The Impact of Mobile-Based E-Muḥādathaṯ on Arabic Learners’ Willingness to Communicate in Higher Education

Abstract

The efficacy of educational applications in fostering student learning is contingent on several critical factors, including content accuracy, operational precision, student engagement, user-friendliness, and the promotion of learning motivation. Despite the proliferation of educational mobile applications on platforms such as the Google Play Store and Apple Store, a significant proportion fall short of these standards, often exhibiting deficiencies in meeting user needs and compromising learning outcomes due to technical and linguistic errors. To address this gap, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the E-Muḥādathaṯ kit, an Android-based mobile application designed to enhance Arabic language communication skills among university students. A quasi-experimental research design was employed to compare the outcomes of students from the Faculty of Languages and Communication at Sultan Idris University of Education. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group that utilized the E-Muḥādathaṯ kit (n=18) or a control group that received traditional instruction (n=16). Student achievement was measured using pre and post-tests evaluated through a rubric, while participant perceptions were gathered via open-ended questions. The results of this study demonstrate the potential of mobile learning to significantly enhance Arabic learners' willingness to communicate in higher education, which revealed a significant difference in post-test scores between the experimental and control groups (p = 0.000, p ˂ 0.05). Furthermore, the E-Muḥādathaṯ kit was perceived positively by students as a motivational tool. These results underscore the need for further research to develop innovative, student-centered pedagogical approaches that leverage the potential of mobile technology to optimize Arabic language proficiency among non-native speakers in Malaysian higher education.