Islamic Religious Education Teachers' Strategies for Building Spiritual Awareness of Generation Alpha in the Special Region of Yogyakarta

Abstract

This research is motivated by the tension between the characteristics of Generation Alpha, who grew up in a fast-paced digital culture, and the need to develop spiritual awareness that demands deep reflection. The dominance of conventional learning approaches in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) has proven incapable of bridging this gap, resulting in religious values ​​tending to stop at the cognitive level. This study aims to deeply uncover the strategies of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teachers in developing students' spiritual awareness in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. The study used a qualitative approach with a case study design through participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation, which were analyzed thematically. The results show that effective strategies are not singular but are formed through integrated pedagogical practices, including teacher role models as centers for internalizing values, religious habits as cultural reinforcements, the use of digital media as a contextual bridge, a reflective approach as a space for meaning, and school and family synergy as a reinforcement of value sustainability.