Enhancing the Quality of Islamic Religious Education through Active Learning: A Case Study of Al-Bahra Islamic High School, Jeneponto
Keywords:
Active Learning, Islamic Religious Education, Quality Enhancement, Contextual Teaching and Learning, Higher-Order Thinking Skills, Experiential LearningAbstract
This study examines how active learning strategies contribute to enhancing the quality of Islamic Religious Education (IRE) at Al-Bahra Islamic Senior High School, Jeneponto. The research responds to the gap between curriculum expectations and actual classroom practices, particularly the dominance of teacher-centered methods. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected through classroom observations, in-depth interviews with IRE teachers, and document analysis.
The findings reveal six key strategies: learning by doing, contextual teaching and learning (CTL), higher-order thinking skills (HOTS), experiential learning, digital game-based learning (DGBL), and cooperative techniques such as peer-teaching and card sorting. These approaches not only improved students’ critical thinking, collaboration, and spiritual awareness but also enhanced the overall quality and effectiveness of IRE instruction. Despite these positive impacts, challenges such as limited teacher training, varied student readiness, and insufficient institutional support were noted.
The study concludes that integrating active learning into IRE fosters deeper engagement, strengthens the internalization of Islamic values, and elevates the quality of classroom experiences. Practical recommendations are offered to further enhance curriculum delivery, including teacher capacity-building, contextualized pedagogy, and infrastructure development.
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