Toward an Islamically Relevant Framework for Human Development

• In Event: Teaching Islam in K–12 Schools: Possibilities for Curriculum Renewal When Academics and Educators Collaborate

Abstract

Objectives

Human development is one of the intended processual outcomes of education; simultaneously, teachers’ perspectives on development inform their pedagogies and the ways in which they enact curricula. Yet perspectives on what human development is, what it ought to be at its furthest extension, and methods of enhancing its unfolding vary across cultural and educational contexts. A significant gap on human development exists within the literature on Islamic Education, with two implications being a lack of culturally-relevant resources for Muslim educators who want to enrich pedagogies for human development and extant urgent but unanswered questions including what should Muslim children learn, when, and how? In addition, there is a gap in mainstream literature on human development: Muslim perspectives are under-represented. Yet conceptual research reveals rich perspectives of human development within Islamic traditions (Nasr, 2012; Obeid, 1988; Sahin, 2013)—beginning with unique conceptions of the human being who teaches, learns, and develops (Rothman & Coyle, 2018); extended ontogenic timelines for development, across and beyond the lifespan; and endemic social practices that may contribute to cognitive, social, and emotional development (Author and Colleague, 2018). This paper brings conceptual and empirical Islamic perspectives on human development into conversation with contemporary Western ones in order to contribute to the lacunae in the literature. It is assembled into three parts.

Conceptual Frameworks

In the first part, I elucidate two conceptual frameworks guiding this inquiry and bring them into conversation with each other. Islamic ontologic and epistemic perspectives broadly framing educational contexts provide unique perspectives on teaching, learning, and developing. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory contains concepts that illuminate processes of human development in cultural context: sociocultural environment as a source of human development (1994); development as participation in social practices; and social relationships as enabling and supporting children’s development (1987). While scholars have noted that Vygotsky did not specifically address religion (Cain, Schiro, Gregory, Westberg, Lee & Boyle, 2017), they suggested that the theory is useful for understanding religious practices in sociocultural contexts; and, simultaneously, how how social practices (including religious ones) shape human development.

Results

An aphorism common in Muslim communities says: For the first seven years, play with children; for the next seven, instruct them; for the next seven, be their friend. In the second part of this paper, I elaborate play, instruction and participation, and educational relationships—as three age-specific pedagogical approaches consistent with sociocultural theory (Vygotsky, 1987, 1994)—which might be considered as leading activities (Griffin & Cole, 1884) in classrooms and curricula to enhance Muslim children’s development. The third part of the paper describes implications for contemporary Muslim educators, including offering some suggestions to the questions raised above.

Islamic education, central to Muslim communities in Western societies for cultural and religious continuity (Niyozov & Memon, 2011; Ramadan, 2004; Zine, 2008), presents unique developmental challenges and opportunities. This paper draws from both to construct a conceptual frame on human development in Islamic education and to suggest Islamically-relevant leading pedagogical activities.

Author

• Claire Alkouatli, University of British Columbia