Projek Based Evaluation of Islamic Religious Education Learning in Enhancing Students’ Understanding of Islam

Abstract

Islamic Religious Education (IRE) in Indonesian schools has long been dominated by teacher-centered approaches such as lecturing and rote memorization, which inadequately support students' in-depth understanding and practical application of Islamic values. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of project-based learning (PBL) in IRE in enhancing students' understanding of Islam across cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. A qualitative case study approach was employed, involving 30 eighth-grade students at a junior high school that implemented PBL in IRE instruction. Data were collected through participatory observation, in-depth interviews with teachers and students, and analysis of project documents and products. The findings indicate that PBL significantly improved students' understanding of Islamic teachings, increased their engagement and learning motivation, and fostered the development of social skills, critical thinking, and creativity. Moreover, positive attitudinal and behavioral changes were observed as students became more inclined to apply Islamic values in everyday life. This study concludes that project-based IRE is an effective and contextually relevant approach to improving the quality of Islamic religious education in schools, and should be systematically expanded across educational institutions.