LANDASAN PSIKOLOGIS PENDIDIKAN DAN PEMBELAJARAN: Kesenjangan antara Teori Psikologi dan Praktik di Kelas

Abstract

Teachers in Indonesian Islamic schools generally understand that effective teaching involves addressing students' differing learning styles, providing meaningful feedback, and fostering a sense of emotional safety in the classroom. The problem is, this knowledge largely resides in the mind, never reaching concrete action in the classroom. This research reveals why the bridge between "theoretical knowledge" and "classroom practice" is so difficult to build, particularly in the context of Islamic Religious Education (PAI), and explores concrete strategies to improve it. By critically reviewing academic literature published between 2020 and 2025 from Google Scholar, ERIC, and Garuda databases, the study finds that this gap is not due to a single cause, but rather to four interconnected factors: teacher training that inadequately addresses practical psychology, a teaching culture that relies heavily on lectures and content transfer, a school environment that discourages pedagogical experimentation, and teachers' lack of practice in reflecting on the effectiveness of their own teaching methods. On the other hand, this study also identified four keys proven to be able to open this bridge: fostering a belief that teaching skills can continuously develop (a growth mindset), teaching with sensitivity to students' trauma backgrounds, training students to manage their own learning styles, and building a community of teachers who learn from and support each other. These findings provide important insights for reforming the Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teacher training curriculum and the direction of Islamic education policy in Indonesia.