World Journal on Educational Technology: Current Issues Volume 13, Issue 3, (2021) 485-501 www.wj-et.eu Distance education in higher education in Saudi Arabia in the post- COVID-19 era Amani K. H. Alghamdi a1 , Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8500-0266 Wai Si El-Hassan b , Guildford College, Guildford, Surrey GU1 1EZ, UK. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5920-6076 Arif A. M. H. Al-Ahdal c , Mithnab Qassim University, Buraydah, P.O. Box 1162, Saudi Arabia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6747-0897 Ahmed A. Hassan d , Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1738-6814 Suggested Citation: Alghamdi, A. K. H., El-Hassan, W. S., Al-Ahdal, A. M. H. & Hassan, A. A. (2021). Distance education in higher education in Saudi Arabia in the post-COVID-19 era. World Journal on Educational Technology: Current Issues. 13(3), 2021, 485-501. https://doi.org/10.18844/wjet.v13i3.5956 Received from March 09, 2021; revised from May 10, 2021; accepted from July 03, 2021. Selection and peer review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Servet Bayram, Yeditepe University, Turkey. ©2021 Birlesik Dunya Yenilik Arastirma ve Yayincilik Merkezi. All rights reserved. Abstract COVID-19 has changed the field of education. This paper aimed to re-envision the post-pandemic higher education landscape in Saudi Arabia. This study employed descriptive-qualitative research design. Twenty postgraduates completed a journal task at a public university in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The responses revealed their first-hand experience of multi-sectorial communities caused by the COVID-19 lockdown, including students, parents and teachers. Results showed that there are seven positive and eight negative impacts of emergency distance education caused by the pandemic lockdown and various themes have emerged, including Social and Educational. To succeed in the post-pandemic era, teachers need to acquire online pedagogical content knowledge and teaching strategies, conduct effective student evaluation and engage students in both virtual and in-person labs and classrooms. This study contributes to quality access of students toward online learning in countries, where distance education is still in its infant stage, such as Saudi Arabia. Keywords: Distance education, post-secondary education, teacher training, teaching strategies, networked learning 1 1 ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Amani K. H. Alghamdi, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia. E-mail address: akalghamdi@iau.edu.sa. Tel.: +966 13 333 37009