Meaning-Based Learning: Integration of Islamic Values to Empower Students' Moral Sensitivity in Science Learning

Abstract Background/purpose. This research aims to integrate Islamic values into science teaching through meaning-based learning to enhance students' moral sensitivity. Materials/methods. Design-based research by Borg and Gall was used to develop learning tools, involving 24 students for moral sensitivity questionnaire testing, 24 students for limited trials, and 40 students for large-scale trials. They were selected using purposive sampling. The learning tools were validated by experts, and moral sensitivity was measured using questionnaires. The findings indicate that the tools were validated based on expert assessments. The questionnaire met validity criteria with a reliability of 0.76. Results. The effectiveness of meaning-based learning was evident from the large-scale trial, which showed that students involved in the teaching process experienced an increase in moral sensitivity (p < 0.05), with no students showing a decrease in moral sensitivity (negative ranks were 0). Student responses at the end of the learning process indicated that they enjoyed the classes, which were designed using meaning-based learning integrated with Islamic values. Conclusion. The integration of Islamic values into science teaching, particularly in biology topics, contributed to strengthening students' moral sensitivity. The Islamic values tied to scientific concepts helped students realize that there is goodness inherent in scientific concepts from the perspective of the Quran & Prophetic Hadith. Students not only learned scientific concepts but also their deeper meanings, which ultimately enhanced their moral sensitivity. Future teaching can integrate Islamic valuesinto other areas of science, so that students not only understand the material concepts but can also interpret them from the perspective of the Quran & Prophetic Hadith to empower their morality.