Southeast Asian Journal of Global Trends and Issues in Education

Teacher Professionalism in the 21st Century: Challenges, Roles, and Enhancement Efforts

2026-06-02T12:10:40+07:00

Background: Teacher professionalism is a fundamental factor in improving the quality of education in the 21st century. Technological advancements, the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum, the diverse characteristics of learners, and increasing global competency demands require teachers to continuously improve their competence and adaptability. Objective: This study aims to analyze the challenges of teacher professionalism in the 21st century, identify the strategic roles of teachers, and examine various efforts to enhance teacher professionalism. Method: The study uses a descriptive qualitative approach through a documentation study of scientific articles, books, policy documents, and relevant publications. Data analysis was conducted using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, which includes data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. Results: The study identifies five main challenges to teacher professionalism, namely curriculum changes, digital transformation, learner diversity, administrative burdens, and wellbeing. Furthermore, enhancing teacher professionalism requires continuous professional development, learning communities, technology based administrative simplification, and increased wellbeing. Conclusion: Enhancing teacher professionalism requires a comprehensive, collaborative, and sustainable approach to meet the demands of 21st century education. Contribution: This study offers an analytical framework that integrates challenges, role transformations, and strategies for enhancing teacher professionalism as a basis for policy development, educational practices, and future research.

The Application of the Mind Mapping Cooperative Learning Model to Improve Learning Outcomes of Islamic Religious Education on the Fathu Makkah Material in Elementary School

2026-06-02T12:09:59+07:00

Background: Learning outcomes in Islamic religious education, particularly on the topic of Fathu Makkah, remain suboptimal because classroom instruction is often teacher-centered, which limits student motivation and active engagement. Objective: This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the Mind Mapping cooperative learning model in improving learning outcomes, motivation, and student engagement among fifth-grade elementary school students. Method: The study utilizes a Classroom Action Research design based on the Kemmis and McTaggart model, conducted in two cycles, encompassing planning, action implementation, observation, and reflection. Data were collected through learning achievement tests, motivation questionnaires, observations, and documentation, and were subsequently analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively using a descriptive approach. Results: The findings show that the average student score increased from 75 to 85, learning mastery improved from 60% to 90%, motivation scores increased from 3.2 to 4.5, and student engagement increased from 70% to 85%. Conclusion: The Mind Mapping cooperative learning model effectively enhances learning outcomes, motivation, and student engagement. Contribution: This study provides empirical evidence that Mind Mapping supports active, collaborative, and student-centered Islamic religious education learning in elementary schools.

Analysis of Teacher Welfare in Indonesia and Developed Countries: A Comparative Study

2026-06-02T12:09:32+07:00

Background: Teacher welfare is a strategic factor influencing professionalism, motivation, and educational quality, yet significant disparities remain between Indonesia and developed countries. Objective: This study compares teacher welfare in Indonesia with the United States and Australia to identify policy implications for improving educational quality. Method: A qualitative comparative approach was employed using semi structured interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis of policy reports and scholarly publications. Data were analyzed through the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, including data condensation, data display, and conclusion verification. Results: The findings reveal that Indonesian teachers experience income disparities, unequal access to professional development, excessive administrative workloads, and limited psychological support. In contrast, the United States and Australia provide competitive salaries, structured career pathways, continuous professional development, mental health services, and work life balance policies. Conclusion: Indonesia should adopt a holistic teacher welfare framework integrating economic, professional, and psychological dimensions. Contribution: This study proposes a multidimensional comparative framework to support evidence based, sustainable, and inclusive teacher welfare policies while strengthening long term educational quality and teacher professionalism nationwide.

Artificial Intelligence Application Encounter and Ethical Literacy Among Nigerian Postgraduate Students: An Empirical Investigation

2026-06-02T12:08:23+07:00

Background: Nigerian universities have accelerated AI deployment across teaching, assessment, and administration, yet functional ethical literacy among postgraduate students remains low. Objective: This study investigated whether direct, hands-on encounters with AI applications predict higher ethical awareness and stronger prioritization of ethical concerns among postgraduate students at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Nigeria. Method: A quantitative survey design was adopted. Data were collected from 200 postgraduate students classified into those with AI encounter (n = 124, 62.0%) and those without (n = 76, 38.0%). Independent Samples t-tests were applied at a 0.05 significance level. Results: Students with AI encounter demonstrated significantly higher ethical awareness scores (M = 3.90 vs. M = 3.20; t(198) = 4.23, p < 0.01; d = 1.12) and higher ethical prioritization scores (M = 4.15 vs. M = 3.50; t(198) = 3.18, p < 0.05; d = 0.92). Both effect sizes are large by Cohen’s conventions. Conclusion: AI encounter is a strong predictor of ethical literacy. Contribution: The findings provide empirical justification for integrating experiential AI ethics modules into postgraduate curricula in Nigerian higher education.

Modern Teacher Profile: A Conceptual Analysis of Competencies, Challenges, and Development Strategies in 21st Century Education

2026-06-02T12:08:54+07:00

Background: The educational transformation of the 21st century has shifted the role of teachers from mere transmitters of knowledge to facilitators of learning, character mentors, learning leaders, and agents of change. This shift demands a comprehensive conceptual understanding of the profile of modern teachers. Objective: This study aims to analyze the profile of modern teachers from an educational perspective by synthesizing the scientific literature. Method: This study used a qualitative approach, applying Qualitative Content Analysis to relevant scientific articles, books, regulations, and academic documents. The analysis was conducted through a process of coding, categorization, and thematic synthesis. Results: The study identified four major themes: the conceptual reconstruction of the teacher role, teacher characteristics and competencies, 21st-century educational challenges, and professional development strategies. The findings show that the profile of modern teachers is shaped by the integration of pedagogical, professional, social, personal, and leadership competencies, as well as 21st-century skills, specifically digital literacy, communication, creativity, collaboration, and adaptability. Conclusion: Teacher professionalism requires holistic, sustainable development to effectively respond to educational dynamics and meet the demands of 21st-century learning. Contribution: This study offers a conceptual framework that integrates various dimensions of the teacher profile as a foundation for policy development, teacher competency improvement programs, and future empirical research.