Abstract

With the innovation of technology, the nature of learning and teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has been changed, and instead of traditional learning and teaching, e-learning has emerged as a new way to meet the demands of the ‘iGeneration’ who can easily roam around the knowledge domain just with a smartphone at anytime from anywhere. This research aims to find out the challenges of e-language learning that will help establish a more sophisticated Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) by implementing the latest version of the Learning Management System (LMS). E-learning is ‘constructive learning’ or ‘self-regulated learning’ where the learners work as ‘knowledge generators’ and teachers as ‘facilitators’ and so, the learning should be accomplished in a platform that ensures interaction, communication, and collaboration. This research will be provocative of establishing such an environment where online foreign language learners and instructors can adapt easily to the new pedagogical approach to learning for successfully attaining the target learning outcomes. A survey was conducted at the department of English, Najran University (Girls’ section), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the findings show the necessity of improving teachers’ efficiency in selecting e-learning tools to design learning materials and contents of the course considering cultural context and the modern-day learners’ capacity as well as the goal. It also discusses various implications regarding the need for e-language learners’ skill development that vigorously affects the learning process. The paper finally recommends some possible steps that can be adopted by a university for the successful implementation of e-learning to widen the realm of knowledge for the learners of English as Foreign Language (EFL).

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