Peer-reviewed article
Character Education Management in Early Childhood Education
Irfan Kuncoro, Annisa Yuniar, Salma Adib Sungkar, Ade Imun Romadan ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examines how character education is managed in early childhood education in Indonesia, specifically at one Islamic preschool. The school integrated national curriculum with Islamic values through methods like nature contemplation and experiential learning. The research found this approach effective for developing children's moral and spiritual character, though implementation faced challenges including staff shortages and diverse student backgrounds. The school evaluated progress through observations, parent surveys, and teacher assessments involving all stakeholders.
Key points
- Character education was integrated into the preschool curriculum by combining national curriculum with Islamic values
- Methods used included nature contemplation (tadabur alam) and experiential learning
- Implementation involved developing a vision, learning modules, reinforcing Islamic values, and developing staff and infrastructure
- Limited teaching staff and diverse student backgrounds were identified as implementation challenges
- Periodic evaluation through observations, parent questionnaires, and teacher assessments was conducted with stakeholder involvement
Limitations
This is a case study of one school in Indonesia, so findings may not generalise to other contexts or non-Islamic ECE settings. The document does not provide quantitative outcome data on children's actual character development or long-term effects.
Abstract
The importance of character education from an early age lies in its role in shaping children's personality, morality, and social behaviour as the foundation for holistic development. As the first formal educational institution, Early Childhood Education (ECE) plays a strategic role in instilling these values through various methods and family support. This study aims to analyse the effectiveness of character education management strategies in ECE and to identify the challenges faced in their implementation. The research employs a qualitative case study approach using interview techniques, active and passive observation, and documentation. Data were analysed through source and technique triangulation to ensure the validity and credibility of the research findings. The results show that PAUD-TK ABABILS Sukoharjo designed an Islamic education management strategy by integrating the national curriculum with Islamic character values, employing methods such as nature contemplation (tadabur alam) and experiential learning. The implementation of this strategy includes the development of a vision, learning modules, reinforcement of Islamic values, as well as the development of human resources and infrastructure. Challenges identified include limited teaching staff and diverse student backgrounds. Evaluation is conducted periodically through observations, parent questionnaires, and teacher performance assessments, involving all stakeholders. This evaluation process ensures the program's effectiveness and continuous improvement to foster children's moral and spiritual character from an early age in a holistic manner. Conclusion: An integrated Islamic education management strategy that involves multiple stakeholders is effective in fostering children's character development from an early age through careful planning, implementation, continuous evaluation, and enhancement of educational quality and stakeholder collaboration.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Integrated Islamic education management strategy combining national curriculum with Islamic character values, using methods such as nature contemplation and experiential learning, with stakeholder involvement
- Population
- Early childhood education students at PAUD-TK ABABILS Sukoharjo, Indonesia
Key finding
The integrated strategy was effective in fostering children's character development from an early age in a holistic manner