ETHNO-DIGITAL BLENDED LEARNING FOR STRENGTHENING TOLERANCE IN ISLAMIC HIGHER EDUCATION
A MIXED-METHODS STUDY IN SOUTH SUMATRA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30868/ei.v15i03.10722Keywords:
Blended Learning, Ethnic Content, Intolerance Mitigation, Higher Education, South SumatraAbstract
Education in the era of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and Society 5.0 faces significant challenges related to strengthening the character of a tolerant young generation capable of appreciating social and cultural diversity. Technological developments demand learning innovations that focus not only on academic competencies but also on the formation of tolerance values and the ability to live in a multicultural society. This study aims to analyze the implementation of blended learning assisted by digital media enriched with ETHNO content as a strategy to mitigate intolerance in universities in South Sumatra. A sequential exploratory mixed methods approach was used to gain a comprehensive understanding. Qualitative data were collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis, then reinforced with quantitative data through questionnaires processed using statistical techniques. The findings indicate that the integration of local culture in digital learning can increase student empathy, reduce prejudice, and strengthen intercultural dialogue on campus. The quantitative results also show a significant relationship between the blended learning model and student tolerance levels with a correlation value of r = 0.72. This study provides strategic recommendations, including strengthening culture-based curricula, increasing lecturers' capacity in utilizing digital technology, and developing cross-ethnic collaborative activities. The contribution of this research is expected to support the realization of inclusive, humanistic, and character-based higher education in Indonesia.
References
Abdurrahman, M., Sihombing, R., & Pada, R. (2021). Integrating ethnic content in blended learning to promote tolerance among students. Indonesian Journal of Education and Learning, 3 (2), 110–122.
Abidin, Z. (2019). Educational research methodology: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches . Jakarta: PT RajaGrafindo Persada.
Adarkwah, M.A. (2021). “I'm not against online teaching, but what about us?”: ICT in Ghana post Covid-19. Education and Information Technologies, 26 (2), 1665–1685.
Ahmad, N., & Krishnan, S. (2022). Digital intercultural pedagogy in multicultural higher education: Balancing innovation and inclusivity. Journal of Multicultural Education, 16 (3), 245–259.
Alammary, A., Carbone, A., & Sheard, J. (2021). Blended learning in higher education: Three different design approaches. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 37 (1), 77–91.
Arsyad, A. (2020). Learning Media (9th ed.). Jakarta: Rajawali Pers.
Azra, A. (2020). Multicultural Education: Rebuilding Indonesia's Unity in Diversity . Jakarta: Prenada Media.
Bakia, M., Shear, L., Toyama, Y., & Lasseter, A. (2020). Evaluating the effectiveness of online learning in higher education: A meta-analysis of the literature. Journal of Educational Technology Research and Development, 68 (4), 1201–1225.
Banks, J. A. (2020). Diversity and Citizenship Education: Global Perspectives . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Bennett, M. J. (2013). Basic concepts of intercultural communication: Paradigms, principles, and practices . Intercultural Press.
Bishop, J. L., & Verleger, M. A. (2018). The flipped classroom: A survey of the research. ASEE National Conference Proceedings, Atlanta, GA: ASEE.
Boarini, R., & Ferreira, F. (2021). Skills and competencies for a digital world: The role of education and training. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 253 .
Boelens, R., De Wever, B., & Voet, M. (2020). Four key challenges to the design of blended learning: A systematic literature review. Educational Research Review, 22 , 100312.
Bonk, C. J., & Graham, C. R. (2012). The Handbook of Blended Learning: Global Perspectives, Local Designs . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Bowen, G. A. (2017). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9 (2), 27–40.
Chen, C., Huang, Y., & Liu, L. (2022). Digital media and cross-cultural empathy in higher education. Computers & Education, 186 (4), 104–118.
Chen, L. (2022). Digital empathy in online learning: A systematic review of emerging perspectives. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 31 (2), 145–162.
Chung, T., & Smith, J. (2021). Problem-based learning in higher education: An effective approach to enhancing students' learning experience. Educational Research Review, 29 , 100323.
Czerkawski, B. C., & Hill, K. (2020). An instructor's guide to integrating technology in a learner-centered environment. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 32 (2), 251–267.
Daulay, M. Y., & Sazali, H. (2024). Religious moderation as the spirit of Islamic education building tolerance in virtual conflict. FIKROTUNA: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Manajemen Islam, 13(2), 178–188.
Dziuban, C., Moskal, P., Hartman, J., & Cavanagh, T. (2020). Blended learning: The new normal and emerging technologies. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 17 (1), 1–16.
Fauzi, A. (2021). Integrating local wisdom values in higher education: A framework of ETHNO pedagogy. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 11 (2), 73–88.
Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (5th ed.). London: Sage Publications.
Fraenkel, J.R., Wallen, N.E., & Hyun, H.H. (2019). How to design and evaluate research in education (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Garrison, D. R., & Kanuka, H. (2004). Blended learning: Uncovering its transformative potential in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 7 (2), 95–105.
Garrison, D. R., & Vaughan, N. D. (2018). Blended Learning in Higher Education: Framework, Principles, and Guidelines . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Gay, G. (2018). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press.
Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (2017). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research . New York, NY: Routledge.
Gonzalez, M., & Suarez, L. (2021). Digital Literacy for Educators: A Guide to Improving Teaching in the Digital Era . New York: Springer.
Graham, C.R. (2013). Emerging practice and research in blended learning. In M. G. Moore (Ed.), Handbook of Distance Education (3rd ed., pp. 333–350). New York: Routledge.
Graham, C.R. (2016). Blended learning systems: Definition, current trends, and future directions. In CJ Bonk, MM Lee, & TL Reynolds (Eds.), Handbook of blended learning: Global perspectives, local designs (2nd ed., pp. 3–21). San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Graham, C.R. (2019). Blended learning systems: Definition, current trends, and future directions. In CJ Bonk, MM Lee, & TL Reynolds (Eds.), Handbook of blended learning: Global perspectives, local designs (2nd ed., pp. 3–21). San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
Graham, C.R., & Misanchuk, E.R. (2021). Collaborative learning in online education: A guide to successful course design. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 33 (3), 381–397.
Green, M., & Hurst, J. (2020). Visual Culture and Education: The Power of Images in Learning. Educational Studies , 46(3), 239-257.
Hadi, S., & Prasetyo, B. (2021). ETHNO -based learning and cultural preservation in higher education. Journal of Multicultural Education, 8 (2), 115–129.
Hamid, A. (2019). Types of learning media. Journal of Education and Culture, 4 (2), 123–130.
Hammond, M. (2020). Experiential learning in education: Beyond the classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 112 (4), 718–732.
Handayani, M. (2020). Integration of ethno content in character education for elementary school students. Journal of Humanities Education, 9 (3), 221–233.
He, Y., & Hu, S. (2020). Educational technology: The state of the art in 21st century learning. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 48 (1), 25–34.
Horn, M. B., & Staker, H. (2015). Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Hwang, G. J., & Chang, C. (2020). Innovative practices in education: The right choices and right technologies. Educational Technology & Society, 23 (4), 98–109.
Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Smith, K. A. (2020). Cooperative Learning: Improving University Instruction by Basing Practice on Validated Theory. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching , 25(3), 163-178.
Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Smith, K. A. (2021). Active learning: A tool for evidence-based practice in higher education. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113 (5), 861–877.
Kaur, M. (2021). Blended learning: Its challenges and future. International Journal of Engineering and Management Research, 11 (2), 21–26.
Kintu, M. J., & Zhu, C. (2020). Student characteristics and learning outcomes in a blended learning environment. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 49 (1), 23–44.
Koller, D., Ng, A.Y., & Chu, D. (2020). The future of learning: Personalized, competency-based, and contextualized learning. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 17 (1), 1–22.
Lee, J., Lee, H., & Lee, S. (2021). The Impact of Community-Based Learning on Students' Cultural Awareness and Empathy. Educational Research Review , 16, 100-110.
Lestari, N. (2021). Accessibility of digital learning media. Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 7 (2), 89–96.
Means, B., Toyama, Y., Murphy, R., & Bakia, M. (2020). Learning Online: What Research Tells Us About Whether, When and How . New York: Routledge.
Mhlanga, D., & Moloi, T. (2022). COVID-19 and the digital transformation of education: What are we learning on 4IR in South Africa? Educational Sciences, 12 (3), 124–139.
Miles, M.B., Huberman, A.M., & Saldaña, J. (2018). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Ministry of Religion. (2024). Indonesian Higher Education Data . Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia.
Mukhibat, M., Effendi, M., Setyawan, W. H., & Sutoyo, M. (2024). Development and evaluation of religious moderation education curriculum at higher education in Indonesia. Cogent Education, 11(1), 2302308.
Nguyen, T., Abdurrahman, M., & Sari, L. (2020). The role of digital media in promoting ethnic learning. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 22 (3), 30–47.
Nugroho, S. (2020). The effectiveness of audio-visual media in learning. Scientific Journal of Education, 5 (1), 45–58.
Nuraini, L. (2020). Cultural identity and ETHNO -education in local wisdom-based learning. Indonesian Journal of Education Studies, 5 (2), 87–98.
OECD. (2021). The OECD framework for social and emotional skills . Paris: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Paivio, A. (2006). Mind and its evolution: A dual coding theoretical approach . Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Pradnyana, GA (2021). Blended learning: Concept and implementation in higher education. Journal of Education and Technology, 12 (3), 45–56.
Purwanto, Y., et al. (2024). Teaching religious moderation to pre-service teachers: An Indonesian case study. Religious Education, 119(4).
Pusdatin. (2024). Report on the 2024 National Survey on Digital Transformation in Education . Jakarta: Center for Data and Information Technology, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.
Putra, R., & Ismail, F. (2021). Integration of local wisdom values into the university curriculum in South Sumatra. Journal of Education and Culture, 6 (2), 101–115.
Rahmawati, D., Lestari, M., & Nugroho, A. (2023). The effectiveness of blended learning in improving student motivation and learning outcomes in the digital era. Journal of Higher Education Innovation, 8 (1), 55–67.
Schwab, K. (2018). The Fourth Industrial Revolution . New York: Crown Business.
Setara Institute. (2023). Report on the Condition of Religious Freedom and Tolerance in Indonesia in 2023. Jakarta: Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace.
Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2 (1), 3–10.
Smith, R. (2021). Creating a Safe Space for Dialogue: The Role of Digital Platforms in Higher Education. International Journal of Educational Technology , 12(4), 45-62.
Sugiono. (2017). Quantitative, qualitative, and R&D research methods . Bandung: Alfabeta.
Sugiono. (2018). Educational research methods: Quantitative, qualitative, and R&D approaches . Bandung: Alfabeta.
Sugiyono. (2019). Educational research methods: Quantitative, qualitative, and R&D approaches . Bandung: Alfabeta.
Suhirman, S., & Husni, H. (2021). ETHNO -digital learning and cultural identity formation in higher education. Journal of Multicultural Education, 15 (4), 389–405.
Sutarto, R., & Dardiri, A. (2020). ETHNO- pedagogy-based education: A local wisdom approach to learning. Journal of Character Education, 10 (1), 45–60.
Sutarto, S., & Dardiri, A. (2020). ETHNO pedagogy as a cultural foundation of learning in Indonesian higher education. International Journal of Instruction, 13 (2), 235–252.
Tilaar, HAR (2019). Multiculturalism: Future Global Challenges in National Education Transformation . Jakarta: Grasindo.
UNESCO. (2021). Reimagining Our Futures Together: A New Social Contract for Education . Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
UNESCO. (2021). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education . UNESCO Publishing.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Zulkifli, Z., Kafid, N., Nanang, H., & Fahri, M. (2023). The construction of religious moderation among Indonesian Muslim academics. Teosofi: Jurnal Tasawuf dan Pemikiran Islam, 13(2), 337–366.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Asmuni, Yecha Febrianita Putri, Izza Fitri
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
