E-learning is currently viewed by Arab government officials as a viable solution to their educational problems (UNESCO, 2002b; Bubtana, 2003; Aldhafeeri & Almulla, 2006). As a result, significant investments by local, regional, and international organizations have been made to implement e-learning programs in the Arab region (ALECSO, 2001; UNESCO, 2002a; Dowidar, 2002). This study was an exploratory case study to capture the Arab perceptions towards e-learning. The study followed Robert Stake's case study research approach; participants included thirty Arab students, faculty members, and administrators at the American University in Cairo (AUC). The data was collected through face-to-face interviews. The study describes participants' general perceptions of e-learning, what they perceive to be advantages and disadvantages, and how they view the effectiveness and quality of e-learning. In addition, the study indicated that the majority of the participants had no e-learning experience and viewed e-learning negatively, while four participants with e-learning experience had a positive perception of e-learning. Existing studies of Arab perceptions of e-learning offer mostly positive views but they are based on surveys of participants with e-learning experience. This research also suggests that culture could be an inhibitor of e-learning and should be taken into account in the promotion and design of e-learning programs.
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