Enhancement of Preservice Islamic Studies Teachers’ Autonomous Learning Skills: Designing a Reverse Learning Project

Abstract

Early exposure to innovative teaching strategies is vital for preservice teachers’ preparation for their subsequent teaching careers. This paper aimed to challenge preservice Islamic studies teachers at Kuwait University to enhance their autonomous learning by assigning them the task of designing a reverse learning project. The participants completed various phases to finalize the project. This exposition and exploration aimed to develop their sense of autonomy, selfregulation, responsibility, technology and design skills, and ability to incorporate the task into their specialized subject matter. The mechanism and practices that participants acquired through designing and executing the reverse learning project were examined qualitatively and quantitively to unveil the effect of this experience on their autonomous learning skills. The results revealed that exposing the participants to the reverse learning project promoted their sense of and beliefs toward self-regulation, responsibility, technology integration, and design for subsequent Islamic studies teaching. The positive learning experiences increased the participants’ emotional, cognitive, and manageability levels; however, the findings demonstrate the need for further research on preservice teachers in other specializations and designing reverse learning projects.