This article represents the writers’ independent perspectives regarding the conversion of John Dewey’s ideas about education as a social function. As is recognized, Dewey’s philosophical vision of education has been embraced by educational authorities in numerous countries, and his ideas remain pertinent in the contemporary era, where the intricacies of societal challenges converge with the advancement of technology. The world appears to be becoming increasingly interconnected. In the context of EFL, students must be equipped with the tools to effectively process the rapid influx of information and actively engage in societal issues to address challenges. Accordingly, this article aims to translate Dewey’s concept of education as a social function, given that there is still a paucity of literature on this topic, despite the prevalence of studies that indirectly utilize Deweyan ideas, such as collaborative learning. However, no explicit connection is made to Dewey’s ideas in education. This article commences with an examination of Dewey's education as a social function, subsequently extending the analysis to the context of EFL instruction. In this section, the writers propose EFL teaching instructions and activities that align with the tenets of Deweyan philosophy. It is hoped that this article will contribute to the ongoing discourse on the interconnection between EFL and the social function of education and provide insights for EFL educators in the formulation of instructional strategies, given the dual objective of equipping learners with linguistic proficiency and preparing them to take responsible roles within their communities.
This study examines how family-based Islamic religious education supports children’s mental health amid modern social pressures such as digital exposure, academic stress, and changing values. Using a qualitative literature review and thematic analysis of national and international sources, the research shows parents centralize psychological well-being by transmitting faith (aqidah), worship (ibadah), moral values (akhlaq), and compassionate parenting. These practices foster emotional regulation, self-confidence, coping skills, empathy, gratitude, resilience, and secure parent–child attachment, reducing anxiety and other difficulties. The study frames family Islamic education as both moral-spiritual formation and a protective factor for children’s mental health, offering a conceptual basis for family-centered strategies that integrate psychological and spiritual care.
This study evaluates the implementation of Indonesia’s Minimum Competency Assessment ( Asesmen Kompetensi Minimum , AKM) program as an instrument of educational quality assurance at elementary school, using Stufflebeam’s Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) evaluation model. A qualitative evaluative design was employed, involving 22 participants: the school principal, five grade-five teachers, one school operator, and fifteen grade-five students. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and documentation review, and were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña (data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification), with credibility established through source, method, and time triangulation and member checking. The findings show that: (1) the contextual conditions were favourable, marked by accurate stakeholder understanding of AKM as a diagnostic tool, an active school literacy culture, and supportive policy and environmental conditions; (2) input readiness was adequate, reflected in collaborative instructional leadership, sufficient computer-based national assessment infrastructure, a sustained long-term preparation strategy, and full (100%) participant attendance; (3) the implementation process complied with national procedures, supported by effective team coordination, responsive handling of technical constraints, and a documented culture of post-assessment reflection; and (4) the resulting outcomes indicate a positive contribution to quality assurance, with 73.33% of students reaching the proficient/advanced level in reading literacy and 76.67% in numeracy, surpassing the school’s revised target of 70% (raised from a baseline of 60%). AKM results were actively used to inform remedial teaching, differentiated instruction, and data-based school planning. The study underscores the importance of strengthening teachers’ data-analysis capacity and transforming contextual literacy and numeracy pedagogy as priorities for continuous improvement.
This study aims to develop DADUALAM (Natural Phenomena Dice), an integrated Science and Social Studies learning medium designed to enhance the collaborative skills of fifth-grade students. The study employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach using the ADDIE model, comprising five stages: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The participants were fifth-grade students at SDN Tengah 03, East Jakarta, Indonesia. Data were collected through observations, teacher and student response questionnaires, expert validation questionnaires, and collaborative skills observation sheets. The data were analyzed using descriptive percentage analysis. The results showed that the DADUALAM medium achieved validation scores of 94% from subject-matter experts and 82% from media experts, indicating a high level of feasibility. Teacher and student responses both reached 94%, demonstrating a high level of practicality and acceptance. The implementation of DADUALAM also demonstrated improvements in students’ collaborative skills across all assessed indicators. These findings suggest that DADUALAM is a feasible and practical instructional medium for integrated Science and Social Studies (IPAS) learning and has the potential to support the development of fifth-grade students’ collaborative skills.
Creative teaching approaches can broaden opportunities for interaction in elementary English classrooms, yet little is known about how teachers sustain puppet-assisted instruction under institutional and pedagogical constraints. This study aims to examine how elementary English teachers use puppets and negotiate institutional, material, and pedagogical constraints in nine private schools in Jakarta, Tangerang, and Bogor, Indonesia. The study employed a qualitative design involving nine purposively selected teachers with prior experience of puppet-assisted teaching. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in person or via Zoom, audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis. The findings identified five interrelated themes: motivations to encourage speaking and social interaction; puppet use in storytelling, dialogues, and classroom routines; limited institutional recognition; constraints in materials and professional training; and adaptation to curriculum and assessment requirements. Teachers perceived puppets as supporting pupils’ confidence and participation, but these perceptions were not independently verified through classroom observations or pupil assessments. The findings suggest that teachers’ creative choices are negotiated within available resources and school expectations rather than determined by personal enthusiasm alone. This study contributes teacher-reported evidence on the conditions shaping puppet-assisted English pedagogy, with implications for curriculum planning, resource provision, and context-responsive teacher professional learning.
