STRATEGI GURU PENDIDIKAN AGAMA ISLAM DALAM MEMBENTUK KARAKTER RELIGIUS SISWA DI SMA NEGERI 8 MALANG

Abstract

Character education has strategic significance in Indonesian schools, particularly amid growing concerns over students' moral and spiritual resilience in the digital era. This study examines how Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teachers build students' religious character at State Senior High School (SMAN) 8 Malang, a public school known for its diversity and inclusive religious culture. The research addresses three questions concerning teachers' planning, implementation of religious activities, and evaluation and follow-up in character formation. A qualitative case study design was used, with data collected through passive-participant observation, in-depth interviews with the principal, PAI teachers, and students, and documentation, then analyzed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model together with credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability checks. Findings show that PAI teachers plan character formation by embedding religious values into lesson plans and school programs; implement it through habituation activities such as congregational prayer, Qur'an recitation, and religious extracurriculars while modeling exemplary conduct (uswah hasanah); and evaluate it through behavioral observation, assessment rubrics, and peer assessment, followed by counseling and cross-staff cooperation. The study concludes that forming religious character requires sustained collaboration between teachers, school culture, and students.