شناسایی مولفه‌های زیباشناختی موثر بر تدریس درس «اخلاق اسلامی» از دیدگاه دانشجومعلمان دانشگاه فرهنگیان

Beauty is one of the most fundamental and multifaceted concepts discussed across philosophy, art, literature, and even behavioral sciences. Despite its wide relevance, no single, comprehensive definition of beauty has been universally accepted. Within the Platonic framework, beauty is perceived as a reflection of “absolute good” and “truth,” whereas Aristotle regards it as the result of harmony, proportion, and order in the structure of things.
Aesthetics, as a philosophical discipline, examines the nature of beauty, aesthetic judgment, and the experience of the beautiful. Its principles are not limited to the arts but are applicable to multiple human domains, including education. In the context of teaching and learning, aesthetic education extends beyond the boundaries of artistic appreciation. Scholars of education emphasize that integrating aesthetic elements into teaching–learning processes enhances motivation, attention, and deeper comprehension. Beauty in education can manifest through various dimensions. In essence, aesthetic teaching is understood as the creation of a meaningful, humane, and affective learning experience.
Teacher education systems play a crucial role in cultivating the professional and moral capacities that sustain the aspirations of any society. The more capable and reflective teachers are, the more effectively they contribute to educational transformation. Developing these professional competencies is a complex process realized through the continuous preparation of student teachers. Among the most essential competencies in teacher education is aesthetic and artistic capability. Teacher education provides a key platform for fostering aesthetic sensibility because student teachers, as future educators, directly influence students’ moral and emotional development and, ultimately, the ethical culture of society. The integration of aesthetics and art helps student teachers overcome rigid thinking, haste, and superficial judgment while encouraging creativity, reflection, and emotional intelligence.
Within this framework, the moral education domain offers fertile ground for the application of aesthetic approaches. Moral education, unlike many theoretical subjects, is deeply connected to the affective, value-oriented, and spiritual dimensions of human experience. Its effective delivery requires the creation of beautiful, thought-provoking, and meaningful experiences for learners. Since both beauty and morality originate in internal human experience and the sense of meaning and transcendence, connecting these two dimensions can enrich moral education and facilitate the deeper cultivation of ethical virtues.
The current study was conducted with the primary aim of identifying the aesthetic components influencing the teaching of Islamic Ethics among student teachers at Farhangian University. The study employed a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design, integrating qualitative and quantitative phases to provide a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon.
In the qualitative phase, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 13 student teachers (both male and female) who had taken the course “Islamic Ethics.” Participants were selected purposefully, based on their experience in the course and willingness to participate. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis method (2006), which led to the identification of key themes and subthemes. The trustworthiness of data was ensured through participant validation and peer review.
In the quantitative phase, 160 student teachers (71 females and 89 males) were selected using stratified random sampling based on gender and academic year. A researcher-made questionnaire was developed based on the qualitative findings, containing four main components with nine items each, rated on a five-point Likert scale. The content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts, and its reliability was verified using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, all above 0.7, indicating good internal consistency. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software for descriptive and inferential statistics, including confirmatory factor analysis to assess model fit.
The qualitative findings yielded 362 initial codes, which were condensed into 12 subthemes and finally grouped into four main themes representing aesthetic dimensions in teaching Islamic Ethics:
1. Beauty in the teacher’s character and conduct – including humility, ethical consistency between words and actions, sincerity, and emotional authenticity.
2. Beauty in expression and teaching methods – encompassing gentle and calm speech, the use of poetry, storytelling, and engaging examples that create emotional resonance.
3. Beauty in content and meaning – linking moral concepts to real-life experiences, emphasizing compassion, love, and hope rather than judgment or obligation.
4. Beauty in the educational environment and human interaction – characterized by warmth, empathy, safety, respect, and the encouragement of open dialogue and creativity.
Quantitative analysis supported the qualitative insights. The results indicated that all four aesthetic components had significant and positive effects on students’ perceptions of beauty in the teaching of Islamic Ethics. Mean scores for all dimensions were above 4 on a 5-point scale, suggesting a generally positive evaluation. Among the components, “beauty in the teacher’s character and behavior” received the highest mean score (4.32), while “beauty in content and meaning” obtained the lowest (4.05), though still positive. Independent t-tests revealed no significant gender differences across all dimensions, indicating a shared understanding of aesthetic experience among male and female students.
The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed excellent model fit indices (χ²/df=1.96; CFI=0.96; TLI=0.95; RMSEA=0.045; SRMR=0.038). Standardized path coefficients ranged from 0.74 to 0.82 (p<0.001), demonstrating that all four components significantly contributed to the overall construct of aesthetic teaching experience.The integration of qualitative and quantitative findings led to the development of a final model representing the aesthetic components influencing the teaching of Islamic Ethics.This model suggests that the beauty of ethical instruction emerges through the harmonious interaction between teacher character, expressive method, content depth, and relational atmosphere.
The study concludes that aesthetic experience in teaching is not limited to visual or artistic appeal but manifests in the sincerity, coherence, and moral beauty of teaching as lived practice.Student teachers described ethical teaching as “beautiful” when there was evident alignment between the instructor’s words and actions, when the content was meaningful and emotionally resonant, and when classroom interactions were characterized by empathy and respect.
These findings highlight that aesthetic teaching in moral education operates at both ethical and emotional levels. The teacher’s moral integrity and humility form the foundation of this beauty, while expressive sensitivity—through the use of poetry, narratives, and compassionate language—creates cognitive and affective engagement. Content becomes beautiful when it connects ethical principles to students’ lived realities, emphasizing love and mercy as central to Islamic ethical discourse. Moreover, the classroom environment gains aesthetic value when it fosters emotional safety, mutual respect, and the courage to think and express freely.
Integrating these components creates a holistic aesthetic experience that transforms moral education from mere knowledge transmission into a meaningful human encounter. The study thus underscores the essential role of aesthetic awareness in teacher education, particularly for those preparing to teach subjects like ethics and religious studies. Developing aesthetic competence can enhance teachers’ capacity to inspire moral reflection, empathy, and genuine transformation in learners.