Article Sidebar

Submitted
July 22, 2025
Accepted
September 22, 2025
Published
October 20, 2025
Download
PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 28 Download : 81

Main Article Content

Abstract

Interpersonal competencies, such as communication, empathy, and collaboration, are fundamental to teacher professionalism in Islamic Religious Education (IRE). However, there is limited understanding of how these skills vary across Indonesia’s diverse contexts This study investigates regional variations in the interpersonal competencies of IRE teachers and their socio-demographic predictors. A quantitative survey was conducted with 12,002 teachers selected through stratified random sampling across multiple provinces. Furthermore, data collection involved a Likert-scale online questionnaire, complemented by offline methods in regions with limited internet connectivity. To examine regional disparities and socio-demographic factors, descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and regression analyses were conducted, and spatial variations were illustrated using GIS mapping. The findings of this study reveal significant disparities, with urban teachers reporting higher levels of interpersonal competence compared to their rural counterparts, as well as notable differences across Indonesia’s major islands. These results underscore the critical role of socio-cultural and infrastructural factors in shaping teacher professionalism. By providing empirical evidence of regional inequalities, this study enriches the discourse on Islamic education and highlights the importance of context-sensitive professional development initiatives that aim to enhance interpersonal competencies and promote greater educational equity in Indonesia.

Keywords

Interpersonal Competence Islamic Education Teachers Regional Diversity

Article Details

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).

References

  1. Al-Abdullatif, F. A., and Al-Omair, M. A. (2024). Exploring E-Practicum Experience of Saudi Pre- Service Teachers: A Phenomenography Study. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, (110), 53–70. https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2024.110.004
  2. Amini, Z., Hariri, H., and Rini, R. (2022). How Do Interpersonal Conflict Management of Principal Develop Teacher Pedagogical Competence: Literature Review. At-Tajdidi: Jurnal Ilmu Tarbiyah, 11(1), 43–51. https://doi.org/10.52640/tajdid.v11i1.253
  3. Benoist, B. A. De, Sunic, T., and Khaldun, I. (1994). “Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft.”
  4. Biesta, G., and Hannam, P. (2016). Religious Education and the Return of the Teacher. Religious Education, 111(3), 239–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2016.1172854
  5. Bochner, A. P., and Kelly, C. W. (1974). Interpersonal competence: Rationale, philosophy, and implementation of a conceptual framework. The Speech Teacher, 23(4), 279–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634527409378103
  6. Camacho, D. A., and Parham, B. (2019). Urban teacher challenges: What they are and what we can learn from them. Teaching and Teacher Education, 85, 160–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2019.06.014
  7. Cavendish, W., Perez, X., and Mahotiere, M. (2020). Pre-Service Teacher Supports in Urban Schools. Action in Teacher Education, 00(00), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/01626620.2020.1776175
  8. Chew, S. L., and Cerbin, W. J. (2021). The cognitive challenges of effective teaching. Journal of Economic Education, 52(1), 17–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220485.2020.1845266
  9. Edo, A., and Yasin, M. (2024). Dampak Kesenjangan Akses Pendidikan dan Faktor Ekonomi Keluarga terhadap Mobilitas Sosial. Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan & Sosial, 2(3), 317–326.
  10. Frania, M., and Correia, F. L. de S. (2022). Interpersonal Competences and Attitude to Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) among Future Pedagogues and Educators—A Polish and Portuguese Perspective. Education Sciences, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/EDUCSCI12010023
  11. Gaikhorst, L., Post, J., März, V., and Soeterik, I. (2020). Teacher preparation for urban teaching: a multiple case study of three primary teacher education programmes. European Journal of Teacher Education, 43(3), 301–317. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2019.1695772
  12. Gardner, H. (1983). Howard Frames of Mind.
  13. Heberle, R. (1937). The Sociology of Ferdinand Tonnies. American Sociological Review, 2(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.2307/2084562
  14. Indrawati, C. D. S., Subarno, A., Winarno, W., Permansah, S., Wirawan, A. W., and Rusmana, D. (2023). Influence of Work Motivation, Interpersonal Skills, and Knowledge Construction on the Work Readiness of Vocational Students. Education Research International. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/4956337
  15. Khulel, B. (2021). Teaching English for Young Learners in Rural Area: Teachers’ Challenges. Lingua, 17(2), 115–130. https://doi.org/10.34005/lingua.v17i2.1558
  16. Kutz, M. R., and Bamford-Wade, A. (2013). Understanding Contextual Intelligence: A Critical Competency for Today's Leaders. Emergence: Complexity & Organization, 15(3). Retrieved from https://www.drmattkutz.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Kutz_Bamford-Wade.pdf
  17. Leech, N. L., Haug, C. A., Rodriguez, E., and Gold, M. (2022). Why Teachers Remain Teaching in Rural Districts: Listening to the Voices from the Field. Rural Educator, 43(3), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.55533/2643-9662.1340
  18. Ling, Z., Na, J., Yan-Li, S., and Sriyanto, J. (2020). School culture and professional development of school teachers from urban and rural areas in China. Cakrawala Pendidikan, 39(3), 609–619. https://doi.org/10.21831/cp.v39i3.31580
  19. Metcalfe, J., and Moulin-Stozek, D. (2021). Religious education teachers’ perspectives on character education. British Journal of Religious Education, 43(3), 349–360. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2020.1713049
  20. Misbah, Z., Gulikers, J., Widhiarso, W., and Mulder, M. (2022). Exploring connections between teacher interpersonal behaviour, student motivation and competency level in competence- based learning environments. Learning Environments Research, 25(3), 641–661. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-021-09395-6
  21. Molina-Moreno, P., Molero-Jurado, M. del M., Pérez-Fuentes, M. del C., and Gázquez-Linares, J. J. (2024). Analysis of personal competences in teachers: a systematic review. Frontiers in Education, 9(August). https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1433908
  22. Muhaemin, Rusdiansyah, Pabbajah, M., and Hasbi. (2023). Religious Moderation in Islamic Religious Education as a Response to Intolerance Attitudes in Indonesian Educational Institutions. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 14(2), 253–274. Retrieved from https://jsser.org/index.php/jsser/article/view/4677
  23. Ortiz-Revilla, J., Adúriz-Bravo, A., and Greca, I. M. (2020). A Framework for Epistemological Discussion on Integrated STEM Education. Science and Education, 29(4), 857–880. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-020-00131-9
  24. Parmigiani, D., and Murray, M. K. (2022). Teaching & Learning for an Inclusive, Interconnected World.
  25. Pavlidou, K., and Alevriadou, A. (2022). An Assessment of General and Special Education Teachers’ and Students’ Interpersonal Competences and Its Relationship to Burnout. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 69(3), 1080–1094. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2020.1755425
  26. Sadiku, S., and Malaj-Abdyli, F. (2024). Use and Effectiveness of Information and Communication Technology in Primary Education. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, (113), 242–250. https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2024.113.14
  27. Saepudin, A., Supriyadi, T., Surana, D., and Asikin, I. (2023). Strengthening Character Education: An Action Research in Forming Religious Moderation in Islamic Education. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 22(12), 84–105. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.22.12.5
  28. Samad, S. A. A., Gade, S., Basri, H., Silahuddin, and Ariani, S. (2023). Teacher’S Spiritual Competence and Its Implication in Islamic Religious Education Learning in Pidie, Aceh. Ulumuna, 27(2), 624–648. https://doi.org/10.20414/ujis.v27i2.710
  29. San-Martín, P., Fernández-Laviada, A., Pérez, A., and Palazuelos, E. (2021). The teacher of entrepreneurship as a role model: Students’ and teachers’ perceptions. International Journal of Management Education, 19(1), 100358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2019.100358
  30. Saputra, W. (2024). Improving Student Learning Outcomes through Group Discussion Methods in Islamic Religious Education Learning in Senior High Schools. KOPELMA: Scientific Journal of Education and Teaching. 1 (2), 10– 18. Retrieved from https://journal.mgedukasia.or.id/index.php/kopelma
  31. Rana, S., Kanwal, N., and Fida, S. (2022). Factors affecting challenges of teachers’ retention in rural schools. Journal of Policy Research, 8(3), 371-375. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7314865
  32. Spitzberg, B. H. (1991). An Examination of Trait Measures of Interpersonal Competence. Communication Reports, 4(1), 22–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/08934219109367517
  33. Sternberg, R. J. (1984). Toward a triarchic theory of human intelligence. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 7(2), 269–287. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X00044629
  34. Tesfaye, C. L., and White, S. (2012). Challenges High School Teachers Face. American Institute of Physics: Focus On, April.
  35. Thorndike, R. L., and Stein, S. (1937). An evaluation of the attempts to measure social intelligence. Psychological Bulletin, 34(5), 275–285. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0053850
  36. Tian, L., and Shen, J. (2023). The effect of perceived teachers’ interpersonal behavior on students’ learning in physical education: a systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 14(August). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1233556
  37. Xie, F., and Derakhshan, A. (2021). A Conceptual Review of Positive Teacher Interpersonal Communication Behaviors in the Instructional Context. Frontiers in Psychology, 12(July), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.708490
  38. Zahl-Thanem, A., and Rye, J. F. (2024). Spatial inequality in higher education: a growing urban– rural educational gap? European Sociological Review, February, 1067–1081. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcae015
  39. Zaqiah, Q. Y., Heryati, Y., and Narongraksakhet, I. (2021). Implementation of Thematic-Integrative Learning To Enhance Students’ Skill in the 4.0 Era. Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 7(2), 243–256. https://doi.org/10.15575/jpi.v7i2.15220