Integrating Digital Multiliteracy-Based Grammar Instruction to Enhance EFL Students' Critical Thinking in Islamic Higher Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51278/aj.v7i3.2613Keywords:
Digital Multiliteracy, Grammar Instruction, Critical ThinkingAbstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of integrating digital multiliteracy-based grammar instruction in enhancing EFL students' critical thinking skills within the context of Universitas Ma'arif Lampung (UMALA). Amid the rapid digital transformation and the unique values of Islamic education as embodied by UMALA's vision of being "Unggul, berwawasan global dan berkarakter Islam Ahlussunah Wal Jama'ah An Nahdliyah," traditional grammar teaching often remains teacher-centered and rule-focused, failing to foster higher-order thinking aligned with 21st-century demands. This quasi-experimental research employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design involving 64 EFL students from the Tadris Bahasa Inggris (TBI) program at UMALA. Quantitative data were gathered through pre- and post-tests using the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) and a grammar proficiency test, analyzed using ANCOVA. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews (n=12), classroom observations, and student reflective journals were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed a significant improvement in critical thinking skills (F=21.56, p<0.001, η²=0.32) and grammar proficiency (F=17.23, p<0.001, η²=0.28) in the experimental group compared to the control group. Qualitative results identified four key themes: enhanced analytical reasoning, contextual grammar awareness, increased engagement in digital learning environments, and integration of Ahlussunnah wal Jama'ah values into critical literacy practices. This study contributes a novel pedagogical model that bridges digital multiliteracies with grammar instruction, offering practical implications for EFL educators in Islamic higher education seeking to cultivate critical thinking while preserving value-based learning environments rooted in the Nahdliyyin tradition.
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