Contextual Assessment Models in Islamic Education: A Study of Pre-Service Teacher Projects

Abstract

The contemporary landscape of Islamic education faces significant challenges in developing assessment models that align with both pedagogical soundness and students' developmental progression. This study investigates contextual assessment models designed by pre-service teachers in Islamic education programs, focusing on how these models reflect understanding of student developmental stages and educational contexts. Using a qualitative descriptive design with content analysis, this research examined final projects from 31 pre-service teachers enrolled in an Islamic Education program who completed individual assignments on "Islamic Education Learning Evaluation System Design." Participants were distributed across three educational levels: elementary (10 students), junior high (11 students), and senior high (10 students), covering subjects including Akidah Akhlak, Fiqh, Al-Qur'an Hadith, and Islamic History (SKI). Data were collected through final assignment projects, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis, then analyzed using multi-phase thematic and content analysis. Findings revealed that 87% of pre-service teachers demonstrated strong developmental appropriateness in their assessment designs, with non-test-based assessments being favored (45% of projects) over test-based approaches (39% of projects). Technology integration remained limited (16% of projects), while Islamic values integration was consistently strong across projects (87%). The study concludes that structured project-based assignments effectively foster assessment literacy and contextual sensitivity among future Islamic educators, though enhanced training in cultural adaptation and technological fluency is needed.