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Islamic character education faces dual challenges: declining moral values among students and conventional teaching methods inadequate for developing higher-order thinking skills. This study examines the implementation of a smart learning environment (SLE) model to enhance metacognitive understanding in Aqidah Akhlak (Islamic Creed and Ethics) instruction among eighth-grade students at MTs Salafiyah Merakurak. Employing a mixed-methods action research design, involved 16 eighth-grade students divided into two groups. Data collection utilized classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and learning documentation. The SLE model integrated Google Classroom, interactive video content, WhatsApp Group discussions, and Google Forms assessments to create a technology-enhanced learning ecosystem. Findings revealed substantial improvements in students' metacognitive capacities: planning skills increased from 25% to 75%, monitoring abilities rose from 31% to 81%, and evaluation competencies grew from 19% to 69%. Students demonstrated enhanced learning autonomy, active participation in collaborative discussions, and improved self-reflection on content comprehension. The SLE approach successfully fostered engaging learning experiences while facilitating deeper internalization of Islamic ethical values. However, implementation encountered constraints including limited technological infrastructure and varied digital literacy levels among students. This research underscores the critical need for developing teachers' digital competencies and strengthening madrasah technological infrastructure to optimize technology-integrated Islamic education.

Contemporary developments in science, technology, and socio-cultural dynamics have given rise to various new fiqh issues (masailul al-fiqhiyyah al-mu‘ashirah) that were not explicitly discussed in classical Islamic jurisprudence. These contemporary fiqh issues demand contextual ijtihad that is responsive to current realities while remaining grounded in Islamic legal principles. This study aims to analyze contemporary fiqh issues and examine their implications for the moral formation of students in Islamic education. This research employs a qualitative library research approach by analyzing classical fiqh literature, contemporary fiqh studies, and relevant educational theories. The findings indicate that contemporary fiqh issues such as digital ethics, biomedical technology, and socio-economic practices carry significant moral dimensions that directly influence students’ attitudes and behavior. Integrating contemporary fiqh discourse into Islamic education encourages critical thinking, moral reasoning, and ethical awareness among learners. Therefore, contemporary fiqh learning not only functions as a legal reference but also as a strategic instrument for strengthening students’ moral character in accordance with Islamic values. The study implies that Islamic education institutions should contextualize fiqh instruction to address contemporary moral challenges faced by students.

The quality of human resources is a fundamental pillar of a country’s development, and education plays a crucial role in shaping this quality. Education not only provides knowledge and skills but also builds attitudes, values, and competencies that enable individuals to contribute effectively to social and economic development. This study aims to examine how education can enhance human growth and improve the overall quality of human resources. The research employs a descriptive quantitative method by distributing questionnaires to thirty members of the general public. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques to identify community perceptions regarding the importance of education in human development. The results show that the majority of respondents strongly believe that education has a significant positive impact on human growth. Education is perceived as an essential tool for improving critical thinking abilities, increasing productivity, and fostering awareness of the importance of active participation in national development processes. Furthermore, respondents indicated that education contributes to the development of discipline, creativity, and adaptability, which are necessary to face global challenges and technological changes. Education also plays an important role in reducing social inequality by providing equal opportunities for individuals to improve their quality of life. Overall, these findings confirm that improving the quality of education should be a top priority in national development strategies. High-quality education is essential to produce competitive, innovative, and superior human resources that can significantly contribute to sustainable national progress.

This study examines the role of mathematics learning in improving logical thinking skills in early childhood. The background of this study is based on the importance of logical thinking skills as a foundation for children's cognitive development, which can begin at an early age through appropriate mathematics learning. The purpose of this study is to analyze how mathematics learning can stimulate the development of logical thinking in early childhood and explore effective learning strategies. The methods used are library research and observation of several models of mathematics learning for early childhood in early childhood education institutions. The findings indicate that fun and concrete activity-based mathematics learning can improve children's abilities in critical thinking, constructing patterns, drawing conclusions, and solving simple problems. The implications of this study emphasize the need for the application of creative and interactive mathematics learning methods to support the development of logical thinking from an early age, while also encouraging educators to integrate mathematics into children's daily activities. This study also recommends the development of learning media appropriate to children's developmental stages for optimal results.

Measurement is a fundamental domain of mathematics that connects formal mathematical concepts with everyday experiences. Despite its practical relevance, students often experience persistent difficulties in understanding measurement conceptually, tending to approach it as a procedural activity rather than as a process of reasoning about quantities, units, and comparisons. These challenges indicate that learning measurement is influenced not only by individual cognitive factors but also by the social dynamics that shape classroom learning environments. This study aims to examine classroom social dynamics in learning measurement by providing empirical evidence from contextual learning situations. This study employed a qualitative research approach to explore how social interaction, scaffolding, and participation mediate students’ understanding of measurement in contextual learning environments. Data were collected through classroom observations, video recordings of learning activities, analysis of students’ written work, and interviews with selected students and the teacher. Contextual measurement tasks were designed to encourage collaboration, dialogue, and justification, enabling the examination of student–student and teacher–student interactions as they naturally occurred in the classroom. Data analysis was conducted iteratively to identify patterns of interaction, forms of scaffolding, and students’ learning progression within the Zone of Proximal Development. The findings reveal that students initially engaged with measurement tasks in a predominantly procedural manner, with limited conceptual understanding and minimal peer interaction. After the implementation of contextual learning situations, classroom social dynamics changed substantially. Students became more actively involved in discussion, collaborative problem-solving, and collective meaning-making. Peer interaction supported the articulation and refinement of students’ reasoning, while teacher scaffolding guided learning by extending students’ thinking without providing direct solutions. These social processes facilitated students’ movement from their actual level of understanding toward higher levels of conceptual competence within the Zone of Proximal Development. The study further shows that contextual learning tasks alone are insufficient to promote meaningful understanding unless they are supported by productive social interaction and adaptive scaffolding. Conceptual understanding of measurement emerged through socially mediated processes rather than through task completion alone. This study contributes to mathematics education research by emphasizing the central role of classroom social dynamics in contextual learning and by offering insights into how interaction and scaffolding can be orchestrated to support students’ conceptual understanding of measurement.

This study aims to analyze the implementation of artificial intelligence in economics learning within the context of the Merdeka Curriculum and to examine its alignment with deep learning principles. The study employed a qualitative approach using a case study design conducted at SMAN 1 Boyolali. The research participants included economics teachers and eleventh grade students. Data were collected through classroom observations, in depth interviews, and document analysis. Data analysis was carried out interactively through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings indicate that the use of artificial intelligence in economics learning remains limited and has not been systematically integrated into pedagogical design. AI is primarily utilized as a supporting tool for lesson preparation and concept clarification rather than for adaptive learning, data driven assessment, or the enhancement of students’ critical thinking skills. Although students demonstrated positive responses toward AI assisted learning, several constraints were identified, including teachers’ limited pedagogical competence in AI integration, the absence of deep learning based instructional design, and infrastructural challenges. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of artificial intelligence in economics education depends not merely on technological availability, but on the alignment between pedagogy, curriculum policy, and human resource readiness.

This research examines the implementation of the Deep Learning approach in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) learning at SMAN 61 Jakarta and its contribution to the development of students' critical thinking skills. This study was conducted due to the need for a learning model that encourages students to understand religious concepts through active, reflective, and meaningful learning experiences. The purpose of this research is to describe the implementation of Deep Learning in PAI learning and its influence on the development of students' critical thinking skills. This study employs a qualitative method with a descriptive research design, using interviews, classroom observations, and documentation as data collection techniques. The findings indicate that the Deep Learning approach supports students in participating more actively in discussions, analyzing religious issues related to real-life situations, and constructing arguments based on their own understanding. Students also demonstrate improvement in evaluating information, considering diverse perspectives, and providing more reflective responses to classroom problems. The study further identifies several challenges, including limited digital facilities, varying levels of student participation, and teachers’ readiness in managing diverse learning strategies and media. These findings suggest that Deep Learning has strong potential to enhance students’ critical thinking skills when applied systematically and designed to foster active participation and meaningful exploration during the learning process.

The implementation of the eighth-grade Christian Religious Education teaching module on the topic "Love as the Foundation of a Believer's Life" was carried out as an effort to provide an active, reflective, and contextual learning process in accordance with the principles of the Independent Curriculum. Learning is designed through an interactive approach with discussion activities, analysis of biblical texts, case studies, problem-solving, and personal reflection that provide opportunities for students to construct understanding independently. Through these activities, students are guided to understand the concept of agape love as sincere love, giving without expecting anything in return, and is manifested in concrete actions towards others. The implementation results show that this teaching module is able to improve students' conceptual understanding of the meaning of love from a biblical perspective and its relevance in modern life. Students appear to be increasingly confident in expressing opinions, are able to work together in groups, and are actively involved in learning activities. In addition, the emergence of attitudes of empathy, tolerance, and habits of helping each other are indicators that the value of love is not only understood cognitively, but also internalized in behavior. This teaching module also contributes to improving students' critical thinking skills and spirituality through reflection activities that invite them to evaluate acts of love in daily life at school, family, and society.

General education at Islamic Religious Higher Education Institutions (PTKI) plays an important role in developing students’ critical thinking skills so they can analyze religious and social issues reflectively and contextually. However, learning practices in PTKI are still dominated by teacher-centered approaches and low cognitive achievement, which limits the development of analytical, evaluative, and problem-solving abilities. Meanwhile, studies show that integrating digital media, particularly video, can improve conceptual understanding, motivation, and cognitive engagement, yet a digital video-based meaningful learning model specifically designed for the PTKI context remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to formulate a Digital Video-Based Meaningful Learning Model (MPBBVD) to enhance students’ critical thinking skills. This research employed a literature review method by analyzing books, scientific articles, research reports, and digital sources related to meaningful learning, constructivism, multimedia learning, digital video use, and critical thinking development. Data were analyzed descriptively and qualitatively to identify the theoretical foundations, learning syntax, and design principles of the model. The findings indicate that MPBBVD integrates Ausubel’s Meaningful Learning theory, constructivist perspectives from Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bruner, Mayer’s Multimedia Learning theory, and the critical thinking framework of Facione and Ennis. The model uses digital video as the main learning medium and applies the ACTIVE stages (Attend, Connect, Think, Interpret, Verify, Evaluate) to promote contextual and interactive learning. Integrating pre-, during-, and post-video activities supports knowledge construction, reduces cognitive load, and increases student engagement, contributing theoretically and practically to improving critical thinking in PTKI in the Industrial Revolution 4.0 era.

This study aims to explore the philosophy of Islamic education grounded in tolerance by revisiting the influential ideas of Gus Dur and assessing their significance for the younger generation in contemporary society. Adopting a qualitative descriptive approach through document analysis, in-depth interviews, and thematic interpretation, the research highlights that values such as tolerance, humanism, intellectual freedom, and respect for diversity are essential foundations for shaping modern Islamic education. The findings indicate that incorporating these principles into educational curricula not only enriches the learning experience but also strengthens inclusive and participatory teaching practices, fostering an environment that encourages open dialogue, mutual understanding, and moderation. Furthermore, the study emphasizes that systematic integration of Gus Dur’s educational philosophy can contribute to the development of students’ critical thinking, ethical awareness, and social responsibility, ensuring that Islamic education remains relevant and responsive to contemporary societal challenges. Overall, the research concludes that implementing these values consistently is crucial for advancing a modern, tolerant, and pluralistic approach to Islamic education that benefits both individuals and society as a whole.

This study looks at how the Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) model is used in Christian Religious Education (CRE) and checks how it helps students develop their critical thinking abilities. In today’s education system, students are not just expected to remember Bible stories, but also to understand what they mean, think about the moral lessons, and use Christian values wisely in their everyday lives. However, past observations show that CRE classes often use a lot of lectures and memorization, which doesn’t give students much chance to think deeply or link what they learn to real-life situations. The CTL model provides a better way for learning by using seven key parts: constructivism, inquiry, questioning, learning community, modeling, reflection, and real-world assessmen. A descriptive qualitative design was employed involving CRE teachers and students selected purposively from classes that have integrated CTL in online and face-to-face settings. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and instructional documents. The analysis followed Miles and Huberman’s stages of data reduction, display, and conclusion drawing, supported by triangulation to strengthen credibility. The findings reveal that CTL enhances student engagement, promotes higher-order reasoning, and supports the internalization of Christian values in real-life contexts. Supporting factors include a positive school climate, parental involvement, and teacher readiness, whereas obstacles emerge from limited facilities, large class sizes, and insufficient teacher understanding of CTL. The study underscores the need for context-based and character-oriented instructional designs in CRE.

The development of digital technology has driven the  increasing use of e-modules as interactive learning media that support  independent and collaborative learning. The integration of pedagogical approaches and multimedia technology makes e-modules increasingly adaptive and effective in developing higher-order thinking skills. This study aims to map trends in the development and utilization of e-modules through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR)  of Scopus articles published in 2020–2024. From the selection process, 20 articles were analyzed based on their pedagogical approach, as well as the media and digital platforms used. The study results show that pedagogical approaches such as Problem-Based Learning, STEM, SETS, Discovery Learning, and Guided Inquiry have been consistently proven to improve critical thinking skills, learning outcomes, and 21st-century competencies. From a technological perspective, Android and flipbook platforms are the primary choices due to their flexible access and multimedia support such as video, animation, simulations, and interactive quizzes. These findings emphasize the importance of developing systematic, pedagogically-based e-modules supported by interactive multimedia.  Further research is needed to explore the integration of AR/VR, gamification, and artificial intelligence.   

This Community Service activity reflects university students' social concern for their environment, particularly in elementary education. The activity was conducted at SDN 032 Tarakan to provide students with an understanding of the differences between needs and wants. The method used was face-to-face socialization, interactively designed through simple material delivery, ice-breaking, and an image classification game. The results showed high student enthusiasm and their ability to correctly classify most of the provided images into 'needs' and 'wants'. This activity not only enriched students' knowledge but also trained critical thinking skills in setting priorities. It is hoped that similar activities can be continued to foster economic literacy from an early age among elementary school students.

Effective learning requires teachers to be able to select and apply innovative learning strategies so that the learning process becomes more meaningful for students. Innovation in learning strategies is important because it can increase student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes through approaches that are tailored to their needs and characteristics. This study aims to describe the role of innovation in learning strategies as the key to encouraging improved student learning outcomes. The method used is a qualitative literature study by collecting and analyzing various literature sources in the form of books, journals, and relevant scientific documents. The findings show that innovative learning strategies, such as problem-based, collaborative, contextual learning, and the use of technology, can improve students' critical thinking, creativity, and active participation. In addition, strategies creatively designed by teachers can create a more engaging learning atmosphere and motivate students to achieve learning objectives. This study implies the importance of improving teacher competence in developing innovative learning strategies as an effort to achieve optimal learning outcomes.

This paper discusses the principles of Jesus’ teachings that are relevant for building effective and transformative learning within the context of contemporary education. Jesus is known as the Great Teacher who taught with authority, closeness, and methods capable of transforming the thinking, attitudes, and behavior of His listeners. Through biblical analysis and pedagogical examination, this study identifies several key principles, including the use of stories and parables to facilitate deep understanding, a dialogical approach that encourages active participation, contextualization of the message according to the listeners’ social background, modeling as a form of learning through example, and an emphasis on character transformation as the ultimate goal of education. The study concludes that the principles of Jesus’ teaching are not only effective in delivering content but also play a significant role in shaping the internal transformation of learners. By adapting these principles, modern educators can build learning processes that are more meaningful, holistic, and transformation-oriented.

This study aims to analyze the integration of the Pancasila Student Profile (PSP) within Civics Education (PPKn) learning in elementary schools through a descriptive qualitative library research approach. The research draws on 15 national journal articles published between 2020 and 2025 that discuss strategies, challenges, and outcomes of implementing the PSP in learning practices. The findings show that PSP values—such as mutual cooperation, independence, critical thinking, creativity, and noble character—are primarily integrated through classroom activities, project-based learning, and habituation programs aligned with the Merdeka Curriculum. However, several challenges persist, including limited teacher understanding, inconsistent school support, inadequate learning media, and insufficient alignment between curriculum expectations and classroom practices. The analysis also reveals that effective implementation requires strong teacher leadership, contextual learning strategies, and sustained school commitment to character development. The study contributes theoretically by deepening understanding of value-based learning and practically by offering recommendations for teachers and schools to optimize character-based PPKn instruction. Overall, the integration of PSP values strengthens students’ character formation and supports the development of a holistic learning environment consistent with Pancasila principles.  

This study examines the role of the contextual teaching and learning (CTL) model in supporting teachers to create active and meaningful learning experiences. The research highlights the importance of linking instructional content with students’ real-life contexts to strengthen conceptual understanding and improve problem-solving abilities. Through descriptive analysis, this paper outlines the main components of CTL, including constructivism, inquiry, questioning, learning communities, modeling, reflection, and authentic assessment. The findings show that the CTL model enables students to construct knowledge independently, apply concepts to practical situations, and develop critical thinking skills. Furthermore, this study describes challenges faced by teachers across educational levels—such as limited time, students’ low independence, and variations in academic abilities—and proposes practical solutions to address them. The implications of this study emphasize the need for teachers to design engaging learning activities, build supportive classroom environments, and integrate authentic assessment to measure students’ holistic progress. Overall, CTL serves as an effective model for enhancing learning relevance, increasing student participation, and preparing learners to face real-world challenges.

This study focuses on mentoring activities for male and female students of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Khalafiyah Syafi’iyyah Zainul Hasan Genggong related to children’s development during the school period. The main issue identified is the lack of optimal learning motivation and independence among students, which affects their academic achievement and character formation. The purpose of this study is to improve students’ observation skills, creativity, critical thinking, emotional regulation, social interaction, and learning motivation in an integrated manner. This research employed a descriptive qualitative method with observation, interviews, and in-depth documentation as the primary data collection techniques. The findings indicate a significant improvement in students’ concentration, creative expression through drawing, logical thinking, emotional stability, harmonious social interaction, as well as motivation and discipline in learning. The mentoring activities provide a sustainable positive impact on students’ psychological growth and holistic development within the madrasah environment

This study focuses on mentoring activities for male and female students of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Khalafiyah Syafi’iyyah Zainul Hasan Genggong related to children’s development during the school period. The main issue identified is the lack of optimal learning motivation and independence among students, which affects their academic achievement and character formation. The purpose of this study is to improve students’ observation skills, creativity, critical thinking, emotional regulation, social interaction, and learning motivation in an integrated manner. This research employed a descriptive qualitative method with observation, interviews, and in-depth documentation as the primary data collection techniques. The findings indicate a significant improvement in students’ concentration, creative expression through drawing, logical thinking, emotional stability, harmonious social interaction, as well as motivation and discipline in learning. The mentoring activities provide a sustainable positive impact on students’ psychological growth and holistic development within the madrasah environment

The implications of progressivism in learning serve as an essential foundation for building an educational process that fosters active, creative, adaptive, and innovative students in accordance with 21st-century competency demands. The progressive approach positions students at the center of the learning process through direct experience, deep exploration, collaboration, dialogue, experimentation, and problem-solving relevant to real-life contexts, ensuring that learning is not only focused on content mastery but also on the development of potential, character, independence, and higher-order thinking skills. This study employs a literature review method by examining primary and secondary sources on the principles of progressivism, active learning strategies, and their relation to the Merdeka Curriculum as a foundation for national educational transformation. The findings indicate that progressivism plays a significant role in shaping critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, digital literacy, and initiative through the implementation of learning by doing, project-based learning, simulations, scientific experiments, reflective discussions, and technology integration that strengthens learner autonomy. This experience-based approach effectively supports students in constructing knowledge independently while enhancing confidence, responsibility, social awareness, and cooperative skills. However, its implementation still faces challenges such as passive learning culture, limited teacher competence in active methods, insufficient facilities, overloaded curriculum, psychosocial barriers, academic anxiety, and students’ low confidence in expressing opinions. These findings affirm that progressivism is highly relevant to educational reform in Indonesia; therefore, improving teacher competence, strengthening facilities, reinforcing policies, providing continuous support, and creating safe, democratic, inclusive, and supportive learning environments are essential to help students develop optimally as independent, creative, and innovative learners.