This study has been motivated by the seminal work of Maria Montessori, as implemented and developed by Sophia Cavalletti and the work of Gerard O’Shea. The first (doctoral) phase involved implementing the SALT Approach in a pilot school and focused on a single cohort (Year 2). A prototype, anchored in the principles and practices of the aforementioned persons, was developed. Three core pedagogical approaches facilitating success were identified. These were pedagogies that (a) enabled deep pondering, (b) honoured and respected each person, and (c) facilitated authentic choice-making. Significant challenges were noted and addressed. These included behaviour issues, fragile family situations, diverse student faith backgrounds, time and space limitations, access to resources, limited teachers’ religious knowledge, understanding commitment, curriculum structures and accountability issues. In the five years since the completion of the doctorate, the SALT Approach has been taken up in schools, parishes and families. In one NSW diocese the SALT Approach has been rolled out to all its primary schools. In another diocese, a 5-day SALT Approach Professional development Course was devised and successfully implemented. This opens the opportunity to conduct a rich second phase of design-based research.

This study aims to explore parents’ perceptions of religious education and its impact on children’s psychology. The research employs a qualitative case-study design. Data collection techniques included interviews, observations, and documentation. The data analysis process involved interview transcription. The findings indicate that some parents perceive IRE as playing a highly significant role in life because it provides direction and guidance. However, several factors may influence the implementation of IRE for children, as expressed by parents, including educational background, economic conditions, environment, and peer associations. Furthermore, regarding the impact of IRE on children’s psychology, parents believe that religious education significantly affects not only individual life but also family life, neighbourhood relations, and civic life in general.

In the opening reflections of Antiqua et Nova, a recent publication by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Culture, and Education, Father Francis pointed out the need for faith educators to approach technology with wisdom and discernment. Invariably, the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has introduced both opportunities and challenges in the fields of education and catechesis. The call to collaborate as educators in higher education is being increasingly understood as a commitment to faith formation. Within this context, the digital era has brought about several engaging discourses among lecturers, particularly concerning contextual approaches to teaching. This study aims to thoroughly explore the implications of catechetical formation within each higher education institution, adopting a qualitative design that uses interview methods and is supported by data collected using Google Forms. Thirty-six lecturers teaching catechesis from 36 different Catholic higher education institutions served as the primary respondents in this investigation. Accordingly, the obtained results showed, first, the identity of catechists as witnesses, mystagogues, and faith educators in the AI era. Second, the correlation between catechesis of synodal church, communion, participation, and mission. Third, the engagement of catechesis and synodality with concepts such as ‘polarization’, ‘aeropagus’, and ‘oasis’ in the age of AI. Fourth, the dynamic relationship between synodal catechesis, habitus, and polarisation within contemporary digital landscapes.

This study examines the effects of digital books and interactive instructional videos on students’ learning outcomes in Islamic Religious Education (IRE). Employing a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design, the study involved 68 eleventh-grade students selected through purposive sampling from a population of 209 students. Data were collected using achievement tests and questionnaires and analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings reveal that the use of digital books resulted in a mean score of 42.53 and demonstrated a significant effect on IRE learning outcomes (t = 2.140 > 2.037; R² = 0.250), indicating a 25% contribution to learning improvement. In contrast, interactive instructional videos produced a higher mean score of 55.24 and showed a stronger significant effect (t = 2.631 > 2.037; R² = 0.770), contributing 77% to the variance in learning outcomes. Furthermore, the independent samples test indicated a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.000 < 0.05), with interactive video instruction outperforming digital books. These findings demonstrate that interactive digital media characterized by audiovisual integration and learner engagement provide greater pedagogical impact in IRE instruction compared to text-based digital resources. The study contributes to the development of digital Islamic education by providing empirical evidence on the comparative effectiveness of structured digital textbooks and interactive multimedia approaches. It offers a data-driven foundation for integrating adaptive and interactive technologies into IRE classrooms to enhance academic achievement and promote more effective technology-supported religious education.

Although active learning methods have been widely examined in educational research, the effect of the brainstorming method on learning outcomes in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) at the junior high school level, particularly in schools located in non-urban areas, remains relatively underexplored. This study aimed to analyze the effect of the brainstorming method on students’ learning outcomes in the Islamic Religious Education subject at SMP N 1 Gunuang Omeh Subdistrict. A quantitative approach was employed with a quasi-experimental design in the form of a Static Group Comparison Design, involving 40 eighth-grade students selected through total sampling. Data were collected using an objective multiple-choice test and analyzed with the nonparametric Mann–Whitney U test after normality and homogeneity tests were conducted. The results showed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups (p = 0.003 < 0.05), where the experimental group taught using the brainstorming method obtained a mean score of 83.40 with an 85% mastery level, while the control group taught using conventional methods obtained a mean score of 74.10 with a 55% mastery level. These findings reinforce constructivist and social learning theories in the context of Islamic Religious Education and confirm that the implementation of active learning strategies based on brainstorming is effective in improving students’ learning outcomes. The study recommends that Islamic Religious Education teachers further integrate the brainstorming method into classroom practice as part of developing student-centered learning, and encourages subsequent research to examine the impact of this method on affective and psychomotor domains.

Introduction Many middle-school students disengage from physical education (PE) due to fear of judgment, body-image concerns, and a weak sense of belonging. This review explores Islamic Religious Education (IRE) as a value-based framework to foster more equitable participation in PE by cultivating moral awareness, emotional balance, and mutual respect. This study aims to examine how IRE contributes to equality in PE participation by strengthening moral and spiritual readiness, nurturing inclusive learning environments, and sustaining engagement through ethical behavior. Methods A scoping review was conducted using the Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework to synthesize 40 studies published between 2015 and 2025 in peer-reviewed journals, institutional reports, and Indonesian sources. Evidence was coded in NVivo and analyzed through four thematic lenses: (a) moral–psychological readiness, (b) social inclusion and participation inequality, (c) collaboration between IRE and PE teachers, and (d) equitable participation outcomes. Results The synthesis indicates that the integration of Islamic values such as self-control ( mujahadah ) and fairness (‘ adl ) has the potential to help mitigate performance anxiety and enhance students’ confidence, discipline, and motivation. Collaborative teaching involving co-planning and inclusive assessment was perceived to support steadier attendance, stronger engagement, and broader access for girls, students with higher body weight, mild disabilities, and low-income backgrounds. Discussion Findings suggest that IRE can function as a moral lever for educational equity when embedded in daily PE routines and reinforced through institutional commitment. Co-designed programs and reflective collaboration between IRE and PE teachers may help reduce participation gaps and strengthen students’ readiness to move, learn, and belong.

This study offers a critical interrogation of the role played by superficial religious understanding in the rise and persistence of violent extremism in Nigeria, with specific emphasis on Boko Haram and related insurgent formations. While a vast body of scholarship has examined the structural foundations of extremism such as poverty, unemployment, state fragility, corruption, and political marginalization far less attention has been devoted to the ways in which shallow religious literacy and distorted interpretations of sacred texts facilitate radicalisation. Drawing on qualitative interviews, documentary analysis, and a broad review of secondary literature, this article demonstrates that limited religious knowledge enables ideological manipulation, legitimises violence through selective and decontextualised scriptural interpretations, and weakens community resistance to extremist doctrines. The findings reveal that superficial engagement with religion functions as a critical interpretive vulnerability that extremist actors exploit to transform social grievances into morally sanctioned violence. The article argues that sustainable counter-extremism strategies in Nigeria must therefore go beyond militarised responses to include strengthened religious education, improved clerical training, and institutionalised interfaith dialogue.

This study aims to analyze the role of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teachers in shaping the religious character of eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 3 Banjar Margo, as well as to identify the strategies, supporting factors, and challenges encountered in the PAI learning process. This research is motivated by the declining practice of religious values among junior high school students, such as low discipline in worship and a decreasing attitude of respect toward teachers and parents.The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach, using observation, interviews, and documentation as data collection techniques. The research subjects consisted of the principal, Islamic Religious Education teachers, and eighth-grade students. Data were analyzed through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing with verification to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the implementation of teachers’ roles in fostering students’ religious character.The results indicate that Islamic Religious Education teachers play a strategic role in developing students’ religious character through several main functions: (1) exemplary behavior (uswah hasanah), (2) habituation of worship and positive morals, (3) providing advice and religious motivation, and (4) managing a spiritually conducive learning environment. Supporting factors include the principal’s support, routine religious programs (such as congregational prayers, Qur’an recitation, and religious activities), and parental involvement. The challenges faced involve students’ inconsistency in worship, the influence of social media, and limited instructional time for PAI.This study concludes that the success of religious character formation is highly influenced by the integration of teachers’ exemplary behavior, a religious school culture, and collaboration between the school and family. Thus, PAI teachers are not only transmitters of religious knowledge but also moral mentors and spiritual role models who directly contribute to nurturing Islamic values within students.

Quality assurance in Islamic Religious Education (IRE) serves as a strategic mechanism for fostering sustainable improvements in teacher performance, yet in many Islamic elementary schools, it remains predominantly administrative and insufficiently linked to enhancing teacher professionalism. This study examines the influence of IRE quality assurance planning and evaluation strategies on teacher performance at Adzikri Islamic Elementary School. Employing a quantitative approach with an explanatory survey design, the research utilized total sampling to include all teachers as respondents. Data were gathered via a validated Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed through multiple linear regression, following classical assumption tests. The results indicate that quality assurance planning strategies exert a significant positive influence on teacher performance (? = 0.312, p < 0.05), while evaluation strategies demonstrate a more dominant effect (? = 0.487, p < 0.01). Collectively, these strategies account for 61.4% of the variance in teacher performance (R² = 0.614). These findings affirm that systematic planning combined with continuous, reflective evaluation when embedded within a cyclical framework substantially elevates pedagogical effectiveness and professional engagement. Conceptually, the study contributes a value-based model of IRE quality assurance that integrates core Islamic principles (such as amanah, ikhlas, and taqwa) into planning and evaluation processes, transforming quality assurance from procedural compliance into a transformative instrument for cultivating faith-centered professionalism and a sustainable quality culture in Islamic elementary education. This contextualized approach offers empirical and theoretical insights for advancing teacher performance and learning quality in similar faith-based institutions.

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) 2025 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) release statement provides rich administrative data on candidature, participation, performance, and equity-related dimensions over the 2020–2025 period. This manuscript synthesises these data into an integrated analysis of trends in access, learning outcomes, and inclusion in Uganda’s primary education system, framed by the UNEB Chair’s remarks emphasising both “cause for celebration and cause for concern.” Candidature rose steadily to 817,883 in 2025, with 63.8% from Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools and a persistent pattern of more girls than boys reaching the end of the primary cycle. Absenteeism declined and stabilised at 1.3% in 2024–2025, despite expanding enrolment and recurring logistical constraints, reflecting the system's resilience, as highlighted by the Chair. Proficiency profiles indicate that fewer than one in five candidates attain higher-ability levels in any subject, with the majority concentrated in medium-ability bands. Subject-specific patterns are mixed: English shows improved performance relative to 2024, whereas Social Studies with Religious Education records a downturn. Divisional outcomes indicate an increased share of candidates in Division 1 and a higher absolute number of passes in 2025, suggesting modest gains in attainment at the top and middle of the distribution. Gender-disaggregated analyses reveal that boys continue to outperform girls in higher divisions and in Science, Social Studies, and Mathematics, even as girls constitute the majority of candidates. Participation among learners with special needs and among prison inmates increased over the period, signalling incremental progress toward more inclusive assessment, in line with the Chair’s call to “leave no learner behind.” The analysis underscores that while access and completion have expanded, persistent learning deficits, gendered achievement gaps, and uneven subject performance require targeted instructional support, gender-responsive interventions, and sustained investment in foundational learning to realise equitable, high-quality outcomes in Uganda’s basic education

From awareness to action: Evaluating knowledge and preventive practices against heat-related illnesses among Hajj and Umrah pilgrims

This study explored the impact of substance abuse among youths in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Nigeria, with the aim of identifying evidence-based strategies for intervention. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data were collected from 384 youths aged 15–35 years using structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews (IDIs), and focus group discussions (FGDs). A multi-stage sampling technique ensured representation across schools, tertiary institutions, marketplaces, and residential neighborhoods. Thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data, while descriptive statistics and linear regression were used for quantitative analysis. Findings revealed a high prevalence of substance abuse, with alcohol, cannabis, and codeine-based pharmaceuticals being the most commonly abused substances. Key determinants included peer influence, unemployment, family dysfunction, and limited access to education and rehabilitation services. FGDs highlighted severe consequences such as deteriorating health, increased crime, school dropout, and economic hardship. Despite the existence of community-based interventions, statistical analysis showed no significant impact on reducing substance abuse (p = 0.121). Participants recommended multi-sectoral strategies including school-based prevention, parental engagement, youth-focused rehabilitation, economic empowerment, religious and moral education, and targeted social media campaigns. The study concludes that substance abuse among youths in AMAC is driven by interrelated socio-economic, psychological, and environmental factors. Holistic, community- embedded interventions are essential to address this crisis and improve youth well-being. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and health professionals working to develop sustainable substance abuse prevention and intervention programs in urban Nigerian settings.

The Merdeka Curriculum is an Indonesian curriculum reform intended to increase school and teacher autonomy and to strengthen competency- and character-based learning. However, evidence on how this curriculum is enacted in Islamic Religious Education (Pendidikan Agama Islam/PAI) at the elementary level remains limited. This study examined the implementation of PAI under the Merdeka Curriculum in a Sekolah Penggerak (Driving School) context at SD Negeri 02 Rejang Lebong. Using a qualitative descriptive case study design, data were collected from July to December 2024 through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with four PAI teachers, the school principal, and selected students, and analysis of instructional documents (modules and lesson plans). Data were analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke, supported by triangulation and member checking to enhance credibility. Findings indicate that teachers used increased curricular flexibility to prioritize essential and contextual PAI content based on initial diagnostic assessment and clearly stated learning objectives. Instruction commonly incorporated discussion, interactive explanation, reflective questioning, role play, Qur’anic reading practice, and value-based projects (e.g., charity and community service) to connect religious concepts with students’ lived experiences. Assessment emphasized continuous formative feedback through quizzes, portfolios, performance tasks, and observation of value enactment in daily behavior; remedial and enrichment activities were applied according to student needs. A recurring challenge concerned uneven parental support for reinforcing religious values at home. Overall, Merdeka Curriculum enactment in PAI fostered a student-centered and value-oriented learning environment that supported both understanding of Islamic teachings and character development, while highlighting the need for stronger school–family collaboration.

Islamic education in Indonesia plays a crucial role in shaping the character of the younger generation, particularly at the elementary school level. As technological developments and globalization influence students' mindsets and behavior, it is crucial to explore innovative ways to instill religious values ​​that can foster noble character. This study aims to analyze the development of a religious program at Az-Zikri Islamic Elementary School in Bone Regency, with the goal of shaping students' character through worship and social ethics. This study employed a descriptive, qualitative case study approach. Data collection techniques included in-depth interviews and documentation of religious activities at the school. Data analysis employed the Miles and Huberman model, which encompasses data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. Key findings indicate that programs such as congregational prayer, memorization (tahfidz), morning dhikr (recitation of the Quran), and Islamic literacy activities successfully improved students' discipline, independence, and social awareness. Furthermore, these religious activities also contributed to the development of more empathetic, respectful, and inclusive social attitudes. The results of this study provide a significant contribution to religious education, demonstrating that structured worship practices can enhance students' religious and social character.

Although digital dakwah and digital literacy have been widely examined, studies that specifically address the implicit representation of multicultural values in short-form social media videos, particularly on TikTok, remain limited. This study aims to analyze how multicultural values are represented in digital dakwah content in Habib Ja’far’s TikTok videos and to explore its implications for Islamic Religious Education in the digital era. The study employed a qualitative approach with a digital content analysis design. Data in the form of TikTok videos were purposively selected based on dakwah content and the relevance of multicultural values, collected through video documentation, narrative transcription, and a review of relevant scholarly literature, and then analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. The findings show that the values of tolerance, inclusivity, religious moderation, and communication ethics are consistently represented through everyday narratives, the use of inclusive language, reflective humor, and non-confrontational message framing. These results contribute to the development of the concept of digital multicultural literacy by demonstrating that the value of diversity can be communicated implicitly through dakwah communication practices on social media. The study concludes that humanistic communication strategies are crucial in digital dakwah and recommends that Islamic Religious Education (PAI) educators utilize digital dakwah content as contextual learning resources to support inclusive PAI learning in the digital era, while opening opportunities for further research on audience reception and the pedagogical effectiveness of multicultural digital dakwah.

HRMARS - Moral education has been a topic of extensive debate within the field of education. This study examines how China’s moral education policy discourse constructs power and ideology and reshapes college English education using a critical discourse analysis (CDA) framework. The study focuses specifically on a recent nationwide educational reform, i.e., integrating moral education into college-level courses (the Chinese term Kecheng Sizheng). Drawing on a sample of two policy documents guiding the integration of moral education into college English teaching, the findings indicate that the policy documents function not merely as administrative guidelines but also as instruments of discursive governance. They embed ideology, discourse, and power within educational policy texts, thereby constructing ideological and moral education as a normative imperative. Through the mechanisms of recontextualization and interdiscursivity, the policies delineate the obligations of college English teachers while simultaneously regulating the interpretive space of college English educational practice. This research contributes to understanding how language planning operates through educational policy discourse, with implications for language policy scholarship in contexts where education serves state ideological projects. We argue that CDA illuminates the mechanisms through which educational policies naturalise value alignment in college English education, offering insights for future language policy research in higher education.

Explore the role of emotions in moral education classes: Effects of teacher emotional expression style and student emotion on perception, memory retention, and value identification.

This study explores the tradition of collecting forty hadiths (Arba'in) within Sunni and Shia Zaydi traditions, conducting a comparative analysis of three seminal texts: Al-Arba'in al-Nawawiyah, Silsilat al-Ibriz, and Al-Arba'un al-Alawiyah. Utilizing a qualitative library research methodology with a comparative approach, this research examines the divergences in content, transmission methods (sanad), and socio-political roles of these collections. Data were gathered through text documentation and analyzed using content analysis alongside sanad criticism. The findings reveal that while sharing the structural format of Arba'in, these texts exhibit distinct theological priorities. Al-Arba'in al-Nawawiyah represents the Sunni tradition by emphasizing universally accepted hadiths on creed, worship, and ethics, validated through major companions. Conversely, Al-Arba'un al-Alawiyah reflects Zaydi Shia ideology, prioritizing the exclusive lineage of the Ahlul Bait, with a focus on Imamah, divine justice, and Sunni political critique. Meanwhile, Silsilat al-Ibriz offers an inclusive, spiritual approach emphasizing universal morals and explicitly avoiding sectarian narratives. The study concludes that differences in these collections stem primarily from disputes over religious authority and sanad validation rather than mere textual validity. Ultimately, despite their divergent theological and political orientations, all three collections function as dynamic tools for religious education and identity formation. Recognizing these shared educational functions, alongside the inclusive nature of Sufi-leaning texts like Silsilat al-Ibriz, offers a promising avenue for mediating sectarian tensions and fostering dialogue based on a shared Islamic heritage.

The low level of students’ creative thinking skills in Islamic Religious Education and Character Education (PAI BP), which is still dominated by conventional teaching methods, indicates the need for innovative learning models that are more oriented toward creativity development. This study aimed to analyze the effect of a poster-based Project Based Learning (PjBL) model on improving students’ creative thinking skills in PAI BP. A quantitative approach was employed with a one-group pretest–posttest design, involving 26 Grade VIII students of UPT SMPN 3 Batipuh as the sample, determined using a saturated sampling technique. Data were collected using a creative thinking test instrument that had been empirically validated and shown to be reliable (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.892), and were analyzed using a paired samples t-test. The results showed a significant increase in creative thinking skills, as indicated by the rise in the mean score from 62.42 in the pretest to 89.62 in the posttest, with a difference of 27.20 points, and a test statistic (t_hit = −12.467; sig. = 0.000) confirming the acceptance of the alternative hypothesis. These findings indicate that the poster-based PjBL model is effective in enhancing students’ creative thinking skills in PAI BP. The implications of this study suggest that this model can serve as an innovative learning alternative that not only develops cognitive aspects and creativity but also strengthens students’ collaboration, communication, and visual skills, making it highly relevant for adoption in 21st-century competence-oriented instructional practices.

Moral degradation and low discipline alongside poor learning motivation within Islamic religious education at boarding schools strongly necessitate highly effective classroom management strategy innovations. This community service initiative aims to implement Islamic values based classroom management at Miftahul Khoer Two Boarding School to systematically overcome these specific problems. The research utilizes a Participatory Action Research design featuring systematic stages including diagnostic observation, interactive workshops, simulations, implementation mentoring, and comprehensive evaluation. The intervention outcomes reveal a highly significant systemic improvement; teacher managerial competence increased by thirty five percent, student discipline rose by twenty five points, and learning motivation surged by twenty seven points. Program success was ultimately achieved through establishing participatory classroom agreements, applying humanistic approaches, and balancing educational rewards with punishments. In conclusion, integrating Islamic spiritual values with modern management principles proves exceptionally effective in transforming authoritarian teaching approaches into genuine empowerment, fostering internal discipline, and strengthening student learning commitments.