Integrating Learn with Nature Approach in Islamic Religious Education to Foster Environmental Care among Primary School Students

Authors

  • Yuli Yanti Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Intan Lampung, Indonesia
  • Imam Syafe’i Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Intan Lampung, Indonesia
  • Junaidah Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Intan Lampung, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51614/vtt9fq72

Abstract

This study investigates the integration of environmental care values into Islamic Religious Education through the Learn with Nature approach to foster environmental responsibility among primary school students. The study responds to the limited application of experiential and nature-based learning in Islamic Religious Education, particularly in connecting Islamic stewardship values with practical environmental actions. Using a qualitative field research design, data were collected through classroom and outdoor observations, semi-structured interviews with two Islamic Religious Education teachers, one principal, and twenty students, as well as document analysis of lesson plans, curriculum materials, and student work. The data were analyzed thematically through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, supported by triangulation and member checking. The findings show that the Learn with Nature approach was implemented through activities such as waste sorting, gardening, tree planting, and nature observation, which were linked to Islamic concepts of khalifah, responsibility, and ethical care for creation. Students demonstrated increased environmental awareness, active participation, and stronger moral understanding of environmental care. This study implies that Islamic Religious Education can serve as a strategic medium for developing ecological character when religious values are integrated with experiential, nature-based learning.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Akhmad, K. (2022). Strategi Pembelajaran Dalam Konsep Al-Zarnuji | An Naba. https://ejurnal.darulfattah.ac.id/index.php/Annaba/article/view/118

Al Khansa, E., Pahrudin, A., Jatmiko, A., Sufian, M., & Azad, I. (2024). The Integrated Learning Model in Islamic Religious Education in‎ Junior High School. Southeast Asian Journal of Islamic Education, 7(2), 69–85. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.21093/sajie.v7i2.9356

Aladejare, S. A. (2023). The human well-being and environmental degradation nexus in Africa. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(5), 12098–12113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22911-2

Alhamuddin, & Ikin Asikin. (2025). The Role of the Islamic Religious Education Curriculum in Character Development: A Study of Challenges and Educational Impact in Indonesia. TARLIM : JURNAL PENDIDIKAN AGAMA ISLAM, 8(2 SE-Articles), 159–170. https://doi.org/10.32528/tarlim.v8i2.3325

Ali, Dr. M., & Agushi, Dr. M. (2024). Eco-Islam: Integrating Islamic Ethics into Environmental Policy for Sustainable Living. International Journal of Religion, 5(9), 949–957. https://doi.org/10.61707/gq0we205

Asikin, I. (2025). The Role of the Islamic Religious Education Curriculum in Character Development: A Study of Challenges and Educational Impact in Indonesia. Tarlim: Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam, 8(2), 159–170. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.32528/tarlim.v8i2.3325

Begum, Abida, Wang, Qiu, Qayum, Hina, Khan, Salim, & Zaib, Khan. (2025). Fostering Green Behaviour Through Environmental Education: A Structural Equation Model of Nature Connectedness and Social Dominance Orientation. Sage Open, 15(3), 21582440251378188. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251378188

Bolton, A. (1997). Moral Development: Whose ethics in the teaching of religious education? Journal of Moral Education, 26(2), 197–210. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305724970260207

Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027

Casmana, A. R., Dewantara, J. A., Timoera, D. A., Kusmawati, A. P., & Syafrudin, I. (2023). Global citizenship: Preparing the younger generation to possess pro-environment behavior, mutual assistance and tolerance awareness through school engagement. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 21(1), 15–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2021.2013167

Collado, S., Rosa, C. D., & Corraliza, J. A. (2020). The Effect of a Nature-Based Environmental Education Program on Children’s Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors: A Randomized Experiment with Primary Schools. Dalam Sustainability (Vol. 12, Nomor 17, hlm. 6817). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176817

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (4th ed.). Sage.

Douglas, F., Beasy, K., Sollis, K., & Flies, E. J. (2024). Online, Experiential Sustainability Education Can Improve Students’ Self-Reported Environmental Attitudes, Behaviours and Wellbeing. Dalam Sustainability (Vol. 16, Nomor 6, hlm. 2258). https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062258

Douglas, F., & et al. (2024). Online, Experiential Sustainability Education Can Improve Biodiversity Knowledge, Connection to Nature, and Pro‑Environmental Behaviors. Sustainability, 16(6), 2258. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062258

Eroğlu, S., & Bektaş, O. (2022). The effect of 5E-based STEM education on academic achievement, scientific creativity, and views on the nature of science. Learning and Individual Differences, 98, 102181. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2022.102181

Erwiningsih, W. (2023). Analyzing Drivers and Mitigation of Deforestation for Oil Palm Expansion in Indonesia, 2000-2020. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 18(11), 3657–3664. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.181132

Fasyiransyah, Warsah, I., & Istan, M. (2025). Islamic Religious Education Learning Approach Based on Religious Moderation. Al-Hayat: Journal of Islamic Education, 9(1), 181–199. https://doi.org/10.35723/ajie.v9i1.45

Flick, U. (2018). An Introduction to Qualitative Research (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Henderson, K., & Loreau, M. (2023). A model of Sustainable Development Goals: Challenges and opportunities in promoting human well-being and environmental sustainability. Ecological Modelling, 475, 110164. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110164

Hsu, C.-H. (2025). Outdoor environmental education as a nature-based solution for “education” and “environment”: A new conceptual framework and its pilot application in a coastal community case study in Taiwan. Journal of Coastal Conservation, 29(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-025-01099-w

Hung, L.-Y., Wang, S.-M., & Yeh, T.-K. (2023). Kolb’s experiential learning theory and marine debris education: Effects of different stages on learning. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 191, 114933. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114933

Khoirurrijal, M. F., Ala, A., & Huda, H. (2025). Integrating religious and environmental education in Indonesian eco-pesantren: Does student religiosity enhance environmental awareness? Environmental Education Research, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2025.2600602

Liu, J., Yuan, L., Li, M., Li, S.-J., Sun, Y., & Yuan, J. (2024). Ecological experiential learning and tourists’ pro-environmental behavior intentions: The mediating roles of awe and nature connection. Heliyon, 10(1), e23410. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23410

Marshall, H. (2025). Integrating sustainability into religious education. Journal of Beliefs & Values, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2025.2504983

Masturin. (2025). Religious Education in Agricultural Environments: Integrating Islamic Teachings and Agricultural Practices for Holistic Student Development. Religious Education, 120(1), 58–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2024.2426318

Metcalfe, J., Kristjánsson, K., & Peterson, A. (2024). Exploring religious education teachers’ perspectives on character development and moral virtues, in state-funded, non-faith schools in England. Journal of Beliefs & Values, 45(4), 518–535. https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2023.2186644

Michalik‑Śnieżek, M. (2025). Evidence from Outdoor Workshops in Poland: Sustainability and Outdoor Experiential Learning. Sustainability, 17(23), 10439. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310439

Okada, A., & Gray, P. (2023). A Climate Change and Sustainability Education Movement: Networks, Open Schooling, and the ‘CARE-KNOW-DO’ Framework. Dalam Sustainability (Vol. 15, Nomor 3, hlm. 2356). https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032356

Otto, S., & Pensini, P. (2017). Nature-based environmental education of children: Environmental knowledge and connectedness to nature, together, are related to ecological behaviour. Global Environmental Change, 47, 88–94. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.09.009

Parker, L. (2017). Religious environmental education? The new school curriculum in Indonesia. Environmental Education Research, 23(9), 1249–1272. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2016.1150425

Phillippi, Julia, & Lauderdale, Jana. (2018). A Guide to Field Notes for Qualitative Research: Context and Conversation. Qualitative Health Research, 28(3), 381–388. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732317697102

Pole, K., & McGee, M. (2025). Experiential Learning BT - Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (S. Wang, Z. Zhou, & S. Marginson, Ed.; hlm. 51–63). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-2415-0_4

Rahman, R. A., White, B., & Ma, C. (2024). The effect of growth, deforestation, forest fires, and volcanoes on Indonesian regional air quality. Journal of Cleaner Production, 457, 142311. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142311

Rekan, Abd. A., & Mokhtar, M. I. (2025). The Development of Eco-Tahfiz In Malaysia: Bridging Islamic Education and Environmental Sustainability. Ulumuna, 29(1), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.20414/ujis.v29i1.1431

Salgado, D., Bernal, A., Dabdoub, J. P., Berkowitz, M. W., & Bier, M. C. (2025). Character Education Formation Program as an Epiphany and Transformational Experience for Educational Principals in México. Research in Human Development, 22(1), 23–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427609.2025.2524298

Sellmann, D., & Bogner, F. X. (2013). Effects of a 1-day environmental education intervention on environmental attitudes and connectedness with nature. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 28(3), 1077–1086. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-012-0155-0

Taneja, M., Kiran, R., & Bose, S. C. (2024). Assessing entrepreneurial intentions through experiential learning, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial attitude. Studies in Higher Education, 49(1), 98–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2023.2223219

Valdés, R., & Mendoza, M. (2025). The Potential of Field Notes in Educational Research. Educação & Realidade, 50. https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-6236148792vs02

Waluyo, S. D., Rustanto, A. E., Winanti, Y. K., Onn, C. W., Sufian, M., & Mesina, J. R. (2025). Digital Transformation in Teacher Performance Assessment: Development and Implementation of E-PKG System for Enhancing Vocational Education Quality and Industry Alignment. Journal of Educational Technology and Learning Creativity, 3(2), 348–366. https://doi.org/10.37251/jetlc.v3i2.2490

Downloads

Published

2026-05-20

How to Cite

Integrating Learn with Nature Approach in Islamic Religious Education to Foster Environmental Care among Primary School Students. (2026). An Naba Jurnal Pemikiran Dan Penelitian Pendidikan Islam, 9(1), 80-94. https://doi.org/10.51614/vtt9fq72

Most read articles by the same author(s)