Enhancing Religious Literacy for the Promotion of Tolerance: A Design-Based Approach to Developing an Islamic Education Model in Higher Education

This study addresses the problem of low religious literacy and tolerance among university students in West Java, Indonesia. Misunderstandings of key Islamic terms such as kafir and bid’ah, narrow fiqh-centered interpretations, and reliance on unverified digital sources have limited students’ understanding of religious diversity and hindered interfaith harmony. Using a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach, the study began with a needs analysis involving 516 students and five lecturers from four universities, which revealed critical gaps in knowledge and attitudes. Based on these findings, the FAITH learning model—an acronym for Fostering Awareness, Inquiry, Thinking, and Harmony— was designed to integrate AI-assisted chatbot interaction, structured reflection, and collaborative learning rooted in real-life diversity. The model was subsequently tested in two phases: an initial pilot with 44 students and a revised implementation with 48 students. Quantitative analysis showed statistically significant improvements in religious literacy (N-Gain = 0.7458) and tolerance attitudes (N-Gain = 0.6525), with p-values < 0.01. These results demonstrate that the FAITH model is pedagogically effective and socially inclusive. The study’s original contribution lies in the development of a contextual religious education model that combines digital inquiry tools with pluralistic learning to cultivate students who are not only knowledgeable but also tolerant, critical, and adaptive in diverse societies.