The Role of Generative AI in Adaptive Learning: Innovations in the *Merdeka* Curriculum at Private Islamic Higher Education Institutions

SECTION: AI IN TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESSES Teacher education in times of artificial intelligence: formative challenges and student perceptions 1

Revolutionizing Education: Analyzing the Transformative Potential of Generative AI in Learning Environment

ChatGPT has rapidly gained popularity among educators and learners, demonstrating its potential to facilitate interactive learning, personalized assistance, and academic support, and the need for guidelines, digital literacy, and ethical frameworks to ensure productive and balanced use of AI in education.

Curriculum innovation through artificial intelligence and its influence on pupils’ independent learning in Azerbaijan

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a transformative global trend in education, promising to reshape pedagogical methods and learning outcomes. This study investigates the impact of AI-based curriculum innovations on the development of independent learning skills among secondary school students (grades 9–11) within Azerbaijan's evolving educational landscape. The primary objective was to examine the mechanisms through which AI integration influences student autonomy, considering the mediating role of curriculum innovation and the moderating effect of teacher competency. A cross-sectional, quantitative research design was employed. Data were collected from a sample of 1,250 students and 250 teachers across various urban secondary schools in Azerbaijan. Standardized surveys were administered to assess four key constructs: the level of AI integration in the classroom, perceptions of curriculum innovation, students' self-reported autonomous learning abilities, and teachers' AI literacy. The collected data were analyzed using correlation analysis, hierarchical regression, and the PROCESS macro for mediation and moderation analysis. The analysis revealed a strong, positive, and statistically significant association between AI integration and perceived curriculum innovation ( β  = .55, p  < .001). In turn, perceived curriculum innovation was a significant predictor of students' independent learning skills ( β  = .51, p  < .001). 0.26)], suggesting that AI's influence on student autonomy is substantially channelled through curriculum redesign. Furthermore, moderation analysis indicated that teachers' AI literacy significantly strengthened the positive effect of AI integration on curriculum innovation, highlighting the critical role of educator competence in this process. he findings suggest that the strategic adoption of AI can be a powerful catalyst for fostering independent learning among secondary students. However, the effectiveness of this integration is contingent not merely on technological deployment but on a concomitant, thoughtful redesign of the curriculum and substantial investment in teacher training. This study underscores the necessity for a comprehensive policy framework in Azerbaijan that synergizes technological investment with robust professional development for educators to cultivate a new generation of independent, lifelong learners.

Generative AI in Higher Education: Student Perceptions and a Teaching Framework for Creative Interactive Content Design

A ten-step teaching framework for AI-supported creative interactive content design is proposed, aimed at fostering pedagogical innovation while preserving critical thinking, creativity, and student authorship.

Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education: Bridging the Gap between Opportunity and Teacher Readiness via the Extended UTAUT Framework

By isolating the crucial components of fairness, accountability, and agency which underpin the factors most predictive of teacher readiness, this study lays a framework for leaders and policy makers searching to translate teacher doubt into enthusiastic and responsible carrying out of AI tools.

The Implementation of Deeper Learning in Fiqh Instruction within the Merdeka Curriculum at Islamic Elementary School

The implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum has encouraged a paradigm shift from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered learning that promotes higher-order thinking skills, character development, and lifelong learning. Despite these expectations, Fiqh instruction in Islamic Elementary Schools (Madrasah Ibtidaiyah) continues to encounter several pedagogical challenges. Consequently, an instructional approach that facilitates meaningful, reflective, and engaging learning experiences is required to optimize the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum. This study investigates the implementation of the Deeper Learning approach in Fiqh instruction and examines its contribution to improving learning quality at MIN Kota Lhokseumawe. Employing a qualitative field research design, participants were selected using purposive sampling, involving the principal, one Fiqh teacher, and students who were directly engaged in the implementation of Deeper Learning in classroom instruction.The collected data were analyzed using an interactive model consisting of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification, while the trustworthiness of the findings was established through source triangulation, method triangulation, and member checking. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis following the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, involving data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings demonstrate that Deeper Learning transforms conventional Fiqh instruction into an active learning process that encourages inquiry, collaboration, reflection, and contextual understanding.. However, challenges remain, including differences in students' learning readiness, limited instructional media, and the need for continuous teacher adaptation to innovative instructional approaches. The study concludes that integrating Deeper Learning into the Merdeka Curriculum enhances not only students' conceptual understanding of Fiqh but also their critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and character development, making it a promising pedagogical approach for improving Islamic education at the elementary level.