EFFECTIVENESS OF ARABIC LEXICOGRAPHY COURSE THROUGH POSTER PRESENTATION

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1 International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET) Volume 8, Issue 11, November 2017, pp , Article ID: IJCIET_08_11_084 Available online at ISSN Print: and ISSN Online: IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed EFFECTIVENESS OF ARABIC LEXICOGRAPHY COURSE THROUGH POSTER PRESENTATION Suhaila Ahmad Department of Arabic Studies and Islamic Civilization, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia Salmah Ahmad Department of Arabic Studies and Islamic Civilization, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia Hakim Zainal Department of Arabic Studies and Islamic Civilization, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia Ezad Azraai Jamsari (Corresponding Author) Department of Arabic Studies and Islamic Civilization, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia ABSTRACT Poster is one of printed advertising media that can be posted in public places. Nowadays, poster has become one of the media for learning and research. The aim of this study is to identify the suitability of poster presentation as an assessment for the PPPJ1143 Arabic lexicography course and to survey the effectiveness of this course through poster presentation. The content of the poster is based on the content of the Arabic lexicography course. Each student will choose an Arabic dictionary, design a poster to promote the dictionary and present it in an Arabic lexicography workshop held at the end of the semester. This study used a qualitative approach to analyse data descriptively. Two instruments were used to collect the data, namely the observation of the poster presentation process by 10 students who registered for the Arabic lexicography course in the second semester of the 2013/2014 session and 10 Arabic lexicography posters which were presented. The results showed that the students showed interest in the process of presentation, getting excited at designing the posters. A total of 60% or six students were able to understand the methods of lexicography and know how to use a dictionary clearly. The study also found that 80% of the posters met the content requirements in terms of teaching needs, requirement for an introduction to certain Arabic dictionary, aspects of design, colours, texts and image selection editor@iaeme.com

2 Effectiveness of Arabic Lexicography Course through Poster Presentation Keywords: Arabic learning; Arabic lexicography; poster presentation; innovation in Arabic education. Cite this Article: Suhaila Ahmad, Salmah Ahmad, Hakim Zainal and Ezad Azraai Jamsari, Effectiveness of Arabic Lexicography Course through Poster Presentation, International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 8(11), 2017, pp INTRODUCTION The PPPJ1143 Arabic lexicography course is offered as an elective course for students majoring in Arabic studies at the Department of Arabic and Islamic Civilization Studies, Faculty of Islamic Studies, UKM. This course examines the historical development of classical, modern and contemporary Arabic lexicography. This course covers a study on the background of authors, lexicography methods, advantages and disadvantages of each dictionary. The focus of the study was also given to dictionaries like Kitab al- Ayn by al- Farahidi (1988), Jamharat al-lughah by Ibn Durayd (1987), al-sihah by al-jawhari (1999), Lisan al- Arab by Ibn Manzur (1990) and Asas al-balaghah by al-zamkhshari (2001). This course will also review modern dictionaries such as al-wasit, al-munjid and others. Teachers or lecturers nowadays are not only deliverers of information and knowledge but also play much more role as a facilitator, problem solver, motivator and source of reference. Mastery of knowledge and skills among teachers and students is core to generation building. Therefore, teaching and learning methods should be innovated and modernized in line with technological developments so that our country is not far behind in comparison with other developed countries. Since the early 1990 s technologies such as personal computers, internet, videos and so on began to be used as media of instruction or teaching aids in schools and institutions of higher education. In an effort to encourage independent learning, students should also be given the right to determine what is to be learned, how learning will be implemented and its outcome produced within a stipulated period of time, even change the way assignments are evaluated. One of the methods considered appropriate for the PPPJ1143 Arabic Lexicography course is poster presentation. According to Deni (2010), posters are printed media which not only display images that captivate the eyes but can also provide information to the mass. In addition, it may be used as the best medium for promotion, da wah, education, research information and propaganda. Posters can also be effective teaching tools. This is because the existence of the poster as coloured objects, with various shapes and images as well as being informative liked by many, be they children or adults. Playing with colours and appropriate illustrations, posters are able to capture the attention of the beholder. As soon as one sees the poster, it is already putting additional information into his memory. Therefore, poster has great potential to act as a medium which can educate and shape public attitudes. Studies relating to the greatness and excellence of Arabic studies generally and Islamic history and civilization particularly are also assayed by local scholars, covering various issues such as discussion of Islamic history in India by Ibn al-athir (Ashari, Nor & Jamsari 2013), al-salawi s records of the Marinid military from the point of war (Jamsari et al. 2012), al- Ghazali s views on family development (Sulaiman, Jamsari & Noh 2014), Ibn Firnas s contribution to aviation technology (Jamsari et al. 2013), Reinhart Dozy s bio-bibliographical aspect (Jamsari & Talib 2014; Jamsari et al. 2014), strategic leadership of Sultan Muhammad al-fatih (Jamsari, Isa & Ashari 2014), concept of knowledge according to Syed Sheikh Ahmad al-hadi (Sulaiman, Jamsari & Talib 2016), as well as the scholarship of Sheikh Muhammad Rif at in the science of tarannum (Abdullah et al. 2014), astrolabe as portal to the editor@iaeme.com

3 Suhaila Ahmad, Salmah Ahmad, Hakim Zainal and Ezad Azraai Jamsari universe, inventions across civilizations, multipurpose astrofiqh instrument, functions in sloving astrofiqh issues and general similarities of Malaysian observatories (Safiai et al. 2017; Safiai et al. 2016; Ibrahim, Safiai & Jamsari 2015; Safiai, Jamsari & Ibrahim 2014), the approach of knowledge transfer in deriving Shafi ite hukum (Wan Hassan et al. 2015), as well as the purification of historical facts in selected Malay novels (Kamaruzaman et al. 2017). 2. PROBLEM STATEMENT Conventional methods of teaching and learning tend to take time and are tied with schedules and classrooms. Due to time constraint and heavy course content, in addition to the clerical, administrative and research workload, many teachers or lecturers have to think of a mode of teaching which is atypical and innovative. As methods of teaching and learning go through many changes, course evaluation also needs to change according to needs of the time and course content so as to be more practical and effective. Old methods of assessment such as written mid-semester and final examinations are still widely used, but such methods encourage students to use memorizing approach and reveal passive learning situations, encouraging less creativity and sharing of ideas among students. According to Harjuli (2012), the way teachers or lecturers evaluate student assignments contribute significantly to the enhancement of skills and competency of the students. Three efforts that can help towards producing quality students and the ability to master the taught course are the selection of teaching methods, use of teaching aids and assessment methods of student assignments. Poster presentation has been identified by the researcher as being able to help students master and understand compiling method of a dictionary and the way of finding the meaning of a word out of the dictionary. The variety of design, diagrams and flow charts inserted into a poster, helps students understand and recognize Arabic lexicography world better. This is because the effect of displaying of tables, graphs, charts and colour variety is expected to enable students to link the knowledge and abstract concepts with a physical object that can be seen. 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This study employed a qualitative approach to analyse data descriptively. Three instruments were used to collect the data, namely the presentation of posters and observations. Ten Arabic lexicography posters were analysed according to the established rubric. Observations were made on poster presentations by ten students who registered for the Arabic lexicography course in the second semester of 2013/2014 session. 4. USE OF POSTER MEDIUM IN LEARNING As a learning activity, poster presentation aims to encourage students to learn, implement and produce something new, in addition to giving students the freedom to demonstrate their ability to study or form something with creativity and innovation. Generally, the use of poster media for learning can be done in three ways, namely: 4.1 Poster as A Medium or Process of Teaching and Learning It is used as part of the teaching and learning activities, either teachers or lecturers explain the course content to students by making the poster as a medium for learning or as a teaching aid. This method can increase the interest and enhance student attitudes toward learning process editor@iaeme.com

4 Effectiveness of Arabic Lexicography Course through Poster Presentation 4.2 Poster as a Product of Teaching and Learning It is used as one way to assess student understanding of a course. The students are assigned to create a poster based on the course content or certain themes. This form of assessment can develop ideas and creativity of the students, in addition to creating a more active learning environment. 4.3 Poster as Social and Business Medium It is used outside the learning that aims to educate and shape the attitudes of students, motivate students, as a reminder, propaganda, campaign or an invitation to do something positive and enhancement of social and religious values. In this case the poster is not used in the study but installed in the classroom or in strategic places so that they can be clearly seen by the students. Examples are posters which call the people to do regular saving, throw rubbish into the bin and others. 5. CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT COMPONENTS OF THE PPPJ1143 ARABIC LEXICOGRAPHY COURSE Continuous assessment is used to replace the midterm exam and a final examination. To achieve the objective of teaching and learning of Arabic lexicography course, three assessment components are created as described in Table 1 below: Table 1 Continuous Assessment Components of PPPJ1143 Arabic Lexicography Course No Continuous Assessment Component Quiz 1 Quiz 2 Practical Exercise on Dictionary Use (Tutorial) Marks 40% 30% 3. Poster Presentation 30% Action Quiz 1 is performed in the eighth week of lectures. Multiple-choice questions and crossword puzzles are prepared to cover topics that have been discussed in the second week up to the seventh week of lectures. Quiz 2 is performed in week 13. Fill-in-the-blank questions and multiple choice questions are prepared. Questions cover topics that have been discussed in week 9 until 12. Each student will be assigned a different dictionary and asked to study how to use the dictionary. Each student was asked to present how to use the dictionary to colleagues in the tutorial class. Weekly practical exercise of searching for words or meanings of different words from different dictionaries. Each student is asked to produce an Arabic lexicography poster using the Arabic language. Poster can be produced using Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word or Adobe Photoshop. The size of the poster is A3. Each poster must submit the name of the author with a photo if available, concise information relevant to the dictionary, a picture of the dictionary, the method of compilation of the dictionary and present how to search for word or meaning. This poster will be posted on the advertisement editor@iaeme.com

5 Suhaila Ahmad, Salmah Ahmad, Hakim Zainal and Ezad Azraai Jamsari board of the Department of Arab Studies and Islamic Civilization to facilitate students to study Arabic lexicography field and learn how to search for words or meaning of the word from specific mu jam/dictionaries. Duration of poster presentation is 3 minutes only. Characteristics of a good poster: State necessary information Attract audience Concise and easily understood information Clear and easily legible writing Combination of suitable and attractive images and colours. 6. POSTER PRESENTATION ASSESSMENT RUBRIC Rubric is an assessment tool for subjective evaluation, a set of criteria and standards related to the learning objectives that is used to evaluate student performance in papers, projects, essays, and other assignments. Rubrics allow teachers or lecturers to do standard evaluation using certain criteria, evaluate in a simpler and more transparent manner ( To minimise problems when making assessments for poster presentation, the researchers used a method of evaluation using a rubric. Evaluation rubric has several advantages including ( /www/program/education/apac/id/id/documents/assessing-projects/strategies/ap-rubricsscoring-guides.pdf): 1. Rubric clarifies descriptions of assignments or activities that need to be done. 2. Rubric provides information about aspects of evaluation 3. Evaluation aspects or criteria are determined in a specific manner 4. Students obtain results or get to know their scores quickly and accurately 5. Evaluation is more objective and consistent 6. Rubric can be used as a tool or guideline for student project or work assessment 7. Time to assess students' work or project can be reduced The evaluation of Arabic lexicography posters are according to the following criteria: 1. Information and content (15 Marks) Information on author/dictionary compiler /objectives/reason for the dictionary compiler/advantages of the dictionary (5 Marks) Methodology/manhaj of dictionary lexicography (5 Marks) Method of word/meaning search (5 Marks) 2. Design and creativity (10 Marks) Creativity of display/poster design (5 Marks) Suitability of colours, writing and images (5 Marks) editor@iaeme.com

6 Effectiveness of Arabic Lexicography Course through Poster Presentation 3. Presentation and others (5 Marks) Language that is simple, clear and organized, free of grammar or spelling mistakes (2 Marks) Clear and fluent presentation (2 Marks) Information on poster creator (1 Mark) Table 2 Poster Presentation Marking Rubric Assessed Aspect 1.Informatio n and content (15%) 2. Creativity and design (10%) 3. Presentation and others (5%) Weak (1-3) Criteria a-c are written very unsatisfactorily or no criteria a- c in the poster Weak (1-2) No criteria d-e in the poster Weak (1) No criteria f-h in the poster and presentation Less Satisfactory (4-6) Criteria a-c are written unsatisfactorily or 2 out of the criteria a-c are not written Less Satisfactory (3-4) Criteria d-e are displayed unsatisfactorily Less satisfactory (2) Two of criteria f-h are absent in the poster and presentation Satisfactory (7-9) Criteria a-c are written satisfactorily or one of criteria a-c is not written Satisfactory (5-6) Criteria d-e are displayed satisfactorily Satisfactory (3) One of criteria f-h is absent in the poster and presentation Good (10-12) Criteria a-c are written quite well and clearly Good (7-8) Criteria d-e are displayed quite well and attractively in the poster Good (4) Criteria f-h are present in the poster and presentation but less clear Evaluation of 10 Arabic lexicography posters can be seen in the table below: Excellent (13-15) Criteria a- c are written well and clearly Excellent (9-10) Criteria d- e are displayed well and attractively in the poster Excellent (5) Criteria f-h are clear and present in the poster and presentatio n editor@iaeme.com

7 Suhaila Ahmad, Salmah Ahmad, Hakim Zainal and Ezad Azraai Jamsari Table 3 Poster Presentation Evaluation No. Student Name Title of Mu jam/dictionary Marks Total 1. Adibah Kitab al- c Ayn by al-khalil ibn Ahmad Azura Qamus al-muhit by al-firuz Abadi Amirah Muhit al-muhit by Butras al- Bustani Asyikin Jamharat al-lughah by Ibn Durayd Syuhada Maqayis al-lughah by Ibn Faris Hasyimah al-mu c jam al-wasit Ramadanti al-munjid Fahmi Lisan al- c Arab by Ibn Manzur Aiman Asas al-balaghah by al- Zamakhshari Asyraf al-sihah by al-jawhari The above table shows the marks obtained by the students for Arabic lexicography poster design and presentation. Six of the 10 students received excellent marks, scoring marks for criterion 1. This means that 60% can understand the method of preparation of a dictionary and learn how to use the dictionary clearly. While three students are able to understand the methods of preparation of dictionaries well and satisfactorily know how to use the dictionary. Only one student could not satisfactorily explain these criteria. However, all of the students managed to well and clearly determine the lexicographer. For the second criterion, three students scored well, with 9 marks. They were able to display attractive design, selection of images, colours and information layout. Meanwhile another three students earned good marks, around 7-8 marks and the remaining four students were able to fulfil this criterion satisfactorily albeit unclear poster prints due to the low quality printer ink. This made the writing on the poster appear blurry and somewhat illegible. For the last criterion, two students obtained full marks for fulfilling all three evaluated aspects. Three students scored 3 marks due to less smooth presentation and some spelling and grammatical errors. This could have been avoided if the student took precaution and repeatedly check the posters before printing them. Overall, student achievement scale for poster presentation can be seen in Table 4 below: Table 4 Score Rating Scale for Poster Presentation Marks Scale Marks No. of Students Percentage Weak % Less Satisfactory % Satisfactory % Good % Excellent % editor@iaeme.com

8 Effectiveness of Arabic Lexicography Course through Poster Presentation Evaluation through poster presentations seems to help students understand and master the Arabic lexicography course content. Four out of ten students managed to get excellent marks, scoring marks. Meanwhile, four students managed to get good marks. Only two students scored relatively low, but still at satisfactory levels. This means that the presentation of the poster can be a medium of teaching and learning and is even a good course evaluation as by using this method 80% of students enrolled in this course grasp the course content well. 7. STUDY FINDINGS FOR POSTER PRESENTATIONS ASSESSMENT The results of the study via the observation of the process of Arabic lexicography poster presentations find that the students were very excited with various designs of poster produced by them. Assessment using this method has never been done in any course they had ever taken. Therefore, they considered that the poster presentation assignment was a new experience and a first for them. This assignment also provided space and opportunity to innovate and learn independently. This method can reduce student dependency on teachers or lecturers explanation to understand course content. The students were also able to describe the relevant information on Arabic lexicography assigned to them well. This shows that the students really understood the dictionary or mu jam before they could produce a poster that met the specified criteria. The study also found that 60% of students could understand the method of compiling the dictionary and clearly knew how to use the dictionary based on their excellent marks in criteria 1. Meanwhile, 80% or 8 out of 10 posters presented fulfilled the criteria or characteristics of good and attractive poster from the aspects of design, colour, text and image selection. The produced posters were also capable of being information media, by introducing the author or compiler of a dictionary, describing the method of dictionary compilation and the search method of a word or meaning of a word for a specific Arabic dictionary. 8. CONCLUSION Poster presentation is suitably used as part of effective teaching activities or tool and it can even be used as a method to assess student understanding and mastery of a course. This method can also help students understand and remember the course content more easily, in addition to reducing the dependence of students on memorising method if an assessment using final examination is implemented. Something seen and visually learned would certainly be easily understood and remembered for a longer period. As a result, the objective of teaching and learning of Arabic lexicography course can be achieved, which is to have the students being skilled in the use of various dictionaries, be it classic or modern. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This study is funded by the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS/1/2016/SSI09/UKM/02/7), Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, the Research Group of the Nasrid Studies (GUP ), UKM; the Research Group of Arabic Culture and Islamic Civilization (KUKAPI, DPP ) UKM; and the Research Group of West Asian Studies (AKRAB, DPP ) editor@iaeme.com

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