Development of critical thinking skills in Islamic education students: Integrating outcome-based education into higher education courses
https://doi.org/10.63826/jiire.v2i1.176
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Abstract
The development of critical thinking is a central priority in Islamic higher education, particularly in preparing students to engage with complex intellectual and ethical challenges. However, limited research has examined how Outcome-based Education (OBE) systematically shapes critical thinking within Islamic educational contexts. This study explores Islamic education students’ perceptions and experiences of critical thinking development through OBE implementation. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with students enrolled in OBE-based courses at an Islamic university. The data were analyzed through iterative coding, thematic categorization, and interpretive synthesis. The findings indicate that OBE reorients learning from memorization toward reflective and analytical engagement. Critical thinking develops across three interrelated dimensions: analytical reasoning, metacognitive awareness, and dispositional–affective orientation, supported by clearly defined learning outcomes and context-based assignments. The novelty of this study lies in positioning OBE as an epistemic–pedagogical framework that integrates cognitive, reflective, and ethical dimensions of learning. Furthermore, critical thinking is conceptualized as embedded within Islamic epistemology, where rational inquiry is aligned with moral and spiritual consciousness. This study contributes to international discourse by offering a context-sensitive model of outcome-oriented Islamic education that fosters intellectually rigorous, reflective, and ethically grounded learners.
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References
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