Cultural intelligence and acculturation among non-native Arabic learners: the impact of ‎learning apps

Background Learning apps can be helpful to non-native language learners in learning Arabic, which includes speaking, writing, and speaking exercises. When learners become better in the language, they become more confident in interacting with the community, thus affecting their Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and Acculturation (AC). This study aimed to explore the relationship between the CQ and AC among non-native learners of Arabic. Additionally, the study aimed to investigate the potential impacts of learning apps and gender. Methods This study used a correlational approach, involving a sample of 102 non-native Arabic language learners in Jordan. To assess these factors, this study used the Cultural Intelligence Scale and the Acculturation Survey. Results The findings of this study revealed a positive correlation between the CQ and AC. Furthermore, the use of apps can provide CQ and AC levels. In addition, the study determined that gender did not play a significant role in influencing learners. Conclusion the utilization of educational apps has been shown to enhance both CQ and AC. Thus, it is imperative to encourage learners to engage with these apps, as they foster cultural awareness, thereby facilitating the process of learning Arabic.


Introduction
Learning the Arabic language as a second language has become a goal for many non-native learners from different countries, cultures, ages, and genders.Universities and institutes specialized in this field prepare curricula and programs for them with everything they need to learn the Arabic language as a second language considering that they will face some difficulties in adapting with the new culture or accepting the differences.Lecturers also recognize that this may be easy for some learners and difficult for others.
Foreign learners of the Arabic language when traveling to learn it in the country of the language, such as Jordan and Egypt, may suffer from difficulties in adapting to society because of their different cultures and lifestyles.Thus, foreign learners can adapt and achieve their goal of learning the Arabic language and interact with the environment and culture of the host country by acculturating with its people.This means that they have the ability to understand and interpret unfamiliar interactions from a cultural perspective (Van Dyne, Ang, & Koh 2008).
Acculturation (AC) expresses the processes and stages that the learner of the second language goes through to adapt to the culture of native speakers (Al-Osaily 2015).AC is one of the most essential elements for achieving true language competence.Language skills are not only mechanical, but also require social and cultural competence and communication skills with members of the target language community (Boone 2021).An individual's possession of cultural intelligence (CQ) helps them to enhance their AC, as CQ expresses personal traits that focus on the behaviors and skills required to involve and interact with cultures.This helps the individual to become acquainted with the cultural environment of others and to engage, interact, and perform effectively in a manner commensurate with them, thus achieving an adequate understanding of the nature of the language and how to use it (Thomas 2006).Aricat Karnowski, & Chib (2015) showed that people with high CQ who are culturally active are more in contact with members of society and develop AC than are individuals with low CQ who are fossilized.Al-Muzaffar (2017) defines CQ as being able to deal with different environments and adapt to behavioral patterns in multiple cultures to engage with them easily.There can be no real communication in the target language without cultural efficacy; second language learners need to have an awareness and understanding of both the self-culture and the other's culture to achieve success in communication in the context of "we."Not everything that is said or written is always an indication of what is meant (Parker 2016).
Coleman (2015) argued that studying abroad can provide huge opportunities for social interaction, and the depth of new social networks will lead to many results and outputs.The depth of learners' acquaintance with new friends affects input, output, feedback, and the group of language functions that are practiced, and thus, pragmatic competence.In addition, greater contact with native speakers in their environment may affect other goals, such as academic, cultural, personal, professional, pleasure, and tourism.Therefore, increased communication with local communities led to greater gains.
Recently, educational apps have occupied an important position in education, including language teaching for foreigners (Gangaiamaran & Pasupathi 2017).The advantage of learning apps is that they are easy to access anywhere and at all times (Kuimova et al. 2018).Researchers have paid significant attention to technology, especially educational technology.Some research has focused on phones as assistants in language education (Klimova 2019; Leis, Tohei, & Cooke 2015) and studies have found that the use of educational apps may have an effective role in teaching language to foreigners.This is because of their unique applications, such as activities, ease of use, and availability at any time (Klimova 2019; Kukulska-Hulme 2016; Balula et al. 2015;Diána 2020).
There are many learning apps used by non-native Arabic learners, such as Duolingo, Learn Arabic Vocabulary, Memrise, Innovative 101, Pimsleur, Mondly, Teach me Arabic, and Rosetta Stone.In addition, there are many other apps available on Google Store and App Store that make learning languages easier and more effective (Raed 2021).
The use of educational apps helps language learners to lessen their fears, practice, and feel linguistically efficient in communicating with native speakers (Kacetl, J., & Klímová 2019;Klimova 2018), because educational apps contain various verbal and written lessons that help the individual practice correct pronunciation.When they use the correct words (Chen 2016), this helps the individual in social engagement with others, and helps them exploit their CQ to interact and reach the AC that helps them achieve their goals (Figueiredo et al. 2019;Vardakosta et al. 2023).
Many studies have investigated the effectiveness of using learning apps to learn languages for non-native learners (Golonka et al. 2014;Hwang & Wang 2016;Liu et al. 2014;Hsu et al. 2014), but the focus was not on the impact of the use of learning apps in terms of cultural aspects, such as CQ and AC.Therefore, this study focuses on this effect.

Research questions
1. Is there a statistically significant relationship between the CQ and AC among non-native Arabic learners?
2. Is there an impact of learning apps on the CQ and AC among non-native Arabic learners?
3. Are there statistically significant differences in the CQ and AC due to gender among non-native Arabic learners?

Study design
This study uses a correlational approach.One hundred and two non-native Arabic learners in Jordan were selected as subjects.All participants provided written informed permission with the scales.The research ethics committee authorized the institution's study.Registration number: 2150/11/1/1.The date was 5/3/2023.

Participants
The study sample consisted of 102 non-native Arabic learners in Jordan, who chose to participate voluntarily, aged between 19-24 years old.The participants studied at CIEE/Amman, the University of Jordan, and German Jordanian University.Informed consent was obtained verbally and written after participants were aware of the aims and subjects of this study.

Data collection tools
Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) The Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQ-S) was developed by (Ahmad 2012; Ibrahim 2018), comprising 20 items and four dimensions (metacognitive, cognitive, motivational, and behavioral).A five-point scale were used, from 1 ('strongly disagree') to 4 ('strongly agree').The researcher elicited the validity by the discriminant evidence which ranged from 0.34 to 0.67.Also, the reliability was checked by Cronbach's alpha test and retest the results was 0.91 and 0.88.

Acculturation Survey (ACS)
The Acculturation Survey (ACS) was developed by (Palmer 2013;Dendrinos et al. 2014;Gbadamosi 2018), comprising 30 items and two dimensions (social and psychological), A five-point scale were used, from 1 ('strongly disagree') to 4 ('strongly agree').The researcher elicited the validity by the discriminant evidence which ranged from 0.32 and 0.77.Also, the reliability was checked by Cronbach's alpha test and retest the results was 0.87 and 0.86.

Data collection
Approval for this study was obtained from the University of Jordan Institutional Review Board.Also, the researcher took a written approval from the institutions and participants.The researcher collected the data by online instruments using Google forms.The period of applying the tools was 4 months during the semester.

Data analysis
The researcher entered the data into SPSS data sheet, and used IBM SPSS v21 (IBM corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA) was used to analyze the data.Means and standard deviations were calculated, and Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine relationships.An independent t-test was used to determine differences.All missing data are reported as missing.

Levels of CQ and AC
The means and standard deviations were calculated to investigate the levels of CQ and AC.Table 1 presents the results.
Table 1 shows that there is a high level of CQ among non-native learners of Arabic, with a mean of 3.91, and a moderate level of AC, with a mean of 3.50.Additionally, the CQ dimensions were high, whereas the cognitive dimension was moderate.The AC dimension was moderate.

Relationships between CQ and AC
The Pearson correlation test was used to investigate the relationship between CQ and AC.Table 2 presents the results.
Table 2 illustrates the correlation between the CQ and AC, with a Pearson coefficient of 0.469.Additionally, it revealed a connection between the dimensions of CQ and AC.However, no relationship was observed between the dimensions of the CQ and psychological dimension of AC.

The impact of using learning apps on CQ and AC
To determine whether the use of learning apps affected CQ and AC, independent t-tests were used.The results of this study are presented in Table 3.
Table 3 demonstrates that app use can contribute to CQ and AC.The results revealed that learners who utilized learning apps achieved a higher mean score in both CQ and AC compared to learners who did not use them.

The differences on CQ and AC due to gender
To determine whether there were differences in CQ and AC due to gender, an Independent T-test was used.The results of this study are presented in Table 4.
Table 4 shows that there are no statistically significant differences on CQ and AC due to gender.

Discussion
This research focuses on the use of learning apps among non-native language learners.Specifically, it focused on how learning apps affected the learning of Arabic languages, and the results found that it is affected.However, learning languages is not limited to vocabulary and reading; learners must know the culture and interact with the community.
To this end, this research studied the relationship between CI and AC and the effect of learning apps on the participants.This study found that CI and AC had a positive effect on each other.CI refers to having many behavioral aspects and skills to help the learner communicate and get involved with the culture of the second language.This skill helps them achieve their goals of understanding the language and knowing how to use it in different situations.This was confirmed by Aricat et al. (2015), who mentioned that people with high CI will be more culturally active and become more involved with the community and develop their AC, and vice versa.
This study found that the use of learning apps increased CI and AC among non-native Arabic learners.With combined learning from apps as well as in the classroom, students show a greater understanding of the language.This, in turn, makes them more self-confident in their linguistic competence, which is the key to understanding culture.Learning apps contain verbal and written lessons that help learners break their fear of saying incorrect words.This helps learners get involved in the community, establish their CI in knowing others, and achieve their goal of becoming AC, leading them to learn Arabic more easily (Klimova 2019; Diána 2020).
The study found that gender had no role in CI or AC among non-native Arabic learners.These results can be attributed to the fact that males and females face similar experiences when learning languages, such as being in a new country and culture shock (Ellis 2015).Furthermore, both males and females have similar attitudes toward learning the Arabic language because they have left their homes to try learning it to fill their passion.

Conclusion
This study revealed a significant correlation between CQ and AC among non-native learners, offering valuable insights into assisting them in adjusting to their new community.Furthermore, the utilization of educational apps has been shown to enhance both CQ and AC.Thus, it is imperative to encourage learners to engage with these apps, as they foster cultural awareness, thereby facilitating the process of learning Arabic.Notably, no discernible sex-based disparities were observed in terms of the CQ and AC.

Limitations and future directions
This study had several limitations that warrant consideration.First, the research was conducted exclusively with a sample of non-native Arabic learners enrolled in Capital Amman, Jordan, during the year 2023.Consequently, the generalizability of the findings to broader populations and contexts may be limited.The study outcomes were based on participants' responses to the CQ and AC scales.
To address these limitations and expand our understanding, we recommend several avenues for future research.First, it is advisable to conduct similar studies in diverse settings with more varied participant demographics to assess the robustness of the identified relationships.Second, the impact of learning apps on other variables that influence an individual's ability to cope with a new community should be investigated.These variables include linguistic efficacy, social engagement, and psychological well-being.
Based on the insights gained from this study, it is advisable for universities and educational institutes to adopt a proactive stance by integrating additional online classes into their curriculum.This integration should involve the incorporation of educational apps as integral components of learning experience.By doing so, institutions can better facilitate learners' cultural adaptation and language acquisition journey.This approach not only enhances the accessibility and convenience of learning but also promotes a more comprehensive understanding of the target culture and language.Moreover, the researcher suggests that further investigation into the effects of learning apps on various variables that influence community coping is warranted.This would involve exploring how these apps impact factors beyond CQ and AC that are relevant to individuals' abilities to navigate and integrate into a new community.By examining these additional variables, a more holistic perspective of the role of educational apps in fostering effective cultural adaptation can be attained.Future research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the multifaceted benefits of utilizing learning apps and their potential to enhance learners' overall experience in a new cultural setting.

Open Peer Review
Current Peer Review Status:

Wan Ab Aziz Wan Daud
Language Studies, University Of Malaysia, Kelantan, Bachok, Kelantan, Malaysia Here are my comments as a reviewer on this article: This is an interesting and timely study examining the relationships between cultural intelligence (CQ), acculturation (AC), and the use of language learning apps among non-native Arabic learners.
The research addresses an important topic given the increasing use of technology in language learning. Strengths: -Clear research questions and appropriate methodology to address them -Use of validated scales to measure CQ and AC -Inclusion of both male and female participants -Consideration of the impact of learning apps, which is highly relevant -Statistical analyses appear appropriate for the research questions -Results are presented and discussed in relation to existing literature -Limitations and future directions are thoughtfully considered Suggestions for improvement: 1. a more thorough literature review on CQ and AC in language learning contexts could benefit the introduction.This would help situate the current study more clearly.
2. More details on participants' specific learning apps would be helpful.Were certain apps more commonly used?How frequently did participants use the apps on average?
3. The discussion of gender differences (or lack thereof) could be expanded.Are there any theories or previous findings that would help explain the lack of gender differences observed?
4. It may be worth considering potential mediating or moderating factors in the relationships between CQ, AC, and app use.For example, could factors like motivation or personality traits play a role?
5. The practical implications of the findings could be elaborated on further.How specifically might language programs incorporate these findings to support learners?
6. Some minor editing for grammar and clarity would improve readability in places.
Overall, this is a solid study that meaningfully contributes to our understanding of cultural and technological factors in Arabic language learning.With some minor revisions, it would be suitable for getting indexed.The findings have clear relevance for language educators and program developers.

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature? Yes
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?Yes

If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate? Yes
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?Yes

Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results? Yes
Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.
Reviewer Expertise: Arabic language: Instructional technology education I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.

Introduction Relevance:
The introduction effectively introduces the topic and highlights the significance of CQ and AC in language learning.It places the study within the context of existing literature and clearly identifies the research gap.

○
Research Questions: The research questions are well-formulated, focusing on the relationship between CQ and AC, the impact of learning apps, and the role of gender.These questions are appropriate and relevant to the study's objectives.

Literature Review Comprehensiveness:
The literature review is comprehensive, covering various aspects of CQ, AC, and the role of learning apps in language acquisition.It effectively sets the stage for the research by discussing relevant theories and previous studies.
○ Critical Analysis: While the literature review is thorough, it could benefit from more critical analysis of the studies cited.This would provide a deeper understanding of how the current study builds on or diverges from existing research.

Methodology
Study Design: The study uses a correlational approach, which is appropriate for exploring the relationships between CQ, AC, and the use of learning apps.The study design is clearly explained, and the use of established scales for measuring CQ and AC adds to the study's credibility.

Sampling:
The sample size of 102 non-native Arabic learners is adequate for this type of study.The selection of participants from different universities in Jordan is justified, though more details on the sampling method would strengthen the study's validity.

Data Collection and Analysis:
The use of SPSS for data analysis is appropriate, and the statistical methods employed (e.g., Pearson's correlation, t-tests) are correctly applied.However, the article could provide more detail on the assumptions checked before performing these tests.

Presentation:
The results are clearly presented in tables, making it easy to understand the findings.The study effectively reports the levels of CQ and AC, the relationship between them, and the impact of learning apps.

Interpretation:
The interpretation of results is consistent with the data presented.However, the discussion could benefit from linking the results more explicitly to the ○ research questions and hypotheses.

Discussion and Conclusion
Discussion: The discussion appropriately interprets the results in light of the existing literature.It highlights the significance of the findings and suggests practical implications for language learning and cultural adaptation.

Limitations:
The article acknowledges some limitations, such as the limited generalizability due to the specific sample.However, it would benefit from a more detailed discussion of other potential limitations, such as the use of self-reported data and the cross-sectional design. ○

Conclusion:
The conclusion succinctly summarizes the study's main findings and emphasizes the importance of learning apps in enhancing CQ and AC.It also suggests directions for future research, which adds value to the study.

References Consistency:
The reference list is generally well-prepared, but there is an inconsistency in citation styles (e.g., APA vs. Vancouver).This should be corrected for uniformity.

Coverage:
The references cited are relevant and current, covering a broad range of sources related to the study's topic.However, the inclusion of more recent studies on the impact of technology on language learning could strengthen the literature review.

Ethical Considerations
Ethical Approval: The study mentions that ethical approval was obtained from the University of Jordan Institutional Review Board, and informed consent was obtained from participants.This adherence to ethical standards is commendable.

Overall Assessment Strengths:
The article is well-structured and covers an important topic in language learning.The use of established scales and appropriate statistical methods adds to its credibility.
○ Areas for Improvement: The article could benefit from more critical analysis in the literature review, a more detailed discussion of limitations, and consistency in referencing style.Additionally, the abstract could better highlight the study's limitations and implications.
○ Recommendation Indexing: The article is of good quality and contributes valuable insights into the field of language learning.It is recommended for indexing after addressing the minor issues identified, particularly in the references and discussion sections.

○
This evaluation adheres to conventional standards and provides a balanced assessment of the article's strengths and areas for improvement.

Nadia Mustafa Alassaf
Head of teaching Arabic for foreign department, The University of Jordan, Amman, Amman Governorate, Jordan This research studied the learning apps used by non-native Arabic learners, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic.It studied the effect of using apps on acculturation and cultural intelligence which are important variables for them to learn Arabic and to get high scores in the subjects.These to variables are social variables that can help them to cope and interact with the native speakers in Jordan and prevent them from facing a lot of problems while living in the Arabian country.This research is designed in an appropriate manner and divided in a correct scientific manner.
While reading the research, I found that the researcher was aware and knowledgeable about the subject of her study.The researcher was very precise in defining the questions of her study, as they were not random, and thus this was reflected in her results.The results of her study may be a starting point for other scientific research.It is worth noting that the researcher has addressed in her research a new aspect that has not been focused on much in scientific research that addressed the same topic.Previous research addressed the impact of applications on foreign students in terms of learning and acquiring the language, not in terms of culture, especially acquiring the culture of the society in which they live outside their home country and integrating into it.Based on the above, we strongly recommend indexing this research to benefit from it in the field of teaching Arabic as a second language.This research can be improved by doing these issues: 1) The reference "Aricat, R. G., Karnowski, V., & Chib, A. ( 2015)" was written according to APA7 style while other references were written according to Vancouver style.
2) On the levels results I prefer to write the total level and the dimensions level together not separated.
3) I read research about techno wellness and may be helpful for you to improve discussion, it's means how to use technology to improve psychological wellness and include academic and social wellness.Reviewer Expertise: Specialized in teaching Arabic as a second language and published many scientific research and articles in peer-reviewed journals and journals within Scopus.

Is
I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.
The benefits of publishing with F1000Research: Your article is published within days, with no editorial bias • You can publish traditional articles, null/negative results, case reports, data notes and more • The peer review process is transparent and collaborative • Your article is indexed in PubMed after passing peer review • Dedicated customer support at every stage • For pre-submission enquiries, contact research@f1000.com the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?YesIs the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?YesAre sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?YesIf applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?YesAre all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?YesAre the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?YesCompeting Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Table 1 .
Means and standard deviations of CQ and AC.

Table 2 .
The relationships between CQ and AC.
*Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level.

Table 3 .
Independent T-test results for the effect of using learning apps on CQ and AC.

Table 4 .
Independent T-test results for the differences on CQ and AC due to gender.

the current literature? Yes Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound? Yes Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others? Yes If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate? Yes Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility? Yes Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results? Yes Competing Interests:
No competing interests were disclosed.

have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.
Reviewer Report 19 June 2024 https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.163801.r284126© 2024 Alassaf N.This is an open access peer review report distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.