Strengthening Religious Moderation Through Islamic Religious Education: Learning from the Success of the Cognitive Developmental Approach

Abstract

This article is based on the phenomenon of increasing exposure to radical ideology among students due to the massive development of the digital world, necessitating innovations in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) learning that can instill the values ​​of moderation in students and shape moderate attitudes. This study aims to develop and test the effectiveness of an Islamic Religious Education (PAI) learning model with a cognitive developmental approach and elaborate on its learning in improving students' religious moderation attitudes. This study uses a mixed methods approach with stages of model development, expert validation, and experimental testing. The learning model is based on Piaget's cognitive theory and Kohlberg's moral reasoning, and is implemented through a moral dilemma discussion method in its learning. Model validation was carried out by experts and practitioners with results showing a high level of feasibility (mean score of 4.64). The effectiveness test using a pretest-posttest design showed a significant increase in students' religious moderation attitudes, with an average difference of 9.11 points and a significance value of p < 0.05. The results of this study indicate that PAI learning with a cognitive developmental approach is effective in improving students' moral reasoning and religious moderation attitudes. Therefore, this model can be used as an alternative PAI learning strategy in building a tolerant, inclusive, and anti-violence attitude in the educational environment