DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A HIGHER-ORDER THINKING NAHWU ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT

Abstract

Higher-order thinking assessment can move Arabic grammar evaluation beyond recall toward the analysis and application of grammatical rules. This study aimed to develop, validate, and conduct a classroom evaluation of a higher-order thinking nahwu assessment instrument delivered through Quizizz. A simplified research-and-development procedure informed by Borg and Gall was used, followed by a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest comparison involving 35 students in an experimental class and 35 in a control class. Material- and media-expert validation yielded feasibility scores of 94% and 84%, respectively. The experimental-class mean increased from 52.28 at pretest to 85.42 at posttest, while the control-class mean increased from 50.14 to 62.57. The posttest difference was statistically significant, t(68) = -7.799, p < .001, with an estimated absolute Cohen’s d of 1.86. Mean normalized gain was 0.626 (SD = 0.208) in the experimental class and 0.259 (SD = 0.123) in the control class. The findings support the product’s feasibility and indicate improved nahwu learning outcomes under the conditions of this single-site trial. Because item design, platform features, and classroom implementation were delivered as a package, the study does not isolate their separate effects. Direct claims about critical thinking, engagement, and transfer require validated measures and multisite evaluation.