CHALLENGES OF CONDUCTING EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AMONG POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS OF IMAM ABDULRAHMAN BIN FAISAL UNIVERSITY IN THE LIGHT OF COVID-19

Abstract

The present research aims to identify the most prominent challenges of educational research,
specify research differences between males and females in the light of COVID-19, and make
recommendations to overcome such challenges. The descriptive method, both quantitative and
qualitative, was used in this research; a 26-item questionnaire, following Likert’s Scale, was
applied to 73 male and female students; interviews with a random sample of 12 postgraduate
students at the College of Education, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University were conducted.
Research results show that postgraduate students face great challenges in conducting educational
research in the light of COVID-19: scientific, administrative, psychological, health and
technological ones were respectively ranked. The research also shows that there are statistically
significant differences in health challenges due to gender: female students faced more health
challenges than male ones; no statistically significant differences in the other scientific,
administrative, psychological, health and technological challenges appeared. The research
recommended that the College of Education, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University should
support postgraduate students to accomplish their studies by launching an electronic platform
and a research consultation unit in addition to facilitating the evaluation and application of their

research tools. It also proposed conducting another research paper which focuses on the
mechanisms of applying educational research tools during COVID-19.