Reflective Digital Pedagogy in Islamic Religious Education and Religious Character Formation in Higher Education
Keywords:
Islamic Religious Education; innovative learning; religious character; moral education; digital pedagogy; higher education; constructivist learningAbstract
This study examined the influence of reflective digital pedagogy on students’ religious character formation in Islamic Religious Education (IRE) in Indonesian higher education. The study addressed the pedagogical gap between lecture-based instruction and reflective, constructivist, and technology-supported learning aligned with Islamic moral values. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 140 undergraduate students in Indonesian Language and Literature Education and English Language Education programs at Singaperbangsa University Karawang using structured questionnaires. The quantitative phase was followed by interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis to explore students’ and lecturers’ experiences in digitally mediated IRE classrooms. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The results showed a significant positive relationship between innovative learning and religious character (r = 0.61, p < .01), with innovative learning explaining 28% of the variance in religious character (R² = 0.28). Students reporting higher levels of innovative learning demonstrated stronger moral reflection, self-regulation, and internalization of Islamic values. Qualitative findings indicated that project-based, flipped, and blended learning fostered deeper engagement, empathy, and responsibility, with lecturers acting as moral facilitators in digital learning environments. Key challenges included limited technological infrastructure and uneven digital competence among lecturers. The findings suggest that reflective digital pedagogy enhances both moral and intellectual development in IRE, supporting the integration of faith and technology. Practically, the findings recommend strengthening reflective digital pedagogy, lecturer training, and infrastructure support within Indonesian higher education systems.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.2.34
References
Abubakari, M. S. (2025). Digital technologies adoption in Islamic education for fostering lifelong learning culture: Pilot Survey Preliminary Insights. In Multi-Industry Digitalization and Technological Governance in the AI Era (pp. 103–125). https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-1681-9.ch005
Abubakari, M. S., & Kalinaki, K. (2024). Digital competence in Islamic education for lifelong learning: Preliminary Analysis Using Digcomp 2.1 Framework. In Embracing Technological Advancements for Lifelong Learning (pp. 1–31). https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1410-4.ch001
Achruh, A., Rapi, M., Rusdi, M., & Idris, R. (2024). Challenges and Opportunities of Artificial Intelligence Adoption in Islamic Education in Indonesian Higher Education Institutions. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 23(11), 423–443. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.23.11.22
Alfisuma, M. Z., Pujiati, T., Rifa’i, B., Arjulayana, A., & Daeli, M. (2025). Optimizing ICT Integration for English Learning in Indonesian Islamic Boarding Schools. Proceeding - 2025 4th International Conference on Creative Communication and Innovative Technology: Empowering Transformative MATURE LEADERSHIP: Harnessing Technological Advancement for Global Sustainability, ICCIT 2025. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCIT65724.2025.11166778
Amirudin, A., Muzaki, I. A., & Nurhayati, S. (2025). Problem-Based Learning as a Pedagogical Innovation for Transforming Higher Education Students’ Islamic Religious Comprehension. Educational Process: International Journal.
Anwar, K., Saleh, A. S., Yusup, D. K., & Jahanifar, M. (2025). Faith Meets Technology: Navigating Student Satisfaction In Indonesia’s Islamic Higher Education Online Learning. Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Terapan Universitas Jambi, 9(2), 695–708. https://doi.org/10.22437/jiituj.v9i2.41513
Astuti, R. F., Susanti, E., Yusnaldi, E., Arsyad, J., & Setyawan, A. (2024). How Much is Character Education Correlated with Learning Outcomes of Islamic Religious Education Students in Indonesia: Meta-Analysis Study. BIO Web of Conferences, 146. https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/202414601087
Ataie, F., & Shah, A. (2018). A Web 2.0-based Collaborative Learning to promote the practice of Islam as a way of life. 2018 IEEE 5th International Conference on Engineering Technologies and Applied Sciences, ICETAS 2018, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICETAS.2018.8629258
Azizah, S. N., Suwartono, T., Nurhayati, S., Sungkawati, E., & Nur’aeni, N. (2024). Examining Indonesian College Students’ Behavioral Intention of Using Moodle App for E-Learning Platform. Qubahan Academic Journal, 4(3), 226–241. https://doi.org/10.48161/qaj.v4n3a668
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Conceptual and Design Thinking for Thematic Analysis. Qualitative Psychology, 9(1), 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1037/QUP0000196
Chongvisal, R., & Boonyarit, I. (2018). An Action Research Approach Towards Development Of Spirituality Among Thai University Students. Journal of Behavioral Science, 13(2), 19–37.
Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. L. P. (2017). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. SAGE Publications.
Firmansyah, Minan, M. A., Adriansyah, N. Z., Almas, A. F., Riyadi, I., & Prabowo, T. T. (2025). Construction of Islamic Education Based on Islamic Boarding Schools: A Case Study at Al-Manar Muhammadiyah Modern Islamic Boarding School in South Sumatra. Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam, 22(1), 195–214. https://doi.org/10.14421/jpai.v22i1.11044
Hajaroh, M., Dwiningrum, S. I. A., & Kartika, B. (2025). Assessing Religious Character Among Muslim University Students in Yogyakarta Indonesia. Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam, 22(1), 157–174. https://doi.org/10.14421/jpai.v22i1.10927
Hamdanah, H., Rusmaniah, R., Rajiani, I., & Muslimah, M. (2024). Continuance intention of digital education in traditional Indonesian higher education: Policy implication forward. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(5), 3596. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i5.3596
Ismail, I., Parinduri, M. A., & Ibarra, F. P. (2025). Strengthening The Ideology Of Islamic Religious Education In The Era Of Technological Disruption. Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Terapan Universitas Jambi, 9(2), 465–473. https://doi.org/10.22437/jiituj.v9i2.41841
Jagger, S. (2011). Moral judgment in computing undergraduates. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 9(1), 20–33. https://doi.org/10.1108/14779961111123205
Kim, M. S., Meng, X., & Kim, M. (2023). Technology-enhanced multiliteracies teaching towards a culturally responsive curriculum: a multiliteracies approach to ECE. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(4), 1988–2000. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1870503
Kim, Y. K., Carter, J., Rennick, L. A., & Fisher, D. (2023). The Relationship Between Spiritual/Religious Engagement and Affective College Outcomes: An Analysis by Academic Disciplines. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 12(2), 243–265.
Latjompoh, M., Gonibala, A., Ahmad, J., Al-Zou’bi, R. M., Alanazi, A. A., Nasir, N. I. R. F., & Damopolii, I. (2025). Meaning-Based Learning: Integration of Islamic Values to Empower Students’ Moral Sensitivity in Science Learning. Educational Process: International Journal, 17. https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2025.17.398
Lih, J. W., Kim, Y. K., & Conn, C. A. (2024). Spirituality and Religiosity Among International College Students in the United States: The Benefits and Predictors. Journal of Underrepresented and Minority Progress, 8(1), 98–127. https://doi.org/10.32674/jump.v8i1.5091
Marzuki, I. N., Azaini, A. A. M., Guan, T. T., Fadhli, A. K., & Md Ariff, A. (2025). The Exploration of Interactive Islamic Visual Storytelling Illustration through Surah Luqman. Global Journal Al-Thaqafah, 15(1), 148–164. https://doi.org/10.7187/GJAT072025-10
Mohd Yusoff, M. Z., Hamzah, A., Fajri, I., Za, T., & Yusuf, S. M. (2022). The effect of spiritual and social norm in moral judgement. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 27(1), 555–568. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2022.2156799
Muzayaroh, A. (2021). Strengthening Religious and Character Education in Madrasah Diniyah Ali Maksum Yogyakarta. Millah: Journal of Religious Studies, 20(2), 245–274. https://doi.org/10.20885/millah.vol20.iss2.art3
Nurhayati, S., & Judijanto, L. (2025). Culturally Responsive Digital Numeracy Instruction in Indonesian Early Childhood Education: Integrating Indigenous Knowledge and Technology. 2025 International Conference on Smart Learning Courses (SCME), 152–158. https://doi.org/10.1109/SCME62582.2025.11104859
Nurhayati, S., Taufikin, T., Judijanto, L., & Musa, S. (2025). Towards Effective Artificial Intelligence-Driven Learning in Indonesian Child Education: Understanding Parental Readiness, Challenges, and Policy Implications. Educational Process International Journal, 15(1), e2025155. https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2025.15.155
Pabbajah, M., Jubba, H., Abdullah, I., Pabbajah, M. T. H., & Juhansar. (2021). From the scriptural to the virtual: Indonesian engineering students responses to the digitalization of Islamic education. Teaching Theology & Religion, 24(2), 122–130. https://doi.org/10.1111/teth.12581
Purwanto, Y., Saepudin, A., & Sofaussamawati, S. (2023). The Development of Reflective Practices for Islamic Religious Education Teachers. Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 9(1), 107–122. https://doi.org/10.15575/jpi.v0i0.24155
Rahmat, M., Supriadi, U., & Fahrudin, F. (2016). The development of sufistic “core” character-based quranic stories learning model in Islamic education for the improvement of the students’ behavior. Man in India, 96(12), 5099–5111.
Ristiana, H., Mahmud, A., & Suminar, T. (2025). Building morality: the role of character education, learning environment, and motivation. Perspektivy Nauki i Obrazovania, 73(1), 566–582. https://doi.org/10.32744/pse.2025.1.36
Siregar, H. S., Nurhamzah, N., Munir, M., & Fikri, M. (2025). Enhancing Islamic Education through Technology Integration: A Study of Teaching Practices in Indonesia. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 13(2), 959–986. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v13i2.1875
Subiyantoro, Rohmadani, Z. V., & Achadi, M. W. (2025). Integrating religious dimensions and humanistic education to enhance student personality: A case study in Indonesian madrasas. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 8(3), 2026208. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2026208
Suhartini, A., Nursobah, A., Basri, H., Hayati, T., & Erihadiana, M. (2025). Reflection Learning Experience of Islamic Religious Education Based on Spiritual and Social Values. Educational Process: International Journal, 18. https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2025.18.488
Suharyat, Y., Susilawati, T. E., Sikki, M. I., & Nurhayati, S. (2022). Online Learning Quality Evaluation in Higher Education During COVID-19 Pandemic. Society, 10(1), 207–219. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.33019/society.v10i1.406
Usman, U., Bahraeni, B., & Nurhilaliyah, N. (2025). Exploring Islamic-Oriented Cooperative Learning through Faith-Driven Collaboration in among University Students in Islamic Education Courses. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(9), 922–939. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.9.44
Wedi, A., Mardiana, D., & Umiarso, U. (2025). Digital Transformation Model of Islamic Religious Education in the AI Era: A Case Study of Madrasah Aliyah in East Java, Indonesia. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(8), 842–863. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.8.37
Wulan, E. R., Gunawan, H., Fauziah, W., & Kratz, F. (2021). Integration Of Science, Technology, And Islamic Values to Enhance Expected Learning Outcomes In French Higher Education. Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 7(1), 95–108. https://doi.org/10.15575/jpi.v7i1.12765
Yusoff, S. M., Lijie, H., & Basal, M. H. (2025). Investigating The Influence of Pedagogical Content Knowledge on Formative Assessment Practices in Islamic Religious Education of Malaysian Secondary Schools. International Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies, 21(2), 89–113. https://doi.org/10.21315/ijaps2025.21.2.5
Zakiyyah, I. (2024). Learning Management of Islamic Religious Education Based on Digital Technology. 2024 12th International Conference on Cyber and IT Service Management, CITSM 2024. https://doi.org/10.1109/CITSM64103.2024.10775708
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Amirudin Amirudin, Iqbal Amar Muzaki, Sri Nurhayati
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
All articles published by IJLTER are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No-Derivatives 4.0 International License (CCBY-NC-ND4.0).
