learning and distance learning, the use of social networking sites in education, and qualitative research methodologies. She participated in presenting scientific papers at international conferences in the United Kingdom. She delivered a number of courses and workshops on the qualitative approach in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. She was awarded first place in the Outstanding Faculty Member Award in the Field of Teaching and Learning for the year 2022 at King Faisal University. She is a member of the British Educational Research Association (BERA) in the United Kingdom, the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) in the United Kingdom, and the Justin Society in Saudi Arabia.

Eman A. Aldoughan, Associate professor of curricula and instruction at King Faisal University

 Associate professor of curricula and instruction at King Faisal University

 

PhD (Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University).

She has 15 years of academic work experience. SShe has published nationally and internattionally and with well-known publishers such as IEEE, Taylor & Francis. She works as Vice Dean for Female Student Affairs at King Faisal University. She was awarded first place in the Outstanding Faculty Member Award in the Field of Community partnership.

 

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Published

2024-06-15

How to Cite

Aladsani ه. خ., & Aldoughan إ. ع. ا. . (2024). X Spaces (formerly Twitter) and Reading Communities in the Arab World across a Technological, Cultural, and Educational Landscape. Saudi Journal of Educational Sciences, 2(15), 83–102. Retrieved from https://sjes.org.sa/index.php/sjes/article/view/482

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 15 (2024): العدد الخامس عشر

Section

Articles