Dynamics of Content Knowledge: Learned from Indonesian Arabic Teachers

Abstract

The dynamics of content knowledge among Indonesian Arabic teachers is a critical area of research due to the increasing demand for Arabic language education. This study aims to investigate the content knowledge of Arabic teachers in Teacher Professional Education Programs at UIN Malang, Indonesia. The research utilized factor analysis and exploratory factor analysis to explore the structure of the developed instrument measuring teachers’ content knowledge. The findings revealed that the reliability of the test items in the instrument was in the moderate category, with variations in difficulty levels between two test packages. The components of Nahwu and Shorof were found to have the strongest influence on Package 1, while Balaghah had the strongest effect on Package 2. The results of Rasch model analysis indicated three categories of proficiency levels among Arabic language teachers (low, moderate, and high), providing insights for developing more accurate assessment instruments and training programs. The limitations of the study include the focus on content knowledge only and the need for further analysis with relevant methods in future studies. The implications of this research contribute to the understanding of Arabic language teachers’ content knowledge dynamics and can inform the development of effective training programs and assessment instruments for Arabic language education.