The Use of Digital Educational Applications in Developing Teaching Methods for Islamic Studies Courses at the Faculty of Education, Omdurman Islamic University

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the reality of using digital educational applications in developing teaching methods for Islamic studies courses from the perspective of specialists in educational technology, curricula and teaching methods, and Islamic studies at the Faculty of Education – Omdurman Islamic University. The researcher adopted the descriptive-analytical approach due to its effectiveness in examining phenomena as they exist in reality and analyzing them to reach conclusions that contribute to their development. The study population consisted of all faculty members specialized in the aforementioned fields, totaling (47) members. A purposive random sample of (39) members was selected, representing (82.97%) of the total population. To collect data, the researcher used a questionnaire after confirming its validity and reliability. The validity coefficients for all its domains ranged between (0.81) and (0.90), indicating strong reliability and appropriateness for the study objectives. The findings revealed that the “Quran with Tafsir” application was the most widely used in teaching Islamic studies courses, followed by the Quizlet and Kahoot applications, reflecting the importance of interactive and engaging content for students. The results also indicated that the primary benefits of these applications include enhancing teacher-student interaction, ease of content access, and promoting self-directed learning. The main obstacles identified were the lack of teacher training, weak infrastructure, and limited Arabic language support in some applications. Regarding the proposed solutions, recommendations such as professional training for teachers, providing adequate infrastructure, and Arabizing existing applications or developing high-quality Arabic educational apps received strong support from the experts. In light of the findings, the study recommended designing specialized training programs for teachers, improving the technological infrastructure, integrating digital applications into official curricula, and developing culturally and religiously appropriate digital educational tools.