The Importance of Islamic Values in the Early Childhood Education Curriculum: A Character Education Approach

The influence of incorporating Islamic beliefs into the early childhood education (ECE) curriculum on social skills, cultural identity, and moral development is investigated in this study. Based on a qualitative examination of questionnaires, classroom observations, and interviews with educators, parents, and caregivers, our findings highlight the advantages that people believe to come from increased cultural identification and improved moral development. Despite obstacles, innovative approaches were found, most notably parental participation and community engagement. Improvements in social skills and a more profound comprehension of values were noted. Cultural sensitivity became apparent, highlighting the importance of inclusive content and tolerance for a range of viewpoints. This study offers useful information to help educators and legislators create an ECE environment that is ethically sound and sensitive to cultural differences.


Introduction
The foundation for a child's holistic development is laid by early childhood education (ECE), which molds a child's character characteristics and cognitive abilities that will impact them throughout their life (Tan et al., 2022;Rehman et al., 2022).A crucial part of early childhood education, character education emphasizes the development of moral values and qualities.The incorporation of Islamic principles into early childhood education becomes crucial in the setting of Islamic communities.In an effort to add to the current conversation about education that is both ethically and culturally sensitive, this article uses a character education method to examine the crucial role that Islamic values play in developing the ECE curriculum (Hambal, 2022).Since early childhood education is the foundation for a child's intellectual, social, and emotional development, its importance cannot be overestimated.Growing evidence has been found in recent years that character education plays a critical role in developing moral and ethical ideals in addition to influencing academic achievement.Both academics and early childhood educators stress the need of developing a curriculum that fosters a child's character by teaching values like empathy, responsibility, and respect in addition to academic knowledge.
The pedagogical method of character education centers on cultivating desirable character qualities and values in pupils.During the formative years of childhood, children's moral compass is developing, thus it is crucial that they are exposed to events that foster character.Research has demonstrated that integrating character education into the early childhood education curriculum has a favorable effect on children' conduct, academic performance, and general well-being (Shih, 2022;Chan, 2020).Islamic values must be incorporated into the ECE curriculum as they are fundamental to daily living in Islamic communities, where cultural and religious values are highly influential.A vast array of characteristics, such as compassion, justice, humility, and thankfulness, are part of Islamic principles.These ideals offer a special cultural setting for character development in addition to being consistent with the tenets of This study investigates the significance of incorporating Islamic principles into the early childhood education curriculum in an effort to fill a vacuum in the existing literature.The primary goal is to implement an Islamic-based character education program that will give young students a more comprehensive and culturally sensitive education (Shayery et al., 2022).This study intends to add to the continuing conversation on the creation of morally sound and culturally sensitive educational systems by investigating the possible effects of introducing Islamic principles into early childhood education.There are several reasons why this research is important.First of all, it fills a research gap concerning the incorporation of Islamic principles into early childhood education by offering insightful information to curriculum developers, educators, and policymakers.Second, by examining the confluence between Islamic beliefs and character development, the research adds to the larger conversation on character education.Thirdly, it recognizes the diversity of values found in educational settings and promotes a more inclusive and culturally sensitive approach to education.The rest of this essay is structured as follows: A thorough analysis of the literature on character education, early childhood education, and the place of Islamic principles in ECE curriculum is given in Section II.The study's theoretical basis is described in Section III.The methods used to look at incorporating Islamic principles into the ECE curriculum is described in Section IV.The study's results are presented in Section V, and a detailed commentary is given in Section VI.In Section VII, the paper's conclusion includes a review of the research findings, practical implications, and suggestions for further study.To sum up, this study explores a crucial topic: incorporating Islamic principles into the curriculum for early childhood education by using a character education perspective.Through identifying the ways in which Islamic values might support young learners' character development, this research seeks to make a valuable contribution to the current movement towards more inclusive, culturally aware, and morally sound learning environments.

Methods
With regard to the incorporation of Islamic values into the early childhood education (ECE) curriculum, the study's qualitative methodology sought to offer a nuanced understanding of the perspectives and experiences of important stakeholders, including parents, caregivers, and early childhood educators.The study's design adopted a qualitative methodology, collecting rich and contextually embedded data using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations.

Participants
The study's participants were deliberately chosen from a variety of backgrounds within the early childhood education settings that were the focus.A representative sample that included a variety of experiences and viewpoints about the incorporation of Islamic principles into the ECE curriculum was guaranteed by the selection criteria.

Data Collection
Interviews: To gain insight into the obstacles, advantages, and approaches related to incorporating Islamic principles into the curriculum, early childhood educators participated in semi-structured interviews.Open-ended questions were intended to generate thorough answers, enabling teachers to fully convey their opinions.Copyright © 2022, Journal La Edusci, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0 Surveys: To have a more comprehensive understanding of the perceived influence of Islamic principles on parents' and caregivers' children's character development in the context of early childhood education, surveys were sent to parents and caregivers.Both open-ended and closedended survey questions were used to collect extensive qualitative answers and quantitative data.
Observations in the Classroom: In order to give a firsthand insight of how Islamic principles are really implemented in the learning environment, observations in the classroom were made in a few different early childhood education settings.Observations aimed at pinpointing particular actions, approaches to character education with an Islamic focus, as well as the general ambiance in the classroom.

Data Analysis
Thematic analysis was employed to examine the gathered qualitative data.Transcribing interviews, compiling survey answers, and combining observational notes were all part of the procedure.Through an iterative process of coding and categorization, themes and patterns pertaining to the incorporation of Islamic principles into the curriculum for early childhood education developed.This method made it possible to pinpoint important discoveries and create a thorough grasp of the viewpoints of the participants.

Ethical Considerations
All along the study procedure, ethical issues were of the utmost importance.Every participant gave their informed permission, guaranteeing that they understood the goal of the study and their legal rights.Pseudonyms were given to participants, and care was taken to ensure that their identities were kept secret in any papers or presentations.The study complies with ethical standards, which include honoring the autonomy of individuals and their voluntary participation.To summarise, the table presents the principal topics, salient features of each subject, and the conclusions drawn from the qualitative examination of the incorporation of Islamic principles into the curriculum for early childhood education.Copyright © 2022, Journal La Edusci, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0 Our study's qualitative analysis has provided insightful information about how educators, parents, and caregivers view and experience the inclusion of Islamic principles in the early childhood education (ECE) curriculum.In order to deepen our comprehension of the ramifications and subtleties related to this integration, the discussion will explore the themes that have been found and make parallels with previously published works.A salient element that surfaced from our research was the deemed advantages of including Islamic principles into the Early Childhood Education curriculum.Teachers stressed the importance of moral growth, especially in the areas of compassion and empathy.This result is consistent with character education literature, which emphasizes the importance of moral formation in the early years of life (Kilag et al., 2023).Moreover, the advantages for cultural identification that parents have emphasized, agrees with studies highlighting the value of cross-cultural learning (Nikiforidou & Holmes, 2023).

The topic Important Points
Our study's findings are consistent with those of Secules et al. (2021), who discovered that early moral development was positively impacted by the inclusion of Islamic beliefs in the curriculum.Our research, however, goes beyond this to examine not just moral growth but also the vital component of cultural identity, providing insight into the wider implications of incorporating Islamic principles.Our research revealed important obstacles to incorporating Islamic principles into the ECE curriculum, chiefly related to resource scarcity.This is consistent with the larger educational setting, where a common barrier to curriculum creation is the lack of resources (Riddell et al., 2020).Especially, the innovative tactics used educatormade resources, such community service and instructional aids, reflect the flexible methods seen in environments with limited resources (Chemi, 2021).This is consistent with the research done by Mackay (2019), who found that one of the biggest obstacles to adopting values-based teaching in Islamic schools is a lack of resources.But our study goes one step further by outlining certain tactics teachers use, providing useful advice on how to deal with resource limitations.
In our study, parental participation came up as a critical tactic that emphasized how important it is for educators and parents to work together to integrate Islamic beliefs.This result is consistent with studies showing how parental participation improves children's social and academic achievements (Lowe et al., 2019).The focus on communication as a way to promote teamwork is consistent with Hart et al., (2019), who supports productive collaborations between schools and families to improve kids' educational opportunities.Our study's observations showed that children's social skills have improved, demonstrating greater empathy and collaboration in group activities.This result is consistent with the larger body of research on character education, where the enhancement of social skills is regarded as a primary result (Ardoin & Bowers, 2020).In addition, the observed increased comprehension of Islamic principles points to a deeper internalization that goes beyond simple memory, reinforcing the significance of meaningful learning experiences (Huda et al., 2019).
Upon comparing our findings with previous research on the influence of Islamic education on children' conduct, we are able to offer more detailed explanations of the particular behavioral enhancements noted in an early childhood setting.Furthermore, the focus on a deeper comprehension is consistent with studies, who highlighted the significance of meaningful learning experiences for the formation of character.In our investigation, the topic of cultural sensitivity in curriculum design became apparent as a crucial component.Parents valued the inclusive material because it extended beyond Islamic principles and included a more comprehensive appreciation of cultural variety.This is in line with the larger conversation on multicultural education, which highlights how crucial it is for educational settings to acknowledge and value students' varied cultural origins.The approach, which emphasizes the Comparatively speaking, our study adds to the body of literature by focusing on the significance of cultural sensitivity in early childhood education within the framework of Islamic principles.This is consistent with the results.He emphasized the need of teaching in Islamic schools in a way that is culturally sensitive.Our research, however, broadens this conversation to include the particular difficulties and approaches related to cultural sensitivity in the early childhood setting.The study's conclusions have important ramifications for those creating curricula, teaching professionals, and legislators who oversee early childhood education.Incorporating Islamic principles into the ECE curriculum can support young learners' holistic development, as evidenced by the favorable effects on moral development and cultural identity.The issues that have been highlighted highlight the necessity for focused assistance and materials in order to enable a successful implementation.
To overcome obstacles brought on by resource constraints, educational institutions can learn from the tactics used by the teachers in our study, such as resource creativity and community participation.The focus on participation emphasizes the value of forging solid alliances between families and schools in order to provide a team approach to character development.To guarantee inclusion and respect for a range of values, cultural sensitivity in curriculum design should be given top priority.This entails continuing professional development for educators in order to improve their comprehension of religious and cultural diversity.Curriculum designers should also take into account the particular requirements and difficulties that come with incorporating Islamic beliefs in an early childhood setting.
This study has limitations even if it offers insightful information.The limited generalizability of findings might be attributed to the sample size and cultural environment.By incorporating a wider variety of early childhood education settings and cultural situations, future study might broaden the reach.Additionally, longitudinal research might look into the long-term effects of incorporating Islamic principles into the character-development program for ECE students.Furthermore, examining the viewpoints of the kids themselves could offer a more comprehensive comprehension of the influence and efficacy of character education initiatives.
In summary, by focusing on the incorporation of Islamic principles into the early childhood education curriculum, this study adds to the expanding corpus of research on character education.The themes that have been found provide educators and policymakers with insightful information on how to improve young learners' character development in inclusive, culturally sensitive approaches.The study lays the groundwork for future research and instructional initiatives by addressing the difficulties and solutions related to integrating Islamic beliefs while also reiterating the benefits of these principles.

Conclusion
To sum up, our investigation on the possible advantages of incorporating Islamic principles into early childhood education has shown that it can help with moral development, strengthen cultural identity, and enhance social skills.Even if there are obstacles like resource constraints, these problems may be lessened with innovative solutions and parental engagement.A comprehensive and inclusive approach to education is crucial, as evidenced by the favorable behavioral effects on kids and the focus on cultural sensitivity.This research offers insightful guidance to educators, legislators, and curriculum creators on how to create a more inclusive and morally sound learning environment for our youngest students as we negotiate the challenges of character education.
ISSN 2721-0979 (Print), ISSN 2721-1258 (Online) Copyright © 2022, Journal La Edusci, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0 character education.That being said, there is a discernible lack of Islamic principles in the majority of ECE courses.
: Teachers observed favorable outcomes in terms of empathy and compassion.Cultural Identity: Islamic principles were valued by parents as a means of reinforcing their cultural identity.Implementation Obstacles and Techniques Lack of resources forced educators to come up with inventive solutions, such as making their own teaching tools.Parental participation: The value of parental participation in encouraging teamwork via consistent communication.Effects on the Behavior and Understanding of Children Enhanced Social Skills: During group activities, observations revealed a rise in empathy and collaboration.Deeper Understanding: Teachers saw significant effects on moral principles like integrity and honesty.. Cultural Awareness in Curriculum Development Inclusive Content: Parents were grateful that the curriculum included a variety of viewpoints.Sensitivity to Individual Beliefs: Teachers stressed the need of showing consideration for a range of beliefs.
ISSN 2721-0979 (Print), ISSN 2721-1258 (Online) Copyright © 2022, Journal La Edusci, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0 necessity for educators to comprehend and respect varied religious viewpoints in the classroom, is consistent with the emphasis on sensitivity to individual beliefs.