Teaching for Active Learning in Two Primary-Level Islamic Schools (Madrasahs) in North Sumatra

Abstract

Teaching for active learning is an instructional strategy that has been promoted for some time in Indonesia through various government educational reform initiatives and international development efforts. These efforts, however, have tended to target teachers in public primary schools (SD: sekolah dasar) or public junior high schools (SMP: sekolah menengah pertama) rather than equivalent schools in the Islamic education sector (madrasah ibtidâ’iyah and madrasah tsanawiyah). Utilizing data gathered from focus group discussions, individual interviews, and classroom discussions, this action research study examined the specific challenges faced by Islamic Studies teachers in teaching for active learning in two public Islamic primary schools (MIN: madrasah ibtidâ’iyah negeri) in the district of Deli Serdang, North Sumatra. Our article goes on to describe the difficulties Islamic Studies teachers have in applying active learning teaching strategies learned in demonstrations of teaching for active learning in science, mathematics and other secular subjects to Islamic Studies. Key Words: Islamic Education, Active Learning, Religious Studies, Indonesia