This study aimed to investigate the following research questions:

When many countries worldwide shifted to online teaching as a response to the spread of coronavirus, Saudi Arabia was exceptionally effective in implementing online teaching in education both at schools and at institutions of higher education. For school education, Saudi Arabia established the Madrasati (Arabic for my school) online platform, which served more than 6,000,000 school students and 500,000 teachers averaging 250,000 online streaming every day (Al-Thumairy, 2020). The Online Learning Consortium (OLC) compared the Madrasati platform with other online teaching platforms from other countries and concluded that the “Saudi platform outperformed its international peers and proved to be one of the best responses taken to address the pandemic challenges, whereas more than 6 million users subscribed to Madrasati with a penetration rate amounting to 98%” (Unified National Platform [UNP], 2021, para. 3).

Despite this achievement, however, few studies have focused on the implementation of language online learning at Saudi universities, in contrast to numerous such studies in other countries (e.g., Bailey and Lee, 2020; Kitishat et al., 2020; Hammond et al., 2021; Hazaea et al., 2021). The reason for the lack of studies on online learning at Saudi universities—unlike Saudi school education—stems from the fact that school education uses a central national platform across the country reinforced by the Ministry of Education. Moreover, each Saudi University is left to implement the online platform, such as Blackboard or Zoom, that best suits their needs without any enforcement from a higher authority. Therefore, it has been more feasible for many studies (e.g., Aldossry, 2021; Alkinani and Alzahrani, 2021; Alubthane, 2021; Shishah, 2021; Alqahtani, 2022) to investigate various research questions related to online learning in Saudi schools compared to Saudi universities.

Nevertheless, some studies have attempted to investigate online learning in Saudi higher education. For example, Al-Ahdal and Alqasham (2020) surveyed a group of professors at the Saudi Electronic University and Qassim University. They discovered that the study subjects had moderate computer competency, which led to a number of challenges such as detecting cheating during online exams as well as their belief that the performance of learners was not as effective. They concluded that more organization is essential when performing online teaching.

Similarly, Alolaywi (2021) investigated the advantages and disadvantages of online learning from the perceptions of 43 English language teachers at Qassim University. The respondents expressed their preference for online teaching because it was an opportunity to improve their technical skills and make the most of the available online tools, such as teaching methods and assessments. Considering the disadvantages, however, the respondents reported that they struggled with the immediate transition to online learning without any former preparation.

Another study on online teaching during the pandemic in Saudi Arabia was conducted by Abduh (2021). She surveyed the perceptions of 26 English language instructors at Najran University toward the online assessment methods they used, the challenges that they faced, and whether there were any differences between perceptions of male and female instructors. The findings revealed that the majority of the research subjects had moderately positive attitudes to online assessment but believed that online teaching itself was challenging. Overall, however, their perceptions of online teaching were positive and there were no clear differences between perceptions of male and female instructors.

However, few studies have focused on the experiences of English language learners at universities in Saudi Arabia. For example, Alamer (2020) explored the perceptions of 34 English language students at a Saudi University toward learning vocabulary online using Blackboard during the pandemic. She concludes that, initially, the learners had negative attitudes toward learning vocabulary online. However, over time, using the Blackboard, despite its limitations, has improved their attitudes, and subsequently, their vocabulary level.

Another study that focused on English language students at Saudi universities and their experiences during the pandemic was carried out by Almekhlafy (2020). He surveyed 228 first and second-year English language students at a Saudi University and found that second-year students had negative perceptions toward using the Blackboard even though they had used it during blended learning alongside attending face-to-face classes before the pandemic. In contrast, first-year students had more positive attitudes toward using the Blackboard as the primary tool for English language learning. The author argues that this happened because the second-year students had been using the Blackboard as a tool of communication between them and their instructors rather than an effective learning tool. Therefore, he calls for further training and technical support for both students and instructors to make the most of the platform. Another significant finding reported by Almekhlafy (2020) was that students in his sample perceived learning listening and reading skills online positively compared to writing and speaking that were perceived negatively. However, he did not provide an explanation for why this was the case.

Therefore, this study built on Alamer’s (2020) and Almekhlafy’s (2020) studies by extending the investigations to include all four language skills and explaining why some skills were perceived to benefit differently than other(s). Furthermore, the current study examined the students’ attitudes toward online English language learning in the post–COVID-19 period as a permeant learning tool rather than a temporary measure designed to deal with the learning issues during the pandemic to be terminated once the pandemic was over.

This study adopted a survey design. It collected data on the perceptions of Saudi undergraduate students on the impact of online learning on their acquisition of the four language skills. The study was conducted at a state university in Saudi Arabia for the academic year (1442–1443) AH.

In total, 149 male and female students at a Saudi state university participated in this study. They were first-year students studying in the department of English. This was a convenience sample and the university required them to continue attending online classes even after lifting the pandemic restrictions and measures as a part of its plan to make the most of the advantages that online learning provides. The participants were informed of the research aim, assured of data confidentiality, and their consent duly obtained.

To address the research questions, this study developed a questionnaire consisting of 10 open-ended and close-ended items. The open-ended questions provided the respondents with a set of answers to choose from across three alternatives (agree, disagree, and I do not know/it does not differ from face-to-face learning). Next, each close-ended question was followed by an optional open-ended question that allowed the respondent to explain the reasons for choosing their answer, answering this was optional. In the end, there was another open-ended question that allowed the respondents to freely express any thoughts on the topic not covered in the previous close-ended questions.

After the formulation of the survey questions, validation was sought from three senior professors with at least 2 years of experience in online education. Their suggestions pertained to item reframing were duly enforced. Following this, a link on Google Forms was created. It was then sent to the academic staff at the English department where the respondents are enrolled. They shared the link with their students and encouraged them to send in their responses.

One of the advantages of using Google Forms is that it computes figures and frequencies and presents them in graphical form. Therefore, after submitting their answers, the respondents’ data were summarized and presented graphically without intervention on the researcher’s part. The collected data from the participants were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. For the close-ended items, percentages were calculated whereas thematic analyses were applied for the qualitative data. They were presented along with the quantitative findings.

Figure 1 shows students’ opinions regarding acquiring reading skills through online learning.

The figure shows that half of the participants (49.7%) perceived that online learning did not differ from conventional learning in this matter. A quarter of them (25.5%) did not agree that studying/learning the reading skill were more difficult virtually. Similarly, the same percentage of the participants (24.8%) agreed that learning reading skills was more difficult in the online mode.

What are the reasons for your answer?

Students explained their answers by stating the following reasons:

Figure 2 shows the students’ opinions regarding acquiring writing skills through virtual learning.

Figure 2 shows that 36.2% of the respondents perceived that acquiring writing skills virtually did not differ from conventional learning. Nearly the same percentage (35.2%) of them agreed that this was more difficult virtually. In contrast, 24.8% of the students did not agree that acquiring writing skills were more difficult virtually.

What are the reasons for your answer?

Students provided the following reasons for their opinions:

Figure 3 shows the students’ opinions regarding learning listening skills through virtual learning.

Figure 3 shows that 33.6% of the participants did not agree that acquiring listening skills is more difficult virtually. Furthermore, 30.9% of them reported that acquiring listening skills virtually did not differ from acquiring them through conventional learning. Furthermore, the same percentage (30.9%) of them agreed that acquiring listening skills was more difficult virtually.

What are the reasons for your answer?

Students provided the following reasons for their answers:

Figure 4 shows the students’ opinions regarding learning speaking skills through virtual learning.

Figure 4 shows that 43% of the participants agreed that acquiring speaking skills through virtual learning was more difficult. Furthermore, the same percentage (43%) of them reported that acquiring speaking skills virtually did not differ from acquiring them through conventional learning. In contrast, 26.8% of them did not agree that acquiring speaking skills was more difficult virtually. This implies that it was easier for them.

What are the reasons for your answer?

Students reported the following reasons:

Figure 5 shows the students’ opinions about the self-dependency they acquired to learn English virtually.

Figure 5 shows that 57% of the participants agreed that virtual learning urged them to become more self-dependent in learning English. In contrast, 30.2% of the students did not agree with the benefit of virtual learning related to increasing students’ self-dependency in learning English. Finally, 18.8% of them did not show any opinion. They did not know whether virtual learning increased or not their self-dependency in learning English.

What are the reasons for your answer?

Students reported the following reasons:

Figure 6 shows the students’ opinions about the new dimensions they acquired by learning English through the virtual platform.

Figure 6 shows that 44.3% of the participants agreed that virtual learning opened for them new dimensions to learn English. In contrast, 36.9% of the students did not agree that virtual learning opened new horizons in learning English. Finally, 18.8% of them did not show any opinion. They did not know whether virtual learning opened new dimensions or horizons in learning English.

What are the reasons for your answer?

The following reasons were reported that explained the students’ attitudes:

Figure 7 shows the students’ opinions about the new belief they acquired about the possibility to learn English through the virtual platform.

Figure 7 shows that 61.1% of participants agreed that everyone could learn English virtually. In contrast, only 22.8% of the students did not agree with the possibility to learn English through virtual education. Finally, 16.1% of them did not show any opinion. They were unsure whether it was possible for anyone to learn English virtually.

What are the reasons for your answer?

Students reported the following reasons:

Figure 8 shows the students’ changeable convictions on virtual learning after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Figure 8 shows that 45% of the participants agreed that their convictions on virtual learning had changed after they experienced virtual learning during the pandemic. In contrast, 30.2% of the students did not agree that their conviction on virtual learning had changed after the pandemic. Finally, 24.8% of them did not show any opinion. They did not know whether their conviction had changed or stayed the same as it was before the pandemic.

What are the reasons for your answer?

Students reported the following reasons:

Figure 9 shows the students’ opinions about the importance of using virtual learning after the COVID-19 pandemic in acquiring the English language.

Figure 9 shows that 45% of the participants agreed that it was important to receive virtual education in acquiring the English language after the pandemic. In contrast, 36.2% of the students did not agree with the importance of virtual learning in online English learning after the pandemic. Finally, 18.8% of them did not show any opinion. They did not know whether it is important to continue learning English virtually after the pandemic or to use conventional classrooms.

What are the reasons for your answer?

Some of the students’ reasons to support their opinions are as follows:

Figure 10 shows the students’ opinions on the application of the skills they acquired from virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic to acquiring the English language.

Figure 10 shows that many students (67.8%) agreed that they would apply the skills that they had learned virtually to conventional learning. Nevertheless, 20.1% of them did not show any opinion. They did not know whether they would apply the skills learned in virtual education to their face-to-face English language learning or not. Finally, just 12.1% of the participants did not agree that they would apply the skills learned during online learning to learning English after the pandemic in conventional classrooms.

What are the reasons for your answer?

Students reported the following reasons:

Figures 5–10 show that the students overall had a positive attitude toward online learning. Such positivity stems from the benefits that online learning provides. For example, McKeown et al. (2022) point out that online learning provided students with safety, convenience, and flexibility. Similar findings were reported by Alamer (2020) and Almekhlafy (2020) who investigated the students’ perceptions and attitudes toward learning English using Blackboard. Both studies found that those who had prior experience using the Blackboard for learning and had been familiar with the platform showed more positive attitudes toward using it as an English learning tool compared to those who had no experience using it before. Furthermore, the findings of the current study demonstrate that the students’ positivity toward online learning extends to their willingness to continue adopting online learning even after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Figures 1–4 show the students’ attitudes toward their process of learning the four language skills. The findings in this study are consistent with the findings of Almekhlafy’s (2020) study, which reported that the students believed that online learning improved reading and listening but not writing and listening. However, Almekhlafy (2020) does not provide a sufficient explanation regarding why this was the case. In the current study, the students were given the opportunity to explain the reasons behind their preferences.

Considering receptive skills, such as reading and listening, the students—although by a small margin—preferred online learning to traditional face-to-face classrooms. Their preference may be attributed to numerous online resources for accessing and practicing their reading and listening skills on their own without assistance from their instructors. Furthermore, any reading or listening materials can be saved to be accessed online when convenient.

In contrast, the students showed different attitudes toward online learning related to the productive skills of writing and listening. Regarding writing, those who preferred face-to-face classrooms justified their choice by stating that they needed their instructors’ assistance to help them improve their writing skills. Others explained that learning skills online led them to depend on translation apps which hindered their writing improvement, whereas others complained that they needed constant evaluation of their spelling errors from their teachers. Nevertheless, the difference between those who preferred face-to-face classrooms to online learning concerning writing remains relatively small because most online platforms have in-built spell-checking tools.

Concerning speaking, however, the gap between those who preferred face-to-face classrooms to online learning was the widest among all the four skills. Some of the students complained about the lack of speaking practice in online learning. Others explained that body language, such as eye contact, was missing in online learning. Sato and Ballinger (2016) argue that face-to-face classrooms can function as a dynamic and productive environment for students to practice their English naturally. Therefore, more group work is required for speaking practices, which is difficult to achieve in online learning (Adnan and Anwar, 2020). Moreover, what the students referred to as the lack of body language and eye contact in online learning is what Tavares (2022) refers to as “meaningful social interaction” (p. 95). He argues that to maintain meaningful social interaction, individuals need to create a sense of community that can only be naturally achieved in face-to-face classrooms.

Tavares (2022) illustrates this idea by stating that even after his students had known one another, and therefore, had established a sense of community, they seemed almost like strangers to each other when online learning commenced after the pandemic struck. They were less engaged in class activities and would not take part in any activity unless they were called out by their names to participate.

Therefore, the findings show that the students had more positive attitudes toward the receptive skills of reading and listening to be practiced online because both skills depend entirely on the learner and can be practiced on their own. Students did not respond positively to productive skills, such as writing and speaking. They needed their instructors’ assistance to constantly check their writing, whereas concerning speaking, online learning created an undynamic and unnatural setting that hindered the students’ opportunities to practice their speaking skills with their peers.

The advantageous opportunities that online learning has provided should be recognized and utilized after the pandemic is over. One can never predict any future natural disasters, disruptions, or even other pandemics to emerge, and therefore, educational systems worldwide must be equipped with advanced online platforms for education to continue without the state of panic that many countries had to encounter at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study recommends the importance to foster students’ four language skills in whatever learning mode is used, but with the inclusion of the online component for specific skills. Online-course designers, teachers, and methodologists should make room for learners to practice language learning skills.

The study had a mixed-gender sample with almost equal numbers of male and female participants. However, the role of gender in the difference of perception was not evaluated here and this was one of the limitations. Similarly, perceptions may be different when the learning platforms are changed and this must be considered in future studies.