Analysis of the Evaluative Questions in the Islamic Education Textbooks (Grades 1 - 4) in Jordan and the Sultanate of Oman: A Comparative Study

This study is aimed at analyzing the evaluative questions included in the Islamic education textbooks taught in the grades 1 - 4 in Jordan and the Sultanate of Oman. To achieve this aim, an analysis instrument was designed and tested for validity and reliability; the reliability quotient was (0.92). The study sample consisted of 8 textbooks, 4 from Jordan and 4 from Oman. The Jordanian textbooks included 783 questions, and the Omani textbooks contained 887 questions. The Findings: The evaluative questions in both countries concentrated on the lower levels of the cognitive domain. In the Jordanian case, the cognitive domain accounted for 85.4% of the total questions, while the psychomotor and the affective domains accounted only for 11.4% and 3.2%, respectively. Essay-type questions represented 68.1% of the total questions. As for the Omani case, 69.3% of the total questions dealt with the cognitive domain, 24.5% with the psychomotor domain and 6.2% with the affective domain. Essay-type questions represented 67.9% of the total questions. In the light of these results, the study recommended that evaluative questions should cover all three domains and ensure a reasonable balance of their levels; more concern should be given to the objective type questions. There should be a set of scientific standards for preparing a relative criterion for writing questions