ENHANCING ARABIC LANGUAGE LEARNING: USABILITY STUDY OF MYARABIYGAME IN RELIGIOUS PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN SELANGOR

Abstract

Arabic language education in Malaysia faces various challenges, including educational obstacles such as teacher qualifications, a lack of books, and resources. Additionally, the shift to online learning due to COVID-19 has brought about adaptation challenges for students studying Arabic, emphasizing the need for creative approaches, such as through Game-based learning and overcoming constraints in the educational process. Despite growing interest in Digital Game-based Language Learning (DGBLL) for Arabic language acquisition, research on its effectiveness remains limited. This study addresses this gap by evaluating the usability of the latest developed DGBLL prototype, myArabiyGame, designed to motivate Year 1 students in Malaysian Religious Primary Schools (SRA) to learn Arabic based on the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) curriculum. A survey-based evaluation was conducted with 85 participants, including teachers and education experts. The survey assessed the usability of myArabiyGame across five key areas: content, motivation, accessibility, enjoyment, and multimedia integration. The findings reveal that the majority of respondents found the game interesting, easy to understand, and motivating, with 76.5% acknowledging the game's engaging nature. Additionally, 63.1% agreed that the game's educational content was explicit. Multimedia elements were highly rated for their clarity and appropriateness, with 79.5% indicating they had a clear purpose and 78.3% affirming their support for information delivery. Despite these positive outcomes, areas for improvement were identified, particularly in instructional clarity and quality of multimedia. Overall, myArabiyGame demonstrates significant potential as an effective tool for Arabic language education, with implications for enhancing teaching strategies and learning experiences in primary education settings.