Enhancing Arabic Learning Interest

The accelerating advancement of information and communication technology requires educational practices to adopt innovative tools. As Arabic remains a core subject in Muhammadiyah Elementary Schools, Indonesia, integrating digital media like augmented reality (AR) is essential to boost student engagement. This study investigated students’ interest in learning Arabic using AR-based media at UNISMUH Makassar Elementary School. Employing a quantitative descriptive design, researchers distributed structured questionnaires to eighty-nine students from Grades 1 to 5. Six indicators were used to measure interest: enjoyment, enthusiasm, absence of boredom, interest in the subject, willingness to participate, and attention. The analysis showed consistently high levels of learning interest, with most indicators scoring between 90% and 100% across all grade levels. Grades 4 and 5 demonstrated the highest engagement, with minimal variability, suggesting strong and consistent interest in AR-based media. In contrast, Grade 3 showed slightly lower attention scores and greater variability, indicating that younger students may require more tailored content to maintain sustained engagement. Descriptive statistical analysis, including mean, median, and standard deviation, reinforced these findings by quantifying the levels and consistency of student responses. Overall, the findings suggest that AR-based learning media can effectively enhance both the affective and cognitive engagement of students, with potential differences across developmental stages. While the data was self-reported and based on a single institution, future research should explore broader applications to establish more generalizable conclusions regarding the effectiveness of AR in diverse educational settings.