Integrating Habituation Methods into Students’ Religious Character Education: A Qualitative Inquiry at SMKN 1 Ciamis, West Java

Saepul Milah; Syihabuddin Syihabuddin; Momod Abdul Somad; Mupid Hidayat

doi:10.37680/qalamuna.v18i1.8601

Authors

Saepul Milah Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Syihabuddin Syihabuddin Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Momod Abdul Somad Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Mupid Hidayat Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37680/qalamuna.v18i1.8601

Keywords:

character education; habituation method; religious character; vocational student

Abstract

In the face of moral decline and the impact of digital culture, enhancing religious character has emerged as a paramount objective in vocational education. Theoretical techniques in the classroom are frequently ineffective without regular practice. This study seeks to investigate the incorporation of habit-forming techniques to develop students' religious character at SMKN 1 Ciamis, West Java. This research employs a qualitative methodology. Data were gathered through observation, comprehensive interviews with the principal, Islamic Education instructors, and students, and documentation analysis. Data analysis was performed via data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion formulation utilizing source triangulation methods. The findings indicated that the incorporation of habit formation techniques was executed through three categories of habits: (1) spiritual habits, (2) social habits, and (3) environmental and health-related habits. Systematic school rules and oversight facilitated this integration. Habituation techniques have proven effective in transforming religious beliefs from mere cognition into observable behavior. The efficacy of this program is significantly dependent on the uniformity of the school environment and on educators' and students' collaboration in fostering a religious ambiance.

Author Biographies

Syihabuddin Syihabuddin, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

Momod Abdul Somad, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

Mupid Hidayat, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

References

Abulebdah, A., Musharavati, F., & Fares, E. (2024). Integrative approach for optimizing construction and demolition waste management practices in developing countries. Sustainable Environment, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/27658511.2024.2319905

Babamohamadi, H., Sotodehasl, N., & Koenig, H. G. (2015). The Effect of Holy Qur ’ an Recitation on Anxiety. Journal of Religion and Health, 54, 1921–1930. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-014-9997-x

Babamohamadi, H.; Sotodeh-Asl, N. ; Koenig, H. G. ; & Ghorbani, R. (2019). The Effect of Holy Qur’an Recitation on Anxiety in Hemodialysis Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of Religion and Health, 58(5), 1721–1732.

Basri, H., Suhartini, A., & Nurhikmah, S. (2023). Pembentukan Karakter Religius Peserta Didik Melalui Pembiasaan Kegiatan Keagamaan di MA Miftahul Ulum Kabupaten Purwakarta. Edukasi Islami: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 12(2), 1521–1534. https://doi.org/10.30868/ei.v12i02.4269

Bekomson, A. N., & Ntamu, B. A. (2019). Religious value orientation and self-efficacy among secondary school students in Cross River State, Nigeria. Global Journal of Educational Research, 18(2), 81–89. https://doi.org/10.4314/gjedr.v18i2.4

Canlas, I. P., & M. E. (2025). Explaining solid waste management behaviors among public high-school students: extending the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice Model. International Journal of Environmental Studies, 82(4), 1765–1782. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/00207233.2025.2507481

Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones. Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results. Penguin Random House.

De Tommaso M., C. C. & T. M. (2024). Habituation to onset capture via associative links with contextual information. Visual Cognition, 32(9–10), 732–748. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/13506285.2024.2315781

Er, X., Thew, C., Lo, S. C., & Ramanan, R. N. (2024). Critical Reviews in Biotechnology: Enhancing plastic biodegradation process : strategies and opportunities. Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, 44(3), 477–494. https://doi.org/10.1080/07388551.2023.2170861

Fossen, M. Van, Burns, J. P., Lickona, T., Schatz, L., Fossen, M. Van, Burns, J. P., Lickona, T., & Schatz, L. (2022). Teaching virtue virtually : Can the virtue of tolerance of diversity of conscience be taught online ? Journal of Moral Education, 51(4), 535–553. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057240.2021.1964452

Gao Q., Z. Y. C. Y. H. W. J. W. Z. C. … L. W. (2025). Role of iron in brain development, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases. Annals of Medicine, 57(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2025.2472871

Gbolu, S., Appiah-Brempong, E., Okyere, P., Vampere, H., Obeng Nyarko, G., & Mensah, K. A. (2023). Determinants of handwashing behavior among primary school teachers in a district of Ghana. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 11(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2023.2185620

Ghazali, E. M., Mutum, D. S., & Ariswibowo, N. (2018). Impact of religious values and habits on an extended green purchase behavior model. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 42(6), 639–654. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12472

Hadayani, T., Utami, N., & Abdullah, K. (2021). Implementation of Religious Character Education in Online Learning for Elementary School. Proceedings of the 1st Annual International Conference on Natural and Social Science Education (ICNSSE 2020), 547(Icnsse, 2020), 66–72. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210430.010

Hasan, S. E. (2004). Public Awareness Is Key to Successful Waste Management. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, 4529(2), 483–492. https://doi.org/10.1081/ESE-120027539

Hasanah, F. F., & Munastiwi, E. (2019). Pengelolaan Pendidikan Karakter Religius melalui Metode Pembiasaan di Taman Kanak-Kanak. Golden Age: Jurnal Ilmiah Tumbuh Kembang Anak Usia Dini, 4(1), 35–46. https://doi.org/10.14421/jga.2019.41-04

Hayati, F. N., Suyatno, S., & Susatya, E. (2020). Strengthening Religious Character Education Based on School Culture in Indonesian Secondary Schools. The European Educational Researcher, 3(3), 87–100. https://doi.org/10.31757/euer.331

Hu X., C. S. , & Lai, Y. (2022). Impact of Religious Involvement and Religious Commitment on Post-Pandemic Well-Being among Chinese University Students. Religious Education, 117(3), 221234. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2022.2071052

Hu, X., & Cheng, S. (2021). Religious orientation, religious involvement, and religious coping predict university students’ thinking styles. British Journal of Religious Education, 43(4), 421–433. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2020.1867960

Illøkken, K. E., Ruge, D., LeBlanc, M., Øverby, N. C., & Nordgård Vik, F. (2024). Associations between having breakfast and reading literacy achievement among Nordic primary school students. Education Inquiry, 15(2), 247–259. https://doi.org/10.1080/20004508.2022.2092978

James, W. (1890). The Principles of Psychology. Harvard University Press.

Khan, N. A., Westfall, D. R., Jones, A. R., Sinn, M. A., Bottin, J. H., Perrier, E. T., & Hillman, C. H. (2019). A 4-d Water Intake Intervention Increases Hydration and Cognitive Flexibility among Preadolescent Children. Journal of Nutrition, 149(12), 2255–2264. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxz206

Khoirurrijal, M., Ala, A., & Huda, H. (2025). Integrating religious and environmental education in Indonesian eco-pesantren: does student religiosity enhance environmental awareness? Environmental Education Research, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2025.2600602

Lövdén, M., Fratiglioni, L., Glymour, M. M., Lindenberger, U., & Tucker-Drob, E. M. (2020). Education and Cognitive Functioning Across the Life Span. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 21(1), 6–41. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100620920576

Luria, E., & Katz, Y. J. (2020). Parent–child transmission of religious and secular values in Israel. Journal of Beliefs and Values, 41(4), 458–473. https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2019.1688472

Mandayu, Y. Y. B. (2020). Pembentukan Karakter Toleransi melalui Habituasi Sekolah. Jurnal PIPSI (Jurnal Pendidikan IPS Indonesia), 5(2), 31–33. https://doi.org/10.26737/jpipsi.v5i2.1598

Masturin. (2025). Religious Education in Agricultural Environments: Integrating Islamic Teachings and Agricultural Practices for Holistic Students. Religious Education, 120(1), 58–75. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2024.2426318

Moe T., G. K. A. W. G. H. & S. A. S. (2023). The Janus face of supervision – quality control or learning? A study of supervision of employees in the Norwegian Child Welfare Service. Nordic Social Work Research, 15(1), 123–135. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/2156857X.2023.2278631

Muhlisin M & Nurhidin, E. (2020). Konstruksi Kedisiplinan melalui Habituasi Kegiatan Keagamaan (Studi Kasus di SMP Al-Ikhlas Tarokan Kediri). Indonesian Journal of Islamic Education Studies (IJIES), 3(2), 236–251.

Negash Tesema, M. (2025). The dynamics of religious and spiritual values in Ethiopian modern education: trends, prospects, and threats. Cogent Education, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2482462

Pengpid, S., & Peltzer, K. (2020). Skipping breakfast and its association with health risk behavior and mental health among university students in 28 countries. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity, 13, 2889–2897. https://doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S241670

Pike, M. A., Hart, P., Paul, S. S., Lickona, T., Pike, M. A., Hart, P., Paul, S. S., & Lickona, T. (2020). Character development through the curriculum : teaching and assessing the understanding and practice of virtue. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 53(4), 449–466. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2020.1755996

Prasetyo, H., & H. I. (2024). Examining Muslim Tolerance Toward Ordinary Non-Muslims: Social, Religious, and Political Tolerance in Indonesia. International Journal of Sociology, 54(2), 112–131. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/00207659.2024.2301881

Prihantoro, H. A. (2025). Interfaith Maqāṣid as Religious Value Syncretism: The Case of the Nyadran Ritual in Getas Village, Indonesia. Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations, 36(1), 19–45. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/09596410.2025.2506033

Roth, T. (2019). The role of religion, religiousness, and religious participation in the school-to-work transition in Germany. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 46(17), 3580–3602. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2019.1620414

Rybnytska O., B. F. R. A. V. & Z. A. (2018). Decision support for optimizing waste management. Journal of Decision Systems, 27(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/12460125.2018.1464312

Sav, A. (2019). The role of religion in the work-life interface. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 30(22), 3223–3244. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2016.1255905

Siswantara, Y., & Supriyadi, T. (2024). Religious Character Education: Students’ Perspectives on Religion in Diversity. International Journal of Religion, 5(11), 1811–1826. https://doi.org/10.61707/vtmkt536

Taufik, M. (2020). Strategic Role of Islamic Religious Education in Strengthening Character Education in the Era of Industrial Revolution 4.0. Jurnal Ilmiah Islam Futura, 20(1), 86. https://doi.org/10.22373/jiif.v20i1.5797

Thao, T., Hoang, P., & Kato, T. (2020). Measuring the impact of solid waste management workshop activities in elementary schools : a six- month case study in Da Nang city, Vietnam. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 0(0), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533015X.2020.1784063

Ünal, E., & Özdemir, A. (2022). The Effect of Correct Handwashing and Mask Wearing Training on Cardiac Patients’ COVID-19 Fear and Anxiety. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 39(2), 71–89. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370016.2022.2058201

Wen, J., Liu, Y., Cao, R., Qi, W., & Miao, M. (2025). From repetition to habit: how variability in daily physical activity relates to physical activity habits. Psychology & Health, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2025.2567333

White, C. J. M., & Billet, M. I. (2025). The roles of anthropomorphism, spirituality, and gratitude in pro-environmental attitudes.

Xiao, C., Le, D. A., & Makarchev, N. (2023). Handwashing behavior among adults in rural Vietnam: a cross-sectional mixed methods study. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 39(3), 530–547. https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2021.2014303

Yani, M. T., Tamsil, S., R. R. N., J., B., & Ridlwan, A. A. (2025). Transformation of local wisdom values to build the characters of elementary and secondary school students: a case study in Serang Regency, Banten Province, Indonesia. Cogent Education, 12(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2532225

Yüksel, S., & Akıl, M. (2024). Mild Dehydration Triggered by Exercise Reduces Cognitive Performance in Children, But Does Not Affect Their Motor Skills. Journal of the American Nutrition Association, 43(7), 627–635. https://doi.org/10.1080/27697061.2024.2362709

Zahedi, H., Djalalinia, S., Sadeghi, O., Zare Garizi, F., Asayesh, H., Payab, M., Zarei, M., & Qorbani, M. (2022). Breakfast consumption and mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Nutritional Neuroscience, 25(6), 1250–1264. https://doi.org/10.1080/1028415X.2020.1853411