Managing Islamic Education Curriculum in Indonesian Schools: Best Practices and Policy Recommendations
Main Article Content
Abstract
Despite studies in the realm of Islamic education teaching has been extensively conducted, the application of Islamic
education curriculum in Indonesian secondary schools receives scant academic attention from the previous researchers.
To fill this void, the present exploratory case study aims to explain practices of Islamic education enacted as a
nationally-mandated school subject in secondary schools and to explore to what extent the Indonesian government
supports Islamic education teachers to handle this compulsory school subject. Four Islamic education teachers of junior
secondary schools volunteered to participate in this research. Data were garnered through classroom observation and
in-depth interviews. Framed in thematic analysis, this study reports that the syllabus, lesson plan, learning resources,
classroom-based practices, and authentic assessment required thorough concern. In response to this, the government
support was needed to promote the best practices, i.e. teacher professional development and provision of sufficient school
facilities. To policy authorities in Indonesia, the study recommends facilitating Islamic education teachers with
sustainable professional development and redesigning the government-prescribed textbooks to foster teacher creativity in
their teaching and learning processes.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Adolfsson, C. H. (2018). Upgraded curriculum? An analysis of knowledge boundaries in
teaching under the Swedish subject-based curriculum*. Curriculum Journal, 29(3), 424–
https://doi.org/10.1080/09585176.2018.1442231
Aelterman, N., Vansteenkiste, M., Van Keer, H., De Meyer, J., Van den Berghe, L., &
Haerens, L. (2013). Development and evaluation of a training on need-supportive
teaching in physical education: Qualitative and quantitative findings. Teaching and
Teacher Education, 29(1), 64–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2012.09.001
Al-Basheer, A., Ashraah, M., & Alsmadi, R. (2015). Arabic Language teachers and Islamic
Education teachers’ awareness of authentic assessment in Jordan. Teacher Development,
(4), 483–495. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2015.1064824
Ashford-Rowe, K., Herrington, J., & Brown, C. (2014). Establishing the critical elements
that determine authentic assessment. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education,
(2), 205–222. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2013.819566
Baird, J. A., Andrich, D., Hopfenbeck, T. N., & Stobart, G. (2017). Assessment and
learning: fields apart? Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice, 24(3), 317–
https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2017.1319337
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2018). Classroom assessment and pedagogy. Assessment in
Education: Principles, Policy and Practice, 25(6), 551–575.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2018.1441807
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in
Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Brawley, D., Campbell, S., Desman, R., Kolenko, T., & Moodie, D. (2013). Integrating the
Core : A New Management Curriculum to Empower Our Students. Journal of Learning
in Higher Education, 9(1), 47–58.
Daulay, H. P., & Tobroni. (2019). Islamic Education In Indonesia: A Historical Analysis of
Development and Dynamics. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 53(9), 109–
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004
Erickson, A. S. G, Noonan, P. M., Brussow, J., & Supon Carter, K. (2017). Measuring the
quality of professional development training. Professional Development in Education, 43(4),
–688. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2016.1179665
Fahmy, R., Bachtiar, N., Rahim, R., & Malik, M. (2015). Measuring Student Perceptions to
Personal Characters Building in Education: An Indonesian Case in Implementing
New Curriculum in High School. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 211, 851–858.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.11.112
Gulikers, J. T. M., Runhaar, P., & Mulder, M. (2018). An assessment innovation as flywheel
for changing teaching and learning. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 70(2),
–231. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2017.1394353
Hasan, S. H. (2013). History Education in Curriculum 2013: a New Approach To Teaching
History. Historia: Jurnal Pendidik Dan Peneliti Sejarah, 14(1), 163.
https://doi.org/10.17509/historia.v14i1.2023
Hawe, E., & Dixon, H. (2017). Assessment for learning: a catalyst for student selfregulation. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 42(8), 1181–1192.
https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2016.1236360
Ibrahim, N. M., Osman, M. M., Bachok, S., & Mohamed, M. Z. (2016). Assessment on the
Condition of School Facilities: Case Study of the Selected Public Schools in Gombak
District. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 222, 228–234.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.05.151
James, L. T., & Casidy, R. (2018). Authentic assessment in business education: its effects on
student satisfaction and promoting behaviour. Studies in Higher Education, 43(3), 401–
https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2016.1165659
Kennedy, A. (2014). Understanding continuing professional development: the need for
theory to impact on policy and practice. Professional Development in Education, 40(5),
–697. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2014.955122
Mahfud, C. (2019). Evaluation of Islamic Education Curriculum Policy in Indonesia.
Premiere Educandum : Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar Dan Pembelajaran, 9(1), 34.
https://doi.org/10.25273/pe.v9i1.4016
Mumm, K., Karm, M., & Remmik, M. (2016). Assessment for learning: Why assessment
does not always support student teachers’ learning. Journal of Further and Higher
Education, 40(6), 780–803. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2015.1062847
Munastiwi, E., & Marfuah, M. (2019). Islamic Education in Indonesia and Malaysia:
Comparison of Islamic Education Learning Management Implementation. Jurnal
Pendidikan Islam, 8(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.14421/jpi.2019.81.1-26
Murillo, F. J., & Román, M. (2011). School infrastructure and resources do matter: Analysis
of the incidence of school resources on the performance of Latin American students.
School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 22(1), 29–50.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2010.543538
Nuryana, Z. (2017). Curriculum 2013 and the Future of Islamic Education in Indonesia. In
International Seminar on Islamic Education 2017 (pp. 257–270). Retrieved from
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwlH-50t138uTXRQMDJmTzFIeXc/view
Panichpongsapak, R., Tesaputa, K., & Sri-ampai, A. (2016). Development a Program to
Enhance Curriculum and Learning Management Competency of Private Primary
School Teachers. International Education Studies, 9(11), 172–180.
https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v9n11p172
Polikoff, M. S. (2015). How Well Aligned Are Textbooks to the Common Core Standards
in Mathematics? American Educational Research Journal, XX(X), 1–27.
https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831215584435
Prihidayanti, Y., Florentinus, T. S., & Kustiono. (2019). The Effect of The Education and
Training Program of Continuous Professional Development Program of In On In
Modes on Pedagogical and Professional Competence of Teachers in Kendal. Innovative
Journal of Curriculum and Educational Technology, 8(2), 90–97.
Qoyyimah, U. (2018). Policy implementation within the frame of school-based curriculum:
a comparison of public school and Islamic private school teachers in East Java,
Indonesia. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 48(4), 571–589.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2017.1334536
Sabri, A., Kustati, M., & Sepriyanti, N. (2019). Practical model of scientific approach in
learning islamic studies and Budi Pekerti courses at Indonesian secondary schools.
International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, 8(4), 323–328.
Sedova, K., Sedlacek, M., & Svaricek, R. (2016). Teacher professional development as a
means of transforming student classroom talk. Teaching and Teacher Education, 57, 14–
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2016.03.005
Yasin, R. F. B. F., & Jani, M. S. (2013). Islamic Education: The Philosophy, Aim, and Main
Features. International Journal of Education and Research, 1(10), 1–18.
You, J., Lee, H., & Craig, C. J. (2019). Remaking textbook policy : analysis of national
curriculum alignment in Korean school textbooks. Asia Pacific Journal of Education,
(00), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2019.1572591
Zahra, D. N. (2019). Development of Islamic Education Curriculum Model Curriculum
(K13). AL-HAYAT: Journal of Islamic Education, 3(1), 38–52.