International Journal of Post Axial: Futuristic Teaching and Learning

Islamic Education Teachers as Agents of Religious Character Formation in Schools: A Conceptual and Empirical Study

Mhd. Shaleh Hasonangan Daulay — 2026-10-05

Schools in Riau face a gap between religious routines and moral conduct, as recurring violence involving students shows. This article examines how Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teachers can act as agents of religious character formation and where their role meets its limits. It uses qualitative library research with document analysis. The data consist of Qur’anic verses, hadith, classical and contemporary scholarship, peer reviewed studies from 2016 to 2026, official data on violence against children in Riau for 2023 to 2025, and two school cases reported in Riau in 2025. The analysis yields four teacher functions: exemplar (qudwah), formation of adab through habit (ta’dib), counsel (mau’izah), and gentle correction (rifq). Studies in Riau link teacher example and congregational prayer habits to students’ religious attitudes. Yet the official data and the two cases show that ritual participation does not by itself prevent harm, especially when schools respond slowly or settle cases informally. The article contributes a contextual rereading of classical texts against current child protection rules and proposes that religious character formation should combine modeling, habit, counsel, and restorative correction within a schoolwide system.

Semiotic Analysis of Islamic Educational Values in Bilhikmah Da'wah Posters on the Instagram Account @khalidbasalamahofficial

Zahid Mukhlis — 2026-10-08

The development of social media as a digital religious space has transformed da'wah practices from oral communication into visually mediated forms. Instagram, as a visually oriented platform, enables the dissemination of religious messages through artifacts such as da'wah posters that carry symbolic meanings. This study aims to analyze the representation of da'wah bil ḥikmah values in posters uploaded on the Instagram account @khalidbasalamahofficial during October 1–13, 2025. Using a qualitative approach and Roland Barthes’s semiotic analysis, this research examines denotative, connotative, and mythical meanings within the visual elements. Data were collected through documentation and purposive sampling of content aligned with normative da'wah themes. The findings reveal that the posters construct an integrated system of signs combining cosmological themes, socio-digital ethics, and Islamic economic principles within a monotheistic framework. At the denotative level, recurring visuals such as light contrasts, cosmic imagery, digital devices, and economic symbols function as normative codes. Connotatively, these visuals strengthen moral messages through dramatic aesthetics that evoke spiritual responsibility in digital and social contexts. At the mythical level, the posters challenge modern assumptions like market neutrality and secularization. This study concludes that bil ḥikmah is expressed not only textually but also visually, reflecting a shift toward digital da'wah.

Does TikTok Really Matter for Academic Achievement? Self-Regulation and Use Duration Among University Students

Agizka Rizqta Gusanova — 2026-10-10

The increasing use of TikTok among university students has raised questions about its relationship with academic achievement. Previous studies have reported mixed findings. This study examined the association between self-regulated learning (SRL)-based TikTok use regulation and semester grade point average (GPA) in the full sample and two daily-use duration groups. It extends previous research by examining how students plan, control, and evaluate TikTok use beyond duration or problematic use alone. Separate subgroup analyses explored the association within each duration group. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey involved 197 university students. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson correlation, simple linear regression, and robustness checks. The full-sample association was near zero and nonsignificant (r = −0.038, p = 0.600). Associations were also nonsignificant in the groups reporting more than two hours and two hours or less of daily use. Spearman correlations were nonsignificant, and HC3 and bootstrap analyses provided no evidence of significant linear coefficients, although diagnostic concerns limit interpretation. The measured regulation score alone provided little information about differences in semester GPA in this sample. Broader academic behaviors warrant further investigation to clarify the practical relevance of digital self-regulation. These findings do not establish that TikTok use is academically harmless or that associations are statistically equivalent across duration groups

Ecotheology-based Joyfull Learning Model in PAI Learning to Strengthen the Character of Environmental Care for Students of UPTD SD Negeri 2 Limbangan Indramayu

Fayuzah — 2026-10-10

This research is motivated by the global environmental crisis due to the moral-spiritual crisis and the saturation of students with the conventional and monotonous learning method of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) at UPTD SDN 2 Limbangan. The objectives of this research are (1) developing an ecotheology-based Joyfull Learning model through contextual case analysis and evaluating it via continuous classroom observation, (2) exploring the meaning of teachers and students towards ecotheology values, (3) analyzing forms of strengthening the character of caring for the environment, and (4) identifying supporting and inhibiting factors. This research uses a qualitative approach of the type of case study with data collection techniques through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation of school principals, PAI teachers, and students in grades 4-6 with 15 students. The results of the study show that (1) model development is carried out through three main stages: tadabur (observation), tafakur (reflection), and charity (implementation) (2) the implementation of this model succeeds in creating a learning atmosphere that supports the internalization of ecotheology values without the impression of patronizing and transforming students' perceptions in viewing nature as a form of worship and responsibility to God (3) a form of character strengthening in real behavior is evidenced by observational data, such as 12 out of 15 observed students actively bringing personal reusable water bottles to reduce single-use plastics, and initiating independent daily plant care routines. (4) The main supporting factors are the alignment of school vision, teacher creativity, the support of parents and adaptive students. Meanwhile, the main obstacles include limited curriculum time allocation, uneven practice facilities, and lack of consistency of habituation in the home environment. Practically, this study provides a solution for educators to overcome student learning boredom as well as a guide for schools in transforming spiritual values into concrete actions of environmental conservation

Strength Virtue Humanity and Social Awareness Among Junior High School Students: A Literature Review

Paryanto — 2026-10-14

The purpose of this study is to identify, analyze, and synthesize previous research related to the relationship between strengths, virtues, and humanity and social awareness, with the aim of examining the relationship between strengths, virtues, and humanity—particularly social intelligence—and the development of social awareness in junior high school students, as well as identifying implications for the curriculum and teaching practices. The research method employed a literature review using the PRISMA model to collect and select articles sourced from Google Scholar, resulting in 15 relevant studies published between 2016 and 2026. The data analysis technique used, based on Miles & Huberman, includes data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions through the critical extraction and comparison of research findings. The results indicate that the virtue of humanity and social awareness reinforce each other holistically and influence one another; empathy and social intelligence serve as mediators capable of transforming moral values into concrete individual actions. Schools also need to create spaces that can integrate individual virtues with collective awareness through a humanistic approach and a character-based curriculum. The strength of character in the virtue of humanity has the potential to enhance social awareness among junior high school students. Thus, it is recommended that schools develop a character-based curriculum, group activities, and community social activities to support the creation of a safe, comfortable, inclusive environment grounded in psychological well-being.

Implementing the Love-Based Curriculum in Humanistic Islamic Religious Education Learning at a State Islamic Senior High School in Blora

Isma Layyina Noviana — 2026-10-15

Humanistic education places relational quality at the core of learning, yet how the Love-Based Curriculum (Kurikulum Berbasis Cinta/KBC) is translated into everyday pedagogical decisions in madrasahs remains under-examined. This qualitative case study examined KBC implementation at a State Islamic Senior High School (MAN) in Blora, the conditions shaping it, and how it appears in students' learning experiences, drawing on curriculum enactment and teacher agency. Fourteen purposively selected participants took part: one deputy head for curriculum, three Islamic Religious Education teachers, and ten students. Data comprised one interview per participant, three observation sessions, and teaching modules, analysed with the Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña framework and reflexive thematic analysis. Love values were translated into attention to students' conditions, open communication, appreciation, restorative discipline, and adaptive teaching. Only some of these practices were directly observed, because classroom observation was limited to one Akidah Akhlak session; the remainder were reported by informants, as were the institutional supports (policy, lesson-plan templates, religious culture, teacher development) and constraints (limited time, administrative workload, academic demands, uneven student readiness). Students generally described classroom interactions as safe and open, with variation across teachers, and comparisons with earlier experience were drawn only from informants who had spent time at the school before the study. KBC implementation emerges as a relational and contextual translation process shaped by teacher interpretation and institutional conditions rather than uniform procedure, and the findings offer a preliminary indication of a normative-religious anchor for the pedagogy of love. The study does not establish causality or academic effectiveness.

Educaplay-Assisted Gamification and Learning Interest in PAI: A Case Study at SMP Islam Matholiul Falah

Minatul Latifah — 2026-10-15

Lecture-dominated Islamic Religious Education (PAI) classes can leave students passive. This qualitative descriptive-analytical case study examines Educaplay-assisted gamification in a Grade IX PAI class at SMP Islam Matholiul Falah Nglengkir Bogorejo, perceived changes in learning interest, and implementation factors. Observation, interviews, and documents from the PAI teacher, 15 students, the principal, and the deputy principal for curriculum were analyzed using the Miles–Huberman–Saldaña model and triangulation. Interest was considered through enjoyment, curiosity, attention, engagement, and willingness to learn. The teacher planned Educaplay in the teaching module, used it in core activities, and evaluated through scores, observation, and reflection. Accounts and observations suggested greater attention, participation, discussion, and efforts to improve scores; these are perceived changes, not proven effects. Support included MGMP encouragement, teacher readiness, a smart TV, and Wi-Fi; constraints included one shared screen, unstable internet, and uneven digital skills. The study documents implementation processes and school-level conditions