Patterns of Social Media Engagement for Learning Arabic among Selected Lower Secondary School Students in Kuala Lumpur

Abstract

The significant rise of virtual learning can be seen ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the approaches in virtual learning also include the use of social media. The purpose of social media extends from a platform mainly for casual communication to e-commerce and even social media learning. Many studies highlighted the components and benefits of using social media for English language learning. However, it is not the same case for Arabic language, despite it being commonly used for religious learning in Malaysia and taken formally in many religious schools. This study aims to explore further on the underlying patterns of social media engagement for learning Arabic among selected lower secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur. This study applies the quantitative approach using the cross-sectional survey design. An online questionnaire has been distributed to 364 lower secondary school students in Kuala Lumpur, which has been analysed through the exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Results showed three extracted patterns of social media engagement for learning Arabic, which are Critical Cognitive, Social Interactive and Active Language Use. This study highlights the components of learning engagement, which can be used as a framework in planning effective use of social media as complementary curriculum for learning Arabic language among lower secondary school students.