The Effectiveness Of Interactive Arabic Language Learning Through Virtual Reality Among University Students At UNIKHAMS Jember
Keywords:
Arabic language learning; virtual reality; listening skill; speaking skill; quasi-experimental designAbstract
Arabic classes in Indonesian Islamic higher education still rely heavily on lectures, and many students show low engagement and motivation. This study tested whether interactive Arabic instruction through virtual reality improves listening and speaking skills more than conventional instruction. It also examined how students responded to the medium. The study used a quantitative quasi-experimental design with a pretest, a posttest, and a control group. Sixty third-semester students of an Arabic Education study program took part. Thirty students formed the experimental group and learned through virtual reality, while thirty formed the control group and followed conventional lessons. Tests, a Likert-scale questionnaire, and observation sheets provided the data, and paired and independent samples t-tests served for the analysis. Both groups started at almost the same level (62.4 and 61.8). The experimental group reached a posttest mean of 84.3 and the control group 72.6, a gain of 21.9 against 10.8 points. The posttest difference between groups was significant at the 0.05 level. Most experimental students reported higher motivation (90%), easier understanding of conversational context (87%), and more enjoyable lessons (83%). Virtual reality serves as an effective complement to Arabic skills instruction when teachers embed it in a structured instructional design.
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