Muslim Education Review

Preface

2024-06-28T12:40:06+00:00

This is the fifth issue of the Muslim Education Review (MER) publication, which means that MER is about two and half years old. It has reached the minimum age (two years) to propose to be accredited. Accreditation for the journal is very important to ensure the quality of the journal. There are two journal accreditations: national and international. Nationally, we can propose our journal be accredited by the Science and Technology Index (SINTA) under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbud Ristek). Based on the assessment of the national journal accreditation (Akreditasi Jurnal Nasional/ARJUNA), the journal can be classified into Sinta 1 (S1) until Sinta 5 (S5) with S1 as the highest quality with the highest grade of 85-100; S2 with the second highest grade of 70-85; S3 with the third highest grade of 60-70; S4 with the second lowest grade of 50-60; and S5 with the lowest grade of 40-50. Usually, the higher the quality of the journal, the more articles received for publication. The level of accreditation is commonly asked by the writers when we invite writers to send their articles for publication. We are glad that our journal has received many articles to be published before being accredited. We attracted submission through the Writing Competition and International Conference programs conducted in our faculty.

Gender Representation in Education: Evidence from English National Tests in Indonesia

2024-06-28T12:40:07+00:00

Gender representation in Indonesian school textbooks has been widely analysed. However, the compulsory national tests have lacked attention although these used to be a main tool to determine students’ competencies. This research aims to evaluate gender representation in the Indonesian Education System, especially in the national tests. Using content analysis, we examined both male and female representation in the Junior High School English national tests from 1994 to 2004. The findings reveal that the English national tests were content-valid tests. Before 1998, the tests reflected the patriarchal culture embraced by Indonesians during the New Order era. For example, female names were associated with feminine traits and the domestic sphere, while male names were associated with masculine traits and the public sphere. Meanwhile, the tests after 1998 indicated how female names were given more opportunities in the public sphere although male names still dominated the discussion on employment. This result is in line with the theoretical and practical implications, in which gender roles are represented based on the culture of the society.

Nurturing Young Muslim Students as Part of Minority Group in American Society

2024-06-28T12:40:07+00:00

Placing a religious foundation in the early generation presents challenges for Muslims, especially when religion is not part of academic curricula. Even though there has been debates on religious teaching, the significance of infusing religious values remains unquestionable in students’ lives. Those who need to deepen their religious faith enroll in religious classes outside school activities. The present article sets out to examine two Muslim teachers’ efforts to nurture young Muslims’ identity and the challenges they encounter. In doing so, this study employs the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and identity theory as theoretical frameworks. The findings of this qualitative study add to the literature on the importance of nurturing Muslim students’ identity in a non-Muslim country, the U.S. This is important because the ongoing hate against Islam in a post-9/11 world causes Muslim and Muslim-looking students to face religious discrimination on academic grounds. We argue that infusing Islamic values to young Muslim students serves as a strong foundation for students’ spiritual development.

Scholarly Discourse on Equity, Inclusion, and Education by Scholars in Indonesia: A Bibliometric and Science Mapping Analysis

2024-06-28T12:40:08+00:00

Equity, inclusion, and education are remarkable elements encompassed in the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs). As such, there is a growing number of publications on these topics presenting some challenges to envision an overarching understating of the connections among these subjects. Hence, the purpose of the current study is to explore the body of research that involves equity, inclusion, and education that is contributed by Indonesian academia by employing bibliometric and science mapping analysis. The search was conducted on SCOPUS database which resulted in some 400 plus documents after applying the pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was analyzed employing various bibliometric analysis indicators such as number of publications, contributing institutions, citation, co-citation, and keywords. Microsoft excel and VOSviewer software was employed for conducting the analysis. The findings revealed that the number of publications and citations on the topics has been quiet fluctuating. Analyses of the intellectual and conceptual structure revealed that trans-disciplinary nature of scholarship on the topic. Based on the findings, the needs for a greater emphasis on research in these areas by Indonesian institutions/researchers are realized. It is also suggested that researchers employ an integrated approach by investigating variables from the policy and practice perspectives as well as at an organizational or systemic level. The findings are string support that education is an integral component of achieving equity and inclusion which should be taken into account while devising policies and implementing the same.

The Challenges and Opportunities of Underprivileged Urbanized People in Accessing Education: A Case Study in Depok City

2024-06-28T12:40:08+00:00

Urbanization is one factor influencing poverty in Indonesia’s major cities. Urbanization in Indonesia is characterized by migration of residents from villages to cities to improve their standard of living and try their luck in the city. However, many urbanized people who move from villages to cities need more education and specific skills. As a result, they need help to find easier and more decent jobs, even though cities provide more jobs. This condition causes many urbanized people to end up as underprivileged, such as street people busking at red lights and on the streets. This research aimed to examine the challenges and opportunities faced by underprivileged urbanized people in accessing education. The research used a qualitative case study approach. The participants in this study are urbanized people who move from villages to cities but end up being underprivileged in the cities they attend. Furthermore, the researchers used an interactive data analysis by Morse (1994), comprehending, synthesizing, theorizing and recontextualizing. The findings of this study are expected to provide a true picture of urbanized people and underprivileged people’s education. The results showed that the underprivileged urbanized people in Liu village, Depok face several challenges in fulfilling their education, such as difficulty enrolling their children in public school and paying school fees. Besides their opportunities to access education, they are already aware of government assistance, such as KIP and KDS programs, which allow them to pay their children’s tuition fees with LKS money.

Understanding The Complexities of Teaching Marginalized Groups And Promoting Inclusive Education in Masjid Terminal School: Teachers’ Perspective

2024-07-01T15:25:54+00:00

Behind the success of the government programs, various educational phenomena in Depok City must still be resolved, one of which is education for marginalized communities. “Marginalized people” is a more accurate description of the urban poor. Consequently, the paramount task for the government is to harness the potential of these underprivileged individuals through the promotion of inclusive education. The Masjid Terminal School (Master School) is one of the schools in Depok that provides inclusive education. A qualitative method with a case study approach is used in this study. Semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and post-observation interviews were conducted to collect the data. The findings of this study revealed that the challenges faced by students at Master School differ significantly from those encountered at other schools. Given that Master School is tailored for underprivileged students, economic hardships emerge as one of their most formidable obstacles. Nevertheless, students at Master School are afforded opportunities to enhance their capacities and skills while enrolled, as the school not only provides tuition-free lessons but also offers a variety of extracurricular activities open to all students. Furthermore, teachers and staff at Master School actively support students with a strong desire to pursue higher education, with many students having secured scholarships to study abroad.

A Literature Review Study of the Role of Family Education in Minimizing Klitih Crime and Moral Decadence in Yogyakarta

2024-06-28T12:40:09+00:00

The recent klitih case in Yogyakarta province is a result of the lack of the parents’ role in educating their children, and moral decadence. This klitih case has become a public concern because it endangers human lives. The need for comprehensive intervention to minimize this type of crime becomes a necessity. The hope is to create peace, comfort, tranquility and a prosperous life for the people in Yogyakarta. This study aims to explore the importance of the role of the family in educating children to minimize crime and moral decadence in the province of the Yogyakarta Special Region. This research is descriptive-qualitative, with the main approach using a literature review as a data-mining tool. The results show there are background factors causing klitih crime. There are also roles parents can play in educating their children and minimizing moral decadence in Yogyakarta. This study recommends parents be more intense in monitoring the activities of their children. Lastly, this study also recommends involving religious and moral values of the culture to foster a child’s thinking sense to avoid harmful, deviant behavior and crime.

Do Teachers’ Beliefs in the Rationale for Learning and teaching Arabic Support the Intended Specific Purpose?

2024-06-28T12:40:09+00:00

The present study was developed to assess teachers' beliefs on (1) the rationale for learning Arabic in independent Muslim secondary schools in the UK; (2) Arabic language resources used at these schools; (3) the types of Arabic taught in these schools. Four independent Muslim secondary school teachers of Arabic from Greater London, Birmingham, and Walsall participated in this small-scale qualitative study. Through the semi-structured interview schedule, teachers were asked to answer questions about the rationale for learning Arabic, what types of Arabic they teach, and the resources they use to support the intended goals. Thematic analysis was used to examine the data. Overall findings imply that teachers typically hold similar opinions regarding the three subjects under consideration. Since many teachers exhibit attitudes that imply limited awareness of the desired results, the article discusses the necessity of introducing modules on Arabic for special purposes and Arabic language teacher training programmes. The report advises authors and policymakers to provide resources tailored toward Arabic for specific purposes.

Postmodernism Challenges for Muslim Schools and Universities in Malaysia: The Role of AI Pedagogical Integration into Islamic Education

2024-06-28T12:40:09+00:00

In today’s rapidly changing world, postmodern civilization has been accused of undermining traditional, religious universal values and socio-economic inequality. The intersection of Islamic philosophy and secular education creates profound tension, as Islamic teachings on justice, equality and religious principles often clash with Western secular values, leading to issues such as incompetent graduates, LGBTQ disorder, and over- capitalism conflicts. Schools and universities also grapple with significant challenges like zero hands-on skills, large class sizes, lack of resources, and student behavioral ongoing issues, which impede effective teaching and learning. Additionally, non-inclusive students, especially those with disabilities or from minority ethnic backgrounds, face bullying, discrimination and difficulty accessing resources, exacerbating their isolation and hindering academic performance. This study utilized a qualitative research methodology grounded in the researchers’ nearly twenty years of teaching experience at private universities across Malaysia, including at UNITAR Malaysia, Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT), the Management and Science University (MSU), and Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TARUC). The research was informed by direct classroom engagement, a mentoring program, and involvement in academic events administration, offering deep insights into student challenges and enriching data collection. The methodology included providing motivational support and counseling to students with special needs and those underperforming. A critical, reflexive approach was adopted to address potential biases, and results were verified through member-checking and triangulation. This comprehensive approach enabled a thorough exploration of the Malaysian educational context, identifying challenges and themes, yet providing a robust framework for understanding student experiences and pedagogical strategies. The study is structured into four sections: methodology, challenges in Malaysia’s educational system, the incorporation of Qur’anic metaphysics in tertiary education, and the application of interactive AI-pedagogy technologies. The study revealed practical recommendations for educators, policy makers, and researchers, aiming to bridge the gap between Islamic principles and secular educational practices. Using Malaysia as a case study, the research explores the potential of a holistic approach to Islamic education in addressing the postmodern and post-pandemic challenges by Muslim society. It is worth noting that the study is specifically focused on Muslim education in Malaysia. Therefore, its findings may not be generalizable to other Muslim countries or societies. Nevertheless, the research is expected to provide a profound perspective on addressing postmodernism challenges in the Muslim pedagogical world.