2026-01-29
Samsul Susilawati, Triyo Supriyatno, Ahmad Fatah Yasin, Zaidatun Tasir, Rika Inggit Asmawati, Abdulloh Chakim, Abd. Rahman Ambo’ Dalle
Global educational challenges demand the development of critical thinking through approaches that integrate cognitive and ethical dimensions. This study examines how computational thinking and spirituality contribute to the development of students’ critical thinking skills in Indonesia and Malaysia. Using a quantitative design, data were collected from university students in both countries and analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The analysis reveals that computational thinking plays a more influential role in shaping students’ critical thinking in Malaysia, reflecting the strong emphasis on analytical and digital reasoning in instructional practices. In contrast, spirituality makes a stronger contribution in the Indonesian context, underscoring the importance of moral and spiritual values in supporting reflective and ethical reasoning. These differences highlight the role of cultural and pedagogical contexts in shaping cognitive development. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that integrating computational thinking and spirituality provides a holistic framework for strengthening students’ critical thinking, offering relevant implications for curriculum design and educational policy in higher education.
2026-01-29
Arinal Rahmati, Benazir Benazir, Azharsyah Ibrahim
Halal awareness constitutes a fundamental dimension of Islamic consumption, guiding Muslims in making ethical and religiously compliant choices. Despite Aceh’s strong Islamic identity and the formal implementation of Sharia law, empirical evidence indicates a persistent gap between expressed concern for halal compliance and actual consumer practices among Muslim millennials. This study examines the level of halal awareness and the socio-psychological factors influencing food purchasing behavior among millennials who consume food from non-Muslim-owned establishments in Aceh. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews with 40 participants, complemented by observations and focus group discussions conducted across four districts: Banda Aceh, Pidie, Bireuen, and Lhokseumawe. The findings reveal that practical considerations such as trust, price sensitivity, hygiene, and customer service frequently outweigh religious verification in consumption decisions. Notably, approximately 80% of respondents demonstrated only a superficial understanding of halal certification procedures and Sharia compliance. These findings underscore a significant value–behavior gap in halal consumption within a Sharia-governed context, highlighting the need for integrated educational and regulatory interventions. The study recommends strengthening halal literacy through targeted educational initiatives, enhanced certification transparency, and digitally mediated outreach to reinforce halal integrity in Aceh’s evolving consumer landscape, with implications for other Muslim-majority societies facing similar challenges.
2026-01-29
Anhar Anhar, Zainal Efendi Hasibuan, Muhammad Darwis Dasopang, Erawadi Erawadi, Magdalena Magdalena, Fakhruddin Fakhruddin, Suwardi Suwardi
This article examines the paradigm of scientific integration in Islamic religious universities in Sumatra through a comparative and contextual approach. Although studies on scientific integration have grown rapidly, most remain confined to normative discussions and have not sufficiently examined how integration is constructed, interpreted, and implemented within diverse institutional contexts. Using a quasi-qualitative approach based on in-depth interviews, academic observations, document analysis, and focus group discussions (FGDs), this study explores the dynamics of scientific integration in three State Islamic Universities: UIN North Sumatra, UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh, and UIN Raden Fatah Palembang. The findings show that scientific integration is not understood as a singular unification of religious and scientific disciplines, but as a multi-layered epistemological process encompassing philosophical orientations, methodological alignments, and academic practices. Variations in integration paradigms emerge according to each institution’s vision, historical trajectory, and academic strategy, shaping different models of curriculum design, research orientation, and academic culture. These results indicate that the paradigm of scientific integration in Sumatra develops in a dynamic and context-dependent pattern rather than as a standardized institutional model. Beyond the local context, this study offers a reflective analytical framework for understanding scientific integration as a living epistemological process, contributing to broader discussions on Islamic higher education and contemporary global epistemological challenges.
2026-01-29
Saude Saude, Kamridah Kamridah, Saad Boulahnane
While dhikr practices in majelis taklim have been widely examined, limited attention has been paid to how these practices acquire new meanings and social functions within the shifting contexts of contemporary Indonesian Muslim communities. This study examines dhikr not merely as a devotional ritual, but as a socially embedded practice through which Qur’anic engagement is transformed into ethical orientation and social relations. Using a descriptive-phenomenological approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews and participatory observation across several majelis taklim affiliated with different Sufi ṭarīqas in Palu, Indonesia. The analysis reveals four interrelated themes: variations in participants’ understanding of dhikr from rote recitation to reflective awareness; strong aesthetic engagement through rhythm and melody that deepens emotional resonance; functional dimensions of dhikr that support religious learning, emotional regulation, and moral formation; and the emergence of faith-based social capital manifested in trust, reciprocity, and cooperative networks. Conceptually, the study advances the Dynamic Reception–Conversion Model (DRCM), which explains how dhikr operates as a process linking Qur’anic reception, social mediation, and socially productive outcomes. These findings contribute to Qur’anic reception studies and scholarship on “living Sufism” by demonstrating that dhikr functions as a dynamic mechanism of social transformation, offering implications for community cohesion and faith-sensitive approaches to education and social development.
2026-01-29
Siti Mahmudah, Salami Mahmud, Dian Mufitasari, Fuji Astutik, Umdatul Khoirot
Loneliness among Generation Z has become a pressing public health issue, reflecting the paradox of increasing isolation despite high digital connectivity. This study aimed to test a multidimensional model integrating psychological, social, and spiritual factors to explain loneliness, with social support examined as a key mediating mechanism. Employing a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from 527 Indonesian Generation Z participants using validated instruments, and analyzed through GSCA-SEM and path analysis with JASP. The findings revealed that self-compassion (β = -0.005, p = 0.015) and self-acceptance (β = -0.006, p = 0.007) directly reduced loneliness, while gratitude unexpectedly exhibited a positive association (β = 0.015, p = 0.005). Social support significantly mediated the influence of both social interaction (β = -0.037, p < 0.001) and self-compassion (β = -0.040, p < 0.001), explaining 54.7% of the variance (GFI = 0.947). These results challenge conventional theories, demonstrating that gratitude may operate differently in digital-native contexts and highlighting the central role of social support in translating interaction and psychological resources into reduced loneliness. The study offers theoretical innovation by proposing an integrated framework of loneliness and provides practical implications for developing culturally sensitive interventions for Generation Z in the digital era.
2026-01-29
Ahmadi Ahmadi, Abdul Azis, Ajahari Ajahari, Syuhud Syuhud, Wasehudin Wasehudin
Islamic boarding school (pesantren) leadership is increasingly required to respond to contemporary educational challenges while sustaining deeply rooted religious, cultural, and institutional traditions. However, integrative leadership models that systematically bridge indigenous wisdom with modern education remain underexplored. This study examines the development of an adaptive pesantren leadership framework by integrating the Mangenta philosophy as indigenous local knowledge with critical pedagogy and systematic transformation. Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected through structured surveys administered to kyai, teachers, and educational practitioners in pesantren settings and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Reliability and construct validity were confirmed through Cronbach’s alpha and Average Variance Extracted (AVE). The findings reveal that local knowledge exerts a strong influence on Mangenta philosophy, while critical pedagogy significantly mediates the internalization of local wisdom into leadership practices. Systematic transformation contributes as a supporting institutional condition that facilitates adaptation without undermining philosophical coherence. These results demonstrate that Mangenta-based local wisdom, when critically mediated and institutionally supported, forms a culturally grounded and adaptive pesantren leadership model. The study contributes to Islamic educational leadership scholarship by offering an empirically validated, context-sensitive framework that harmonizes tradition and innovation within faith-based educational institutions.
2026-01-29
Sapiudin Sapiudin, Nur Luthfi Rizqa Herianingtyas, Yanti Herlanti, Syihaabul Hudaa, Muhammad Barid Nizarudin Wajdi, Luo Ying
Fiqh learning in Indonesia has traditionally relied on lecture-based instruction rooted in pesantren pedagogy, which often prioritizes knowledge transmission over analytical engagement. This approach, while culturally embedded, poses challenges for cultivating critical thinking skills in 21st-century education. This study introduces the Cyber Scientific Approach (CSA), an instructional model that integrates the scientific method with guided cyber exploration to promote inquiry-based, student-centered learning in Fiqh classrooms. Employing a mixed-methods design, the research involved 60 senior secondary students across three grade levels, combining qualitative data from classroom observations and interviews with quantitative analysis of pre-test and post-test assessments using FRISCO indicators. CSA was implemented through a seven-stage process encompassing Observation, Questioning, Cyber Exploration, Association, Experimentation, Communication, and Conclusion. The findings demonstrate moderate but consistent improvements in students’ critical thinking skills across all grades, evidenced by statistical gains and enhanced classroom engagement. This study offers a structured pedagogical framework that aligns the normative foundations of Islamic jurisprudence with contemporary cognitive and digital competencies. It contributes to advancing Islamic education by providing an empirically grounded model for integrating critical thinking and technology in value-laden curricula.
2026-01-29
Zubaidah Zubaidah, Suraiya Suraiya, Abdul Manan, Kamarullah Kamarullah, Rahimah Embong, Nurrahmi Nurrahmi
Effective assessment of students’ attitudes, behaviors, and values is a key component of value-based education reforms, yet its implementation often remains uneven at the classroom level. This study examines how affective assessment policies are enacted in madrasa education under the KDJPI framework in Aceh Province, Indonesia. Using a qualitative research design grounded in Iterative Thematic Inquiry, the study analyzes data from questionnaires administered to 224 madrasa teachers, semi-structured interviews with six teachers (E1–E6), and relevant instructional documents. The findings show that the persistent gap between affective assessment policy and practice cannot be sufficiently explained by teachers’ lack of commitment or competence. Although teachers generally demonstrate positive orientations toward affective assessment instruments such as reflective journaling and checklists, their implementation remains inconsistent due to structural constraints, including limited instructional time, large class sizes, administrative demands, and insufficient institutional support. In response, teachers adopt adaptive strategies that reflect professional agency but also reveal the limits of individual effort in the absence of coherent governance arrangements. By conceptualizing affective assessment as a negotiated and structurally constrained practice, this study contributes to debates on policy enactment and non-cognitive assessment in value-based education systems, with implications extending beyond the specific socio-religious context of Aceh.
2026-01-29
Bambang Iriawan, Nurul Zahriani JF, Abdel Kadir Naffati, Ahkmad Fatoni, Yuminah Yuminah
This comparative study examined how different religious traditions operationalize ecological values. It focused on two cases: Green Sufism, a network of pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) in Indonesia that integrates Sufi spirituality into environmental education and daily routines, and the GreenFaith movement in the United States, an interfaith organization mobilizing religious communities for climate justice. Using a qualitative, interpretive phenomenological design, we collected interviews, observations, and documents across both contexts and analyzed them using a combined Heideggerian–Berger & Luckmann framework to trace how spiritual beliefs are translated into environmental norms. The findings revealed that both movements sacralize stewardship of the earth through theological principles such as tawhid (Oneness), khalifah (stewardship), and the interconnectedness of all creation, yet each followed a distinct pathway: pesantren privilege contemplative education and ritual practice, whereas GreenFaith foregrounded advocacy and public policy engagement. A translation chain, belief ritual → identity → action—emerged as the mechanism that connects spirituality to ecological activism. The study contributes to spiritual ecology by clarifying how embodied experiences and institutional processes co‑produce ecological meaning, identifying boundary conditions for education‑first versus advocacy‑first pathways, and highlighting the potential of faith‑based initiatives to support global environmental governance. Practical recommendations are offered for educators, policymakers, and interfaith leaders.
2026-01-29
Altanchimeg Zanabazar, Altanchimeg Dugersuren, Tungalag Jargalsaikhan
Social entrepreneurship education has increasingly been promoted as a strategic approach to addressing social and economic challenges, particularly in developing-country contexts. However, empirical evidence explaining how such education translates into students’ intentions to engage in social entrepreneurship remains limited in the Global South. This study examined the relationship between social entrepreneurship education and social entrepreneurial intention, with entrepreneurial self-efficacy serving as a mediating variable. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from 397 undergraduate students enrolled in five national universities in Mongolia. The data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) to test the proposed relationships. The results indicated that social entrepreneurship education had a positive but relatively modest direct effect on social entrepreneurial intention, while entrepreneurial self-efficacy showed a strong and significant influence on intention. Moreover, entrepreneurial self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between social entrepreneurship education and social entrepreneurial intention, suggesting that education primarily shaped intention by strengthening students’ confidence in their entrepreneurial capabilities. These findings highlighted the importance of psychological empowerment in transforming educational exposure into entrepreneurial motivation. This study contributes to the social entrepreneurship literature by providing empirical evidence from an underexplored Global South context and offers practical implications for higher education institutions seeking to design more effective social entrepreneurship education programs.
2026-01-29
Iwan Aprianto, Mawardi Mawardi, Suparno Suparno, Jamrizal
Public trust has emerged as a critical challenge for Private Islamic Universities (PTIS) in the digital era, particularly regarding the translation of Islamic ethical values from symbolic claims into concrete institutional practices. This study examines how the value of Amanah (trust) is internalized within Public Relations (PR) practices at PTIS in Jambi, positioning trust as both a religious-ethical principle and a professional standard that guides governance, communication, and digital engagement. Using a qualitative multi-site case study design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with institutional leaders, PR personnel, academic staff, administrative officers, and students, complemented by observation of institutional digital platforms. Data were analysed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña. The findings reveal that Amanah functions as an internal governing logic, shaping leadership integrity, policy transparency, participatory communication, and digital accountability. Trust is further strengthened through inclusive leadership, open communication channels, transparent academic and administrative policies, and responsible digital governance. However, the study also identifies persistent challenges, including inconsistent leadership modelling, weak oversight mechanisms, limited digital literacy, and concerns regarding academic data security. These results indicate that ethical values alone are insufficient to sustain digital trust without structural reinforcement and accountable digital systems. Ultimately, this study contributes to the field by conceptualizing Amanah as an operational PR principle that integrates Islamic ethics with contemporary digital trust governance in higher education.
2026-01-29
Muhibbuddin Muhibbuddin, Wiwit Artika, Samsul Kamal, Sajid Ali Yousuf Zai
Plant structure and tissues constitute fundamental topics in senior high school biology; however, students’ learning outcomes in this area remain unsatisfactory due to conceptual complexity and limited instructional support. To address this issue, this study aimed to develop and examine the effectiveness of an inquiry-based interactive e-module for learning plant structure and tissues at the senior high school level. The study employed a Research and Development approach using Thiagarajan’s 4-D model, which consists of the define, design, develop, and disseminate stages. The dissemination stage was conducted through an experimental method using a pretest–posttest control group design. Data were collected through expert validation sheets, questionnaires, observations, and learning outcome tests, and analyzed using descriptive techniques and an independent samples t-test. The results indicate that the developed inquiry-based e-module is pedagogically feasible and statistically effective in improving students’ learning outcomes compared to conventional instruction. The e-module can function both as an independent learning resource and as an instructional support within classroom and online learning environments. This study contributes empirical evidence that integrating inquiry-based pedagogy into digital learning modules enhances conceptual understanding and supports more active and independent learning in biology education.