JIE (Journal of Islamic Education)

Developing a Curriculum Synchronisation Model to Increase the Effectiveness of Competency-Based Learning

Ferunika Ferunika — 2026-01-21

This study aims to develop and evaluate a curriculum synchronisation model between formal and non-formal education to optimise competency-based learning at the secondary school level. The research was motivated by the need to bridge the gap between competencies taught in schools and the skills required in the labour market and society. A mixed-methods approach with a sequential explanatory design was employed. Quantitative data were collected using purposive sampling through questionnaires distributed to 220 respondents, consisting of secondary school teachers, non-formal education managers, and students involved in integrated learning programs. In contrast, qualitative data were obtained through in-depth semi-structured interviews and non-participant classroom observation. Data were analysed using descriptive-inferential statistics and thematic analysis, while the validity of findings was ensured through methodological and source triangulation supported by expert judgment. The findings indicate that the implementation of the synchronised curriculum model increased students' overall competencies by 17%, with the most significant improvement observed in the psychomotor domain. Furthermore, 87% of respondents agreed that collaboration between formal and non-formal education is essential to enhance the relevance of learning. The study concludes that curriculum synchronisation effectively integrates theoretical and practical learning, strengthens institutional collaboration, and supports the implementation of competency-based education. These findings contribute theoretically to the development of integrative curriculum design and offer practical implications for adaptive and sustainable national education policies. However, this study is limited by its relatively short implementation period and its focus on a specific regional context, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.

Portrait of Islamic Religious Education Teachers in Educating Students in the Digital Era

Muhammad Azka Hafidzi — 2026-02-02

This research aims to describe the portrait of Islamic Religious Education (IRE) teachers in educating students in the digital era, particularly in relation to their roles, strategies, and challenges they face. This study employs a qualitative approach with a case study design, collecting data through semi-structured interviews with three IRE teachers, observation of learning in grades I–VI, and documentation of activities and school records. The validity of the data is guaranteed through triangulation of sources and techniques, while the analysis is carried out using the Miles, Huberman, and Saldana models through reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawn. The results of the study show that IRE teachers carry out complex roles, including instilling digital morals, guiding religious literacy, being role models in the use of technology, motivating students, and evaluating understanding through digital media. The strategies implemented include the use of digital teaching materials, such as videos, images, and animations; interactive and contextual learning methods; digital communication with parents; and teacher competency development. The weakness of this study lies in the limited number of informants and also only conducted in one school.

Digital Technology Integration in Islamic Religious Education

Dhita Rizki Maulani — 2026-03-12

This study aims to examine the implementation of digital technology integration in the Islamic Religious Education learning process at the junior high school level. The method used is descriptive qualitative with a case study approach. Data were collected through structured interviews with two Islamic Religious Education teachers and six students in grades VII–IX, passive participant observation, and learning documentation. Data analysis was carried out through the stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. Data validity was strengthened through the use of triangulation techniques. The results show that digital technology integration is implemented systematically from the planning stage to the evaluation of learning. The learning process utilises various digital platforms, including Microsoft Word for assignment management, Google Classroom as a learning management system, e-modules or digital books as learning resources, and evaluative and interactive applications such as Wayground or Quizizz, Google Forms, and Computer-Based Test (CBT). The process of integrating technology and appropriate pedagogical strategies improves the quality of Islamic religious education. The technology-integrated learning has received a positive response from students. This is evident in their enthusiasm, active involvement, and ease in understanding the learning material. However, the implementation of digital technology integration still faces several obstacles, including teachers' limited time in developing digital learning content and students' misuse of technology during the learning process. Theoretically, this research contributes to strengthening the understanding of the practice of integrating digital technology into Islamic Religious Education learning in the junior high school context. Practically, the findings imply the need for more structured digital content planning and effective digital classroom management to ensure that technology utilisation aligns with learning objectives.

The Utilisation of Audiovisual Media in Akidah Akhlak Subject to Improve Student Learning Outcomes

Moh. Fahril — 2026-04-09

This study aims to examine the forms of audiovisual media utilisation in the Akidah Akhlak subject and analyse student learning outcomes at MIs Karya Thayyibah Limran Pantoloan Boya. The research employs a qualitative case study design to explore the implementation of audiovisual media in depth and context. Data collection was conducted through participatory observation, in-depth interviews with teachers, school principals, and students, and documentation of learning materials and student achievement data. Data analysis utilised the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldana, encompassing data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. Data validity was ensured through triangulation of techniques and sources, member checking, and thick description. The findings reveal that audiovisual media are systematically utilised through animated learning videos, interactive multimedia presentations, and documentary films, integrated with active learning strategies such as viewing guides, group discussions, and creative project assignments. This implementation is supported by adequate technological infrastructure, continuously developed teacher competencies, and ongoing evaluation. Student learning outcomes demonstrate documented improvements across three domains: cognitive aspects, evidenced by increased average scores and mastery percentages; affective aspects, marked by enhanced motivation and positive attitude changes; and psychomotor aspects, reflected in the development of digital literacy, social skills, and noble character formation. This research employs a qualitative approach, supported by quantitative data, to explore these improvements. The novelty of this study lies in its contextual, process-oriented exploration within a madrasah ibtidaiyah setting in Central Sulawesi — a region underrepresented in the existing literature, which experimental-quantitative designs have dominated. This research contributes to achieving SDG 4 by documenting evidence of learning technology's effectiveness in improving the quality of Islamic religious education and preparing generations who are intellectually and spiritually intelligent, as well as competent in facing digital-era challenges.

Islamic Religious Education Teachers' Strategies in Developing Dhuha Prayer Discipline

Puspa Fitri Anisa — 2026-04-10

This study aims to explore the strategies of Islamic Religious Education (IRE) teachers in instilling disciplined Dhuha prayer habits among students at SD Islam Terpadu Qurrata A'yun Tinggede, and to identify contextual factors contributing to the program's effectiveness. The study employs a qualitative approach with an intrinsic case study design, selected because the focus is on understanding a unique phenomenon within a single school context in depth rather than for comparative generalization. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with the principal, three IRE teachers, and three students, participant observation during Dhuha prayer implementation, and documentation, including prayer practice videos and daily worship monitoring sheets, then analyzed using the Miles, Huberman, and Saldana interactive model with source triangulation and member checking to ensure data validity. The findings indicate that teachers implement holistic-adaptive strategies integrating structural habituation, auditory-repetitive collective learning, effective collaboration with parents using accessible instruments, non-punitive educational consequences, and persuasive mentoring that transforms infrastructure limitations into intensive supervision opportunities and supports meaningful behavioral change. Contextual factors contributing to the program include a school culture that emphasizes religious character as institutional identity, trust-based teacher-student interaction dynamics, spontaneous peer learning mechanisms, and the integration of all program elements, producing tangible impacts on students' spiritual tranquility and academic focus. These findings contribute to achieving SDG Goal 4 by demonstrating that effective religious character education does not require elaborate infrastructure but rather pedagogical innovation by teachers and a collaborative ecosystem that develops disciplined and responsible generations.

Spiritual Resilience in Multicultural Schools: Tahfidz High School Students' Efforts in Maintaining Qur’an Memorisation

Andhika Sugeng Riyanto — 2026-04-14

This study was motivated by the development of the Tahfidz Qur'an programme in public schools and the limited research on the spiritual resilience of tahfidz students in public secondary schools that are multicultural in terms of religion and social background. This study aims to analyse the commitment, challenges, and adaptive strategies of tahfidz students in maintaining their memorisation of the Qur'an at SMA Negeri 3 Semarang. The research used a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data collection techniques included unstructured interviews, non-participatory observation, and documentation, with primary data sources in the form of interviews and observations, and secondary data sources in the form of supporting documents for the tahfidz programme. Data analysis was carried out using the Miles and Huberman model, while data validity was maintained through triangulation and member checking techniques. The results of the study show that the Tahfidz Programme at SMA Negeri 3 Semarang was born from the initiative of parents, supported by the school, PPPA (Program Pelatihan Penghafal Al-Qur’an) Darul Qur'an, and alums. Commitment to memorisation was formed through religious socialisation and intrinsic motivation. Multicultural challenges were relatively minor, in the form of awkwardness and peer distraction. Students applied social adaptation and self-regulation to maintain consistent and continuous muraja'ah.

Open-Ended Learning Model Effect on Critical and Creative Thinking in Islamic Education

Khotib Raja Ritonga — 2026-04-15

This study aims to examine the effect of the Open-Ended Learning model on students' critical and creative thinking skills in Islamic Religious Education learning at SMP Negeri 8 Pekanbaru. The study is motivated by the gap between theoretical demands for developing higher-order thinking skills that require complex prerequisites and the reality of limited educational resources, as well as the urgency of contributing to achieving SDG 4 on quality education. The research employs a quantitative, quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control-group design, involving 70 students divided into an experimental class (34 students) and a control class (36 students). Data were collected using validated critical and creative thinking skills test instruments, then analysed using the Independent Samples t-tests and MANOVA. The results show significant differences between the experimental and control classes, with the experimental class achieving a critical thinking posttest average of 79.12 compared to 70.14 (sig. 0.001), and a creative thinking posttest average of 81.76 compared to 74.58 (sig. 0.010). Multivariate tests confirm a significant simultaneous effect (Wilks' Lambda F=8.642, sig. 0.000), proving that the Open-Ended Learning model effectively develops both skills in an integrated manner. These findings demonstrate that open-ended problem-based learning can transform the paradigm of Islamic Religious Education from doctrinal transmission to intellectual exploration, producing a generation of Muslims capable of thinking critically, creatively, and contextually in applying Islamic values, while significantly contributing to the SDGs agenda through the formation of essential 21st-century competencies for sustainable development.