Teacher Collaboration as a Mediator of Transformational Leadership and Madrasah Curriculum Innovation

Abstract

This study aims to examine how Islamic transformational leadership drives madrasah curriculum innovation through the mediating role of teachers' collaborative work behaviour. Despite growing demands for educational modernization, faith-based institutions frequently encounter structural inertia and pedagogical fragmentation that hinder systemic curricular reform. Adopting a qualitative case study design, this research investigates the contextual and behavioural dynamics within Darul Ulum Islamic Senior High School Bondowoso. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews with school leaders and educators, non-participant classroom observations, and comprehensive document analysis. The collected data were analysed using Miles, Huberman, and Saldana’s interactive model, involving data condensation, data display, and conclusion verification. The findings indicate that the principal operationalizes prophetic virtues—siddiq, amanah, tabligh, and fathonah—to establish psychological safety and strong moral stewardship. This value-driven leadership transforms routine curriculum management from administrative compliance into a collective religious obligation. Furthermore, the principal's shura effectively aligns individual teacher motivations with a unified vision for 21st-century educational reform. The results demonstrate that teachers' collaborative work behaviour serves as the primary engine translating leadership vision into classroom practice. Anchored in ukhuwah and ta'awun, educators actively transition from instructional isolation to structured Professional Learning Communities. Future research should utilize quantitative structural equation modelling across multi-site samples to test the statistical generalizability of these mediating behavioural pathways.