​Planning to adopt flexible education methods more broadly, the Community College of Qatar (CCQ) conducted a survey to evaluate its distance education experience during the Fall 2020-2021. CCQ adopted distance learning following the precautionary measures observed to combat the spread of Coronavirus and to protect students’ and faculty members’ health. The survey was designed to identify the most important features of the distance education experience and the lessons learned in order to increase CCQ’s readiness for crisis and to ensure a smooth educational process regardless of any future challenges. The survey was divided into two stages; the first surveyed students who were taking courses remotely during this period, while the second stage measured the views of the professors who taught these courses.

The first stage of the survey was conducted from February 8 to 15 with the participation of 1,500 students from all CCQ’s disciplines (21% males - 79% females); that is more than one third of CCQ students. The results were as follows:
- 84% of the participating students confirmed that their distance education experience was good overall.
- 82% of the students indicated that communication with faculty members was easy which enabled them to understand the educational material; 81% confirmed that interaction during the online lectures was effective and fruitful which contributed to their understanding of the educational material.
- 83% of the students indicated that the experience helped them acquire new technical and non-technical skills, such as self-study and time management.
- 79% of the participating students confirmed that if they were to choose between distance education and physical presence, they would choose distance education.
- 90% expressed their satisfaction with the technical support provided by CCQ during this period, saying that the College provided them with the necessary technical support to make the most out of this experience.
- 84% of the participating students confirmed that the educational platforms used by the College (Microsoft Teams and the Blackboard Learning Management System) contributed to knowledge acquisition smoothly.

The second stage of the survey was conducted from March 18 to 25 with the participation of 120 faculty members, which accounts for 78% of the professors who taught the courses online. The survey results show that 94% of the participants confirmed that their experience was good overall. Comparing to traditional classes, 78% of the surveyed faculty members confirmed that they managed to achieve the same outputs. 96% agreed that they acquired new technical skills from this experience, while 95% indicated that CCQ offered them sufficient technical support.

It is noteworthy that CCQ launched the Virtual Distance Learning Academy in Summer 2020 to support the faculty members’ professional development in educational technology. The Academy serves as a platform for faculty members where they can share experiences as well as discussing best practices in online and hybrid learning to make the educational process better and more flexible for the students.

Dr. Mohammad Anwari, Director of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness at CCQ, said “The results of the survey showcase our ability to face and overcome challenges in a relatively short period of time and that we are on the right path. We are proud of all our colleagues’ efforts, who made the distance education process smooth and effective. Their collaboration enabled us to achieve good results that meet the needs of CCQ students who are the backbone of the future. We do our best in order to develop their knowledge and skills so that they can face future challenges and meet the job market requirements.”

Commenting on his online learning experience at CCQ, Mr. Abdulrahman Ibrahim Al-Jassim, student of the Associate of Business Administration (hybrid format), said, “CCQ was a pioneer of distance education in Qatar even before the corona pandemic started when it implemented hybrid learning that enables students to attend lectures anywhere, anytime.” He also applauded CCQ efforts that made education continue regardless of the circumstances. This includes the provision of workforce, technical support and educational technology tools and explanatory videos, as well as seminars, lectures, workshops and training to enable students to use distance education tools.

Souad Ahmad Al-Salem, CCQ student, explained that saving time, receiving information quickly, and having the lectures recorded and accessible at any time were among the most important benefits of the distance education experience. She also applauded CCQ’s huge support during this experience, saying, “This included training on distance education tools such as educational and instructional videos which helped us as students to understand the distance education process, how to meet with faculty members, as well as support classes and the many development and training workshops that focused on developing students' experiences and capabilities in dealing with the distance education tools.”

Dr. Khaled Bazeed, Assistant Professor in Public Administration Department, stated that “Distance education at CCQ is considered a successful experience and the administration was able to face the challenges through the technological infrastructure which contributed to the success of the distance education process and the effective communication with the students. It also helped develop our teaching methods using new technologies.”

Mr. Thomas Hodgson, Teaching Associate in CCQ’s English Language Center, said that he felt “confident, assured and supported by a college and a country, ready for the challenge. What I experienced was actually something refreshing – a new approach to education, one that would not only allow students to learn in an alternate mode, but also for teachers to assess their own pedagogy and practices and enhance and improve them.” He added, “Online learning has several benefits. However, the most noticeable and striking benefit I have witnessed has been the encouragement of student autonomy and self-directed learning. Students have become more confident in their own ability to research, critique, and collate information. During the online teaching and learning process, I have had much more interaction with students than during face-to-face study.”

CCQ launched its hybrid learning program in Fall 2020 – 2021 before the corona pandemic started, which paved the way for the success of its distance education experience and contributed to overcoming the challenges quickly and effectively. It is noteworthy that CCQ aims to benefit from the knowledge obtained from the distance education experience to expand its offering of flexible academic programs and courses which will allow for higher flexibility and help students manage their time in a way that does not conflict with their responsibilities. It will also help in overcoming geographical barriers, allowing CCQ to hire experts from outside Qatar to work online.

Survey about Distance Education at CCQ During the Fall Semester 2020-2021