Critical Thinking, Collaboration, and Technology Use in Islamic Religious Education: A Qualitative Case Study of Teachers in Indonesia
This study examines how critical thinking, collaboration, and technology utilization are manifested in technology-based Islamic Religious Education among teachers participating in the Subject Teacher Forum (MGMP) in Blitar, Indonesia. This qualitative case study design explored teachers’ experiences, practices, and perceptions within their professional learning context. The study involved 96 Islamic Religious Education teachers affiliated with the MGMP, from whom 22 teachers were selected as intensive participants based on their active participation in more than 75% of forum meetings and their involvement in the forum’s professional learning activities on technology-supported instruction. Data were collected over one semester through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The data were analyzed using the interactive qualitative analysis process of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification, supported by open, axial, and selective coding. The findings indicate that critical thinking was manifested in teachers’ efforts to identify instructional problems, evaluate the relevance and credibility of information from digital sources, compare alternative teaching strategies, and make pedagogical decisions. Collaboration was reflected in knowledge sharing, joint lesson planning, collective problem solving, and mutual support among teachers. Technology functioned as an enabling medium through which teachers accessed learning resources, communicated with colleagues, shared instructional materials, and implemented digital learning activities. The findings further indicate that critical thinking and collaboration were interconnected rather than hierarchical competencies: critical thinking supported the evaluation and selection of information and instructional alternatives, whereas collaboration provided opportunities for teachers to discuss, validate, and refine their decisions collectively. The study concludes that technology-based Islamic Religious Education requires the simultaneous development of teachers’ critical thinking, collaborative practices, and digital competence. The findings have implications for MGMP-based professional development, particularly in designing collaborative activities that strengthen teachers’ capacity to critically evaluate digital religious learning resources.
Keywords: critical thinking; collaboration; technology; Islamic education
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