The new educational paradigm in the COVID-19 era: Can Blackboard replace physical teaching in EFL writing classrooms?

Background: Many changes are evident in classrooms the COVID-19 times, but most drastic perhaps has been scramble to find substitutes for physical classrooms, a truly solemn challenge foreign language learning paradigm. In meantime, many customized apps came educationists’ rescue: Blackboard being one of them. This study endeavors investigate effectiveness as an alternative face-to-face writing instruction during crisis and following period precautionary distancing other norms. Methods: The used final grades Saudi male female EFL undergraduates across two terms with approaches three compulsory English courses, statistical tests were conducted on them. Results: findings showed that students (M=83.24, Std= 10.627) significantly outperform (M=73.62, Std=16.011) test (P=. 000). Furthermore, teaching (M=84.34, Std=10.752) was more statistically effective than when using (M=75.65, Std=14.545) Sig value scored Findings also third level higher second first (83.83, 78.17, 77.89) respectively. All differences significant 000). Conclusion: implications have major bearing curriculum pedagogy planning coming times which may see comebacks variants warrant innovative teaching-learning tools methods.