Development and evaluation of religious moderation education curriculum at higher education in Indonesia

This study investigates the development and evaluation of a religious moderation education curriculum at the Ponorogo State Islamic Institute of Indonesia (IAIN Ponorogo). The curriculum addressed the government's policy of countering religious conservatism and intolerance by promoting religious moderation in higher education. A qualitative approach with a case study research descriptive design was employed. Data collection techniques included Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), interviews, observations, and documentation. The study involved 18 religious science lecturers and 97 students in the spiritual moderation education course in the first semester of 2022. The curriculum development involved adding a 2-credit Islamic and Religious Moderation course, resulting in 146 credits. The result of the study showed that there are students with knowledge, skills, and attitudes to foster religious moderation, national commitment, tolerance, non-violence, and local cultural accommodation. Evaluation of religious moderation education was based on four character aspects, with an average score of 81.9 (equivalent to a grade of 3.00) for the student group. This research contributes to understanding curriculum development and evaluation in the context of religious moderation education. It offers a novelty and valuable insights into integrating spiritual moderation principles within higher education institutions, particularly in Indonesia. The identified factors influencing curriculum effectiveness guide other institutions implementing similar programs. The study serves as a reference for promoting religious moderation and values of tolerance and cultural accommodation in academic programs. These findings support the government's efforts to minimize conservatism and religious intolerance at the Indonesian higher education level.