STEM Integration as a Catalyst for Learning Revolution in Madrasah Education: The Context of Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0

Satriani Satriani; Besse Mutmainnah; Baso Syafaruddin; Syamsuddin Semmang

doi:10.51574/ijrer.v5i4.4865

Authors

Satriani Satriani Universitas Islam As’adiyah Sengkang
Besse Mutmainnah Universitas Islam As’adiyah Sengkang
Baso Syafaruddin Universitas Islam As’adiyah Sengkang
Syamsuddin Semmang Universitas Islam As'adiyah Sengkang

Keywords:

Critical Thinking, Industry 4.0, Learning Revolution, Society 5.0, STEM Education

Abstract

The rapid progression of Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0 demands a fundamental paradigm shift in educational practices within Islamic junior high schools (MTsS), which traditionally rely on passive, teacher-centered pedagogies. This study examines the urgency and empirical effectiveness of implementing the STEM approach as an instrument of learning revolution at MTsS As’adiyah Kajuara, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Employing a descriptive qualitative case study design, data were gathered via participant observation, semi-structured interviews with science and mathematics educators and students, and documentation analysis of STEM-based lesson plans, student project portfolios, and prototype products. Data credibility was established through triangulation and member-checking, while analysis followed Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña’s interactive model. The findings demonstrate that STEM integration generated a 25% average improvement in students’ critical thinking skills, specifically enhancing analysis (+22%), creative problem-solving (+30%), and collaboration (+23%). Students successfully engineered context-specific technological prototypes, including a gravity-fed automatic irrigation system and a computational zakat calculator synthesizing Islamic jurisprudence with algorithmic logic. Despite physical laboratory constraints, the strategic utilization of virtual laboratories (PhET simulations) and digital collaboration platforms (Google Classroom) served as primary enablers. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that STEM-based pedagogy constitutes an empirically validated catalyst for educational reform. Fusing Islamic values with technical frameworks establishes a distinctive "Humanistic STEM" model aligned with Society 5.0 imperatives, supporting broader curricular adoption across resource-constrained religious institutions.

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