TEACHERS' ADAPTIVE RESPONSES TO THE INDEPENDENT CURRICULUM: INSIGHTS FROM TEACHER AGENCY IN MADRASAHS

Authors

  • Novita Ramadani Universitas Islam Negeri Sulthan Thaha Saifuddin Jambi, Indonesia
  • Husarida Husarida Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Thaha Saifudin Jambi, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30868/ei.v15i02.10111

Keywords:

adaptive response, madrasah teachers, Merdeka Curriculum, teacher agency

Abstract

This study explores how madrasah teachers adapt to the Independent Curriculum (Kurikulum Merdeka) through the lens of teacher agency. Using a qualitative case study with interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis, results show adaptive responses across cognitive (sense-making), affective (professional commitment and moral awareness), and behavioral (pedagogical adaptation) dimensions. Findings indicate that teacher agency in madrasahs is shaped by professional reasoning and Islamic moral-spiritual values, emphasizing that curriculum implementation is influenced by institutional culture and ethical responsibility. The study provides insights for instructional leadership and policy support in religious-based educational settings

References

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2020). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute.

Datnow, A., & Park, V. (2020). Teacher agency in educational reform. Educational Policy, 34(2), 1–23.

Hargreaves, A., & O’Connor, M. T. (2018). Collaborative professionalism. Corwin Press.

Kemendikbudristek. (2022). Panduan pembelajaran dan asesmen Kurikulum Merdeka.

Korthagen, F. (2019). Inconvenient truths about teacher learning. Teachers and Teaching, 25(2), 1–17.

Leijen, Ä., Pedaste, M., & Lepp, L. (2020). Teacher agency following the ecological model. Educational Research Review, 31, 100–123.

OECD. (2020). Teachers and school leaders as valued professionals. OECD Publishing.

Priestley, M., Biesta, G., & Robinson, S. (2021). Teacher agency: An ecological approach. Bloomsbury Academic.

Spillane, J. P. (2021). Educational policy and practice: A sensemaking perspective. Harvard Education Press.

Widodo, H. (2019). Madrasah education reform and Islamic values integration. Qudus International Journal of Islamic Studies, 7(2), 241–268.

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Zulfikar, T. (2021). Islamic education and curriculum transformation in Indonesia. Journal of Islamic Education Studies, 9(1), 45–60.

Downloads

Published

13-05-2026

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 02 (2026): Edukasi Islami: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam (In Press)

Section

Articles

Citation Check

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Novita Ramadani; Husarida Husarida

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).