Role of Education, Training, and E-Learning in Sustainable Employment Generation and Social Empowerment in Saudi Arabia

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

I have carefully considered and read the manuscript entitled “Role of Education, Training, and E-learning in Sustainable Employment Generation and Social Empowerment in Saudi Arabia” and have the following observations:

The study attempts to analyze the role of education, training, and e-learning (ETL) in empowering Saudi society, leading to sustainable employment generation in Saudi Arabia. It applies the theory of constructivism scoping to human aspects of teaching and learning in sustainable employment generation and social empowerment. The study primarily collects the existing variables pools from the available literature on education (EDU), training (TRA), e-learning (ELRN), government policies (GPOL), national Culture (NCUL), sustainable employment generation (SUEG), and social empowerment (SEMP). The study performs second order Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with moderation analysis. The study aims to obtain the combined effect of ETL on sustainable employment generation and social empowerment in presence of government policies and national culture in the Kingdom. Primary, the results of the path diagram shows that ETL has a significant direct impact on social empowerment and sustainable employment generation. Secondly, the moderation analysis results showed that government policies are a significant moderator between ETL and sustainable employment generation & social empowerment. In contrast, the national culture does not work as a significant moderator between ETL on sustainable employment generation and social empowerment. Additionally, the moderation analysis results show that national culture directly impacts social empowerment. In contrast, it does not show a significant direct relationship with sustainable employment generation. The study highlights the instructor’s role in constructivist learning, learners’ reflective learning, and implications for constructivism learning to social empowerment and sustainable employment generation in the Kingdom. The study also has a broad scope for higher educational institutions, training centers, and organizations supporting government policy initiatives implemented by the Ministry of Education (MoE), Saudi Arabia.

Comments and Suggestions for Authors:

This paper is needing enough clarity about the main theme of your manuscript. There are some spelling errors, and more clarifications and improvements are needed for reconsidering it for the publication in the Sustainability.

In addition to the above, I have a few points for the authors to consider before the publication of this work:

• The abstract has some issues. So, it is recommended that rewrite the abstract with clear and concise sentences without ambiguous illustrations.
• Please highlight your contribution and novelty of this manuscript with accuracy in the introduction part.
• Please update your literature with a few latest studies if applicable:

·       At the end of the theoretical background, you have to present in a summative and concluding way

 

• Recheck the references and their style are according to the journal requirements, and in-text and end-text should be the same and vice versa.
• In the discussion section, some supplementary literature must be added to compare and contrast the key findings with the existing study.
• The conclusion should be based on your results and discussion. So, do consider it accordingly and improve this section.
• The acronyms should be defined at first appearance in the manuscript and then must be consistently used throughout the manuscript. Furthermore, the manuscript must be checked for typo errors and spelling checks.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Justification to Respective Reviewer

Dear respected reviewer,

As an author, I tried to improve the manuscript with clarity and did the proofreading the manuscript to correct the spelling and English language errors. I am not a native English speaker, but I tried to write and present the manuscript with the clarifications in the best possible manner. I hope that it will fulfill the requirement for the publication.

• The author has rewritten and revised the abstract as suggested and tried to present it clearly and concisely. (colored in yellow)
• The author has highlighted the contribution and novelty of the manuscript in the introductory part, as suggested. (colored in yellow)
• The author has updated the literature and added 22 more articles* as references with some latest articles applicable to support the research strongly. In addition, the author presented the concluding summary at the end of the theoretical background. The author also rechecked the referencing style as per the Sustainability Journal.  (colored in yellow)
• The author has added some supplementary literature with the latest applicable studies in the discussion section and compared it with the existing research. (colored in yellow)
• The author has improved the result & discussion, and conclusion section accordingly. (colored in yellow)
• After the first appearance, the acronyms have deleted in the manuscript and put only acronyms repeatedly in the variables defined area. The author also has checked the manuscript for typo errors, as suggested.

*Supplementary Literature to Justify findings and discussion

1. Yildirim, A., & Kasapoglu, K. (2015). Teachers’ perceptions of constructivist curriculum change as a predictor of their perceptions of the implementation of constructivist teaching-learning activities. Asia Pacific Education Review, 16(4), 565-577.
2. Kaufman, D., 2004. 14. Constructivist issues in language learning and teaching. Annual review of applied linguistics, 24, pp.303-319.
3. Garrison, D. R. (1993). A cognitive constructivist view of distance education: An analysis of teaching‐learning assumptions. Distance education, 14(2), 199-211.
4. Doolittle, P. E. (1999). Constructivism and online education.
5. Gordon, M. (2008). Between constructivism and connectedness. Journal of teacher education, 59(4), 322-331.
6. Fox, R. (2001). Constructivism examined. Oxford Review of education, 27(1), 23-35.
7. Herman, W. E. (1995). Humanistic Influences on a Constructivist Approach to Teaching and Learning.
8. Kroll*, L. R. (2004). Constructing constructivism: how student‐teachers construct ideas of development, knowledge, learning, and teaching. Teachers and teaching, 10(2), 199-221.
9. Von Glasersfeld, E. (1996). Introduction: Aspects of constructivism. Constructivism: Theory, perspectives, and practice, 3-7.
10. Adams, P. (2006). Exploring social constructivism: Theories and practicalities. Education, 34(3), 243-257
11. Asad, M. M., Naz, A., Churi, P., Guerrero, A. J. M., & Salameh, A. A. (2022). Mix Method Approach of Measuring VR as a Pedagogical Tool to Enhance Experimental Learning: Motivation from Literature Survey of Previous Study. Education Research International, 2022.
12. Bizimana, E., Mutangana, D., & Mwesigye, A. (2022). Students’ Perceptions of the Classroom Learning Environment and Engagement in Cooperative Mastery Learning-Based Biology Classroom Instruction. Education Research International, 2022.
13. Guaman-Quintanilla, S., Everaert, P., Chiluiza, K., & Valcke, M. (2022). Fostering Teamwork through Design Thinking: Evidence from a Multi-Actor Perspective. Education Sciences, 12(4), 279.
14. Jones, M. G., & Brader-Araje, L. (2002). The impact of constructivism on education: Language, discourse, and meaning. American Communication Journal, 5(3), 1-10.
15. Makrakis, V. (2017). Unlocking the potentiality and actuality of ICTs in developing sustainability-justice curricula and society. Knowledge Cultures, 5(02), 103-122.
16. Makrakis, V., & Kostoulas-Makrakis, N. (2013). A methodology for reorienting university curricula to address sustainability: The RUCAS-Tempus project initiative. In Sustainability assessment tools in higher education institutions(pp. 323-344). Springer, Cham.
17. PALINCSAR, A. S. (2012). Social constructivist perspectives on teaching and learning. An Introduction to Vygotsky, 290-319.
18. Pande, M., & Bharathi, S. V. (2020). Theoretical foundations of design thinking–A constructivism learning approach to design thinking. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 36, 100637.
19. Scheer, A.; Noweski, C.; Meinel, C. TransformingConstructivist Learninginto Action: Design Thinkingin education. Des. Technol. Educ. Int. J. 2012, 17, 8–19.
20. Sońta, M. (2021). Designing playful employee experience through serious play–reflections from pre-pandemic corporate learning events in Poland. Journal of Work-Applied Management.
21. Xu, D. (2022). Construction of an English Research Learning Model Based on Constructivism and Data Mining under a Cloud Computing Platform. Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing, 2022.
22. Živković, S. (2014). Constructivism–an emerging trend in ESP teaching and learning. Language, Literature and Culture in Education. Nitra, Slovakia.

Best regards,

Reviewer 2 Report

This study attempts to analyze the role of education, training, and e-learning (ETL) in empowering Saudi society, leading to sustainable employment generation in Saudi Arabia. Driven by a social constructivist perspective in theory, it applied a quantitative research methodology, which is something controversial, since the constructivist principles focus more on understanding and a practical knowledge and human interest. However, the study is well designed, structured and presented. The results seem interesting and in line with the methodology applied.  The response rate is about 65%. It is noted that out of 600 responses, 204, were not considered useful for the study and rejected without giving more information of the problem and the possible impact on the design, the results and their generalization. This has to be tackled by the authors.  Since the paper draws on ICTs see also “Unlocking the potentiality and actuality of ICTs in developing sustainable–justice curricula and society. Knowledge Cultures, 5(2), 103-122. doi: 0.22381/KC5220177 2017.

Author Response

Dear Respected Reviewer

Justification 1:

Even though most of the constructivism-based research applies the qualitative methodologies, some research in which the authors used quantitative methods to find the outcome and generalized. The present study tries to quantify the students’ perceptions regarding education, training, and e-learning in the presence of two moderators: government policy and national culture, to know the impact on sustainable employment generation and social empowerment.

Some studies in which authors performed the quantitative analysis with the theoretical aspects of constructivism are as follows:

1. In an empirical study based on 910 students at times t1 and t2, constructivism emphasizes students’ engagement in knowledge construction and meaningful reflection (Gunman et al., 2022). 
2. In an empirical study, the constructivism theory asserts the experience-based constructive learning, which stresses direct experience in acquiring knowledge in which students get involved with the world by applying their perspective (Asad et al., 2022).
3. In an empirical study conducted on 298 male and female students, the social constructivism theory emphasizes the active students’ learning in which students as the learners build their knowledge in a particular social connectedness along with cultural development with the real-world situations (Bizimana et al., 2022).

4. In a triangulation study by (Yildirim & Kasapogulu, 2015), the data were collected on constructivist teaching and learning by distributing questionnaires to students and conducting teacher interviews.

 

Quantitative References:

3. Guaman-Quintanilla, S., Everaert, P., Chiluiza, K., & Valcke, M. (2022). Fostering Teamwork through Design Thinking: Evidence from a Multi-Actor Perspective. Education Sciences, 12(4), 279.
4. Asad, M. M., Naz, A., Churi, P., Guerrero, A. J. M., & Salameh, A. A. (2022). Mix Method Approach of Measuring VR as a Pedagogical Tool to Enhance Experimental Learning: Motivation from Literature Survey of Previous Study. Education Research International, 2022.
5. Bizimana, E., Mutangana, D., & Mwesigye, A. (2022). Students’ Perceptions of the Classroom Learning Environment and Engagement in Cooperative Mastery Learning-Based Biology Classroom Instruction. Education Research International, 2022.

 

4. Yildirim, A., & Kasapoglu, K. (2015). Teachers’ perceptions of constructivist curriculum change as a predictor of their perceptions of the implementation of constructivist teaching–learning activities. Asia Pacific Education Review, 16(4), 565-577.

We have added 22 articles further to justify our research in the exiting study.

 

Justification 2:

In the article, the theory of constructivism emphasizes the learners' active role in constructing knowledge that is significant for both individuals and society and the validity of constructed knowledge and its realistic representation in the real world. The practical implementation of the education and e-learning approach of constructivism will help to bridge the gap between the skilled workforce in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world. Moreover, the students as a learner will be able to assert their experiences by connecting with the outside world, constructing a sustainable society leading to sustainable employment generation and social empowerment in the Kingdom. The study also has a broad scope for higher educational institutions, training centers, and organizations in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world.

The study applied quantitative research methodology using the theory's social constructivist perspective. The study attempted to quantify the student's perception of education, training, and e-learning along with the country's culture and government policies. As a result, the undergraduate students have expressed all the research indicators with informed consent leading to sustainable employment generation and social empowerment for the Kingdom. The survey was conducted over two semesters to get more and more responses from the students.

The study tries to relate human knowledge (undergraduate students) through education, training, and e-learning in constructing the nation towards sustainability by employment generation (human construction leading to nation construction) and constructing a knowledgeable society (applied knowledge) towards social empowerment. Furthermore, the study tries to justify the students' knowledge creation through ETL in the era of covid-19, applied in constructing the nation emphasizing on human-centric (students) approach leading to sustainability in terms of employment and social empowerment.

Justification 3:

The main problem with getting fewer responses was that data was collected during the covid-19 pandemic, and we contacted the undergraduate students online only. Out of 204 responses, the incomplete rate of responses was 19% (113), and the invalidated questionnaire was 15 % (91). The students communicated three times each semester to get more responses. The final responses after complete effort were 396. The data of returned blank questionnaires were not kept in record with the surveyor.

The study attempted to analyze students' understandings and knowledge as human beings generated/created through ETL along with government policies in presence of country culture leading to sustainable employment generation and social empowerment.

We have gone through the article based on ICTs and see also "Unlocking the potentiality and actuality of ICTs in developing sustainable–justice curricula and society. Knowledge Cultures, 5(2), 103-122. DOI: 0.22381/KC5220177 2017.

 

I found the article interesting and included it in our paper as a reference.

 

The examples of the text considered from the above paper in our article have given below.

• Makrakis V. (2017), in an article, explored the scope of ICTs and their roles in constructing sustainable society and connectedness (human-centric) with education leasing to sustainable development.
• The concept of sustainable education-justice has an alternative to education leading to sustainable development in which the open course resources and courseware replace the traditional educational boundaries and place them worldwide (Makrakis V. (2017).
• Technological role (ICT) in education empowering the society (learners) has been playing a significant role in transforming intellectuals (teachers' role) by implementing pedagogical technology leading to sustainable development. (Giroux & McLaren, 1996; Makrakis, 2017).
• In a study conducted on 3,757 students (Markraks & Kostoulas-Makrakis, 2013b), the final-year university students analyzed to know the university's role in social transformation. The study's outcomes stated that sustainability justice-oriented education needs ideal and committed instructors who can take a challenge and apply their best effort to develop a sustainable society.

Thanks and regards.

Reviewer 3 Report

I perceive the article as high quality with high scientific value. The authors chose the topic appropriately with regard to current educational trends.

I have the only suggestion for improvement in Part 2 (124). The authors can better link the hypotheses with current knowledge, ie directly in the individual passages of the text.

I leave it to the authors' discretion whether to adjust or not.

Author Response

Dear Respected Reviewer,

• As suggested, the authors have improved Part 2(124) and attempted to link the hypothesis with the current knowledge. We added 22 additional articles, some very recently, constructivism theory of education and learning to link and support the hypothesis development directly with the individual text.
• We added these articles in the introduction, literature review, theoretical background, and discussion sections. The papers added in the theoretical background section, add value to justify the research and link with the current knowledge.
• We added a new sub-heading “Justification of Hypothesis Development” to support our hypothesis.
• The added text is highlighted in yellow color in the article.

I hope you will find the hypothesis better linked than earlier with the current knowledge.

*Supplementary Literature to Justify Literature, Hypothesis development, Findings, and Discussion

*Supplementary Literature to Justify findings and discussion

1. Yildirim, A., & Kasapoglu, K. (2015). Teachers’ perceptions of constructivist curriculum change as a predictor of their perceptions of the implementation of constructivist teaching–learning activities. Asia Pacific Education Review, 16(4), 565-577.
2. Kaufman, D., 2004. 14. Constructivist issues in language learning and teaching. Annual review of applied linguistics, 24, pp.303-319.
3. Garrison, D. R. (1993). A cognitive constructivist view of distance education: An analysis of teaching‐learning assumptions. Distance education, 14(2), 199-211.
4. Doolittle, P. E. (1999). Constructivism and online education.
5. Gordon, M. (2008). Between constructivism and connectedness. Journal of teacher education, 59(4), 322-331.
6. Fox, R. (2001). Constructivism examined. Oxford review of education, 27(1), 23-35.
7. Herman, W. E. (1995). Humanistic Influences on a Constructivist Approach to Teaching and Learning.
8. Kroll*, L. R. (2004). Constructing constructivism: how student‐teachers construct ideas of development, knowledge, learning, and teaching. Teachers and teaching, 10(2), 199-221.
9. Von Glasersfeld, E. (1996). Introduction: Aspects of constructivism. Constructivism: Theory, perspectives, and practice, 3-7.
10. Adams, P. (2006). Exploring social constructivism: Theories and practicalities. Education, 34(3), 243-257
11. Asad, M. M., Naz, A., Churi, P., Guerrero, A. J. M., & Salameh, A. A. (2022). Mix Method Approach of Measuring VR as a Pedagogical Tool to Enhance Experimental Learning: Motivation from Literature Survey of Previous Study. Education Research International, 2022.
12. Bizimana, E., Mutangana, D., & Mwesigye, A. (2022). Students’ Perceptions of the Classroom Learning Environment and Engagement in Cooperative Mastery Learning-Based Biology Classroom Instruction. Education Research International, 2022.
13. Guaman-Quintanilla, S., Everaert, P., Chiluiza, K., & Valcke, M. (2022). Fostering Teamwork through Design Thinking: Evidence from a Multi-Actor Perspective. Education Sciences, 12(4), 279.
14. Jones, M. G., & Brader-Araje, L. (2002). The impact of constructivism on education: Language, discourse, and meaning. American Communication Journal, 5(3), 1-10.
15. Makrakis, V. (2017). Unlocking the potentiality and actuality of ICTs in developing sustainability-justice curricula and society. Knowledge Cultures, 5(02), 103-122.
16. Makrakis, V., & Kostoulas-Makrakis, N. (2013). A methodology for reorienting university curricula to address sustainability: The RUCAS-Tempus project initiative. In Sustainability assessment tools in higher education institutions(pp. 323-344). Springer, Cham.
17. PALINCSAR, A. S. (2012). Social constructivist perspectives on teaching and learning. An Introduction to Vygotsky, 290-319.
18. Pande, M., & Bharathi, S. V. (2020). Theoretical foundations of design thinking–A constructivism learning approach to design thinking. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 36, 100637.
19. Scheer, A.; Noweski, C.; Meinel, C. TransformingConstructivist Learninginto Action: Design Thinkingin education. Des. Technol. Educ. Int. J. 2012, 17, 8–19.
20. Sońta, M. (2021). Designing playful employee experience through serious play–reflections from pre-pandemic corporate learning events in Poland. Journal of Work-Applied Management.
21. Xu, D. (2022). Construction of an English Research Learning Model Based on Constructivism and Data Mining under a Cloud Computing Platform. Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing, 2022.
22. Živković, S. (2014). Constructivism–an emerging trend in ESP teaching and learning. Language, Literature and Culture in Education. Nitra, Slovakia.

Best regards,

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

This paper is very clear and interesting. The authors have done properly all the necessary corrections. The manuscript has considerably improved and so far, it is endorsed for final publication in Sustainability.