The concept of Islamic integrated curriculum (IIC) :implications for Islamic schools

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to define the concept of Islamic Integrated Curriculum (IIC). The methods of curriculum criticism, historical and philosophical analysis are employed for the purpose of this study. The study examined the malaise of the Ummah and concurred with Muslim scholars who diagnosed and attributed it to educational dualism, that is, the co-existence of secular and religious systems of education. The integration of both systems through an integrated curriculum has been suggested as a possible solution for this problem. The researcher found from her analysis of contemporary “integrated” Islamic schools, that almost all claims that their educational systems are fully integrated, but there is a great diversity in their curricula, objectives and contents. This ‘ambiguous’ definition of integration has caused confusion in the concept of integrated curriculum which led to a wide variation in educational practices among Islamic schools. The absence of a clear-cut definition of this concept posed a problem to Muslim education practitioners, teachers and society. Therefore, this study attempts to crystallize this concept based on the Islamic weltanschauung and accordingly, proposed a renewed concept of ‘Islamic Integrated Curriculum’ (IIC) to avoid superficial and artificial integration of the curriculum. The Islamic Integrated Curriculum has a flexible theoretical framework which is explained by four complementary Islamic educational methodologies (the 4-Ts) namely Ta‘l?m (academic teaching), Tarbiyah (social enhancement), Ta’d?b (self-discipline) and Tah?f?z? (Qur’anic preservation). These methodologies construct an integrative method which will give positive effects on the processes and outcomes of the IIC. It is hoped also that the proposal of the renewed concept of the IIC will lead to the reformulation of educational aims, the selection of curricular contents as well as the application of pedagogical methods and mode of evaluation. Finally, some implications of this concept for the Islamic schools are discussed.