Implementing Active Learning Strategies to Improve the Quality of Islamic Religious Education: A Case Study of Al-Bahra Islamic High School, Jeneponto
Keywords:
Active learning, Islamic Religious Education, contextual teaching and learning, higher-order thinking skills, Digital Pedagogy, experiential learningAbstract
This study explores the implementation of active learning strategies in Islamic Religious Education (IRE) at Al-Bahra Islamic Senior High School, Jeneponto. The research was motivated by the need to address the mismatch between curriculum expectations and classroom practice, particularly the predominance 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 highlight six core 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 significantly improved students’ critical thinking, collaboration, and spiritual awareness. Despite notable gains, challenges such as limited teacher training, student readiness, and institutional support persist.
The study concludes that integrating active learning in IRE can foster deeper engagement and the internalization of Islamic values. It offers practical recommendations for enhancing curriculum delivery, emphasizing the need for teacher capacity-building, contextualized pedagogy, and infrastructure development.
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