Integration of Civic Education and STEM Based on Islamic Values to Foster Elementary School Students’ Character in the Disruption Era

The era of disruption has brought new challenges in education, especially at the elementary school level, which is required not only to equip students academically but also to shape resilient character grounded in values. Civic Education (PKN) plays a crucial role in building national identity but needs to be developed through a more contextual approach. Its integration with the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) approach and Islamic values is believed to create more holistic, meaningful, and relevant learning. The Merdeka Curriculum provides flexibility to realize this interdisciplinary approach through project-based learning (PjBL). This study aims to: (1) analyze the urgency of integrating Civic Education and STEM in character building; (2) identify relevant Islamic values to be integrated; (3) explore effective learning strategies in the context of the Merdeka Curriculum; and (4) examine the potential of this integration in shaping students’ character comprehensively. This study uses a literature review method with a qualitative descriptive approach, reviewing sources from journals, books, and educational policies from 2021–2025. The results show that the integration of Civic Education and STEM is very important to respond to the challenges of 21st-century character building; Islamic values such as trustworthiness (amanah), honesty, mutual help (ta’awun), and steadfastness (istiqamah) are highly relevant; effective strategies include project-based and integrative thematic learning; and this integration has great potential in shaping students who think critically, behave ethically, and act responsibly.