Indonesian Journal of Educational Management and Leadership

Character education policy fosters adolescents’ responsible online behavior through a sequential digital development pathway

Imas Kurniawaty — 2026-09-27

Purpose – This study examined whether character education policy is associated with adolescents’ responsible online behavior directly and through the sequential roles of digital citizenship, digital well-being, self-regulation, and learning engagement.
Method – A cross-sectional survey was completed by 245 senior high school students in Bandung, Indonesia, selected purposively because they regularly used digital technologies and had participated in school-based character education. The six-construct model was tested with partial least squares structural equation modeling and 5,000 bootstrap resamples.
Findings – All 15 direct paths were positive and statistically significant. Character education policy showed its strongest association with digital citizenship (β = 0.661, p < 0.001). The model explained 60.1% of the variance in responsible online behavior. Four specific indirect paths and the proposed serial pathway were significant. The serial association from character education policy through digital citizenship, digital well-being, self-regulation, and learning engagement to responsible online behavior was β = 0.081 (p < 0.001).
Conclusion and Implications – Responsible online behavior appears to develop through an interconnected institutional, psychological, and educational process. Schools should align character education with digital citizenship instruction, support for healthy technology use, self-regulatory practice, and engaging learning activities. Longitudinal and experimental studies are needed to test temporal ordering and causal effects

A model for excellence in Muhammadiyah school management based on Islam and Muhammadiyah Principles

Muhammad Bustomi — 2026-09-28

Purpose – The implementation of Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan (AIK) is a key characteristic of Muhammadiyah’s educational system. The implementation of AIK in Muhammadiyah schools still tends to focus on teaching the AIK subject and has not yet been fully and systematically integrated into school management functions. This study aims to develop a model for excellence in Muhammadiyah school management based on Al-Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan (AIK) through the integration of AIK values into the functions of planning, organizing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating education.

Method – This study employs a qualitative approach using a case study design at SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Palembang, an exemplary Muhammadiyah school. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with the principal, vice principal, AIK teachers, subject teachers, educational staff, students, and Muhammadiyah Association officials. Data was also obtained through observations of the school culture and document analysis. The data were analyzed using the interactive model developed by Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, which includes data condensation, data presentation, and the drawing and verification of conclusions.

Findings – The research findings indicate that AIK-based school management is implemented through the integration of AIK values into all functions of school management, including planning, organizing, executing, monitoring, and evaluating. This integration is realized through the alignment of the school’s vision, mission, and programs with AIK values; the division of tasks and coordination among all school components; learning, habit formation, exemplary behavior, and school culture; as well as supervision, monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up.

Implications – The research findings indicate that the integration of AIK into school management supports the creation of an educational environment that fosters students’ character development, particularly in the areas of religiosity, integrity, discipline, responsibility, and social concern. Based on a synthesis of empirical findings, a model for excellent Muhammadiyah school management based on AIK was formulated, which positions AIK values as the foundation of governance and integrates them into the entire cycle of school management functions.

Educational leadership, political communication, and students' civic participation in the digital political era: The mediating role of digital citizenship

Vini Agustiani Hadian — 2026-09-29

Purpose - This study examined whether educational leadership and political communication are associated with Indonesian secondary students’ civic participation directly and indirectly through digital citizenship.

Method - A cross-sectional survey involved 262 eligible students recruited purposively from cooperating public and private secondary schools. Four constructs were measured with an 80-item questionnaire. The measurement and structural models were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling with 5,000 bootstrap resamples.

Findings - All five direct relationships were positive and significant. Political communication had the strongest direct association with digital citizenship (β = 0.587, p < 0.001), followed by digital citizenship with civic participation (β = 0.348, p < 0.001). Educational leadership and political communication were also indirectly associated with civic participation through digital citizenship (β = 0.104 and β = 0.204, respectively; both p < 0.001). The model explained 70.7% of digital citizenship and 71.9% civic participation.

Conclusion and Implications - Digital citizenship connects institutional leadership and students’ political communication with meaningful civic participation. School leaders should embed information verification, ethical digital dialogue, and civic inquiry across policy, curriculum, and student activities. Longitudinal and multi-informant research is needed to test temporal ordering and reduce self-report bias.

From Islamic values to sustainable practice: Rethinking leadership in Islamic educational institutions

Muhammad Faizul Husnayain — 2026-10-03

Purpose – This study examines how sustainability, particularly in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is conceptualized and institutionalized within Islamic educational institutions.
Method – Using a systematic literature review guided by the PRISMA framework, this study analyzes 36 scholarly studies selected through a structured screening process. Four additional foundational sources were used only for theoretical and contextual interpretation and were not counted in the PRISMA synthesis.
Findings – The findings reveal that sustainability is not achieved through isolated initiatives but emerges from the integration of three key dimensions: educational leadership, Islamic ethical values, and institutional practices. Educational leadership encompassing transformational, distributed, instructional, and relational approaches functions as the primary driver of institutional change. Islamic ethical values, particularly amanah, shura, and khilafah, provide the normative foundation that guides and legitimizes sustainability-oriented actions. These dimensions are operationalized through institutional mechanisms, including curriculum integration, sustainable campus practices, community engagement, and capacity building. The study further proposes a conceptual framework that explains the dynamic interaction between leadership, values, and institutional practices in producing sustainability outcomes aligned with SDGs, such as educational quality, environmental responsibility, and social inclusion.
Implication – The findings also highlight the importance of contextual enablers, including governance, resources, stakeholder engagement, and technological readiness, in shaping the effectiveness of sustainability implementation. The novelty of this study lies in integrating leadership models, Islamic ethical values, institutional mechanisms, and contextual enablers within a single mechanism-based framework, rather than treating these dimensions as separate strands of analysis. However, the evidence base remains limited by contextual concentration and methodological constraints. Future research is recommended to empirically test the proposed framework across diverse settings using longitudinal and mixed-method approaches

Analyzing the affective domain of environmental literacy: A quantitative study of ‘Tatanen di Bale Atikan’ program in elementary school

Deliana Dwi Hafsari — 2026-10-05

Purpose – Environmental issues increasingly demand character-based education from an early age, yet the affective dimension of ecological literacy covering attitudes, sensitivity, and willingness to act remains understudied compared to its cognitive counterpart. This study aims to analyze the affective dimension of ecological literacy and to describe the achievement of each indicator among elementary school students during the implementation of the TdBA Program.

Method – This study employed a quantitative approach with a descriptive method and survey design, supported by triangulation. Data were collected from 100 fifth-grade students purposively from three elementary schools in Purwakarta Regency (SDN 2 Sindangkasih, n = 30; SDN 1 Nagrikidul, n = 40; SD Labschool UPI, n = 30), using an adapted, validated, and reliable Children’s Environmental Affect Scale (13 items across 3 indicators, Cronbach’s α = .909). Data were analyzed using descriptive percentage analysis. The instrument used was an adaptation of the Children's Environmental Affect Scale (CEAS), which had been tested for validity and reliability.

Findings – The research results show that the affective dimension of students’ ecological literacy as a whole falls into the “Very High” category (81,19%). By indicator, both Environmental Attitudes and Environmental Sensitivity were categorized as Very High, while Willingness to Take Action was categorized as High. The highest achievement was found in students' conviction regarding the importance of preserving natural resources, while the greatest challenge lay in the transfer of ecological behavior from school to the home environment.

Conclusion – The TdBA program has proven effective in internalizing ecological values as part of students' daily character, rather than mere knowledge. These findings affirm that local wisdom-based environmental education holds significant potential as a contextual and meaningful model for ecological literacy development at the elementary school level to sustain long-term pro-environmental behavior.