Observation-Based Learning in Islamic Religious Education: Developing Spiritual Awareness, Sociological Sensitivity, and Inclusive Attitudes at an Indonesian University

Abstract

This study examines how observation-based learning supported university students’ spiritual awareness, sociological sensitivity, and inclusive attitudes in Islamic Religious Education (IRE). Using a qualitative case study design, the study analyzed a multi-level documentary corpus generated by 120 undergraduate students across three class sections in the History of Islam and Studies of Indonesian Society course at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia. The corpus comprised 36 group observation reports, three classroom discussion documents, and 120 individual reflective writings produced following structured field encounters with diverse religious and social communities. Data were examined through qualitative document analysis and reflexive thematic analysis, with data-source triangulation across group-, class-, and individual-level documents and additional credibility checks used to assess convergent and divergent patterns. Findingsings indicate that observation-based learning supported movement from predominantly textual and categorical understandings toward interpretation of religion as a lived social reality. Spiritual awareness appeared as reflective-moral self-examination, recognition of prejudice, empathy, and responsibility; sociological sensitivity as historical, cultural, institutional, and socio-political contextualization; and inclusive attitudes as respectful listening, clarification before judgment, resistance to stereotyping, and dialogical engagement. The study contributes to IRE scholarship by conceptualizing observation-based learning as a reflective-contextual pedagogy in which direct encounter becomes educationally meaningful through moral reflection, contextual interpretation, and dialogue.