REFRAMING STUDENT AGENCY IN THE AGE OF GENERATIVE AI: KHALIFAH CONSCIOUSNESS AND NGAJI DIRI IN ISLAMIC EDUCATION

Abstrak

The rapid expansion of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed educational practices worldwide, shifting the central challenge of learning from access to information toward the cultivation of meaningful human agency. While contemporary discussions of student agency often emphasize autonomy and learner choice, such perspectives frequently overlook ethical and reflective dimensions necessary for responsible engagement with technology. This conceptual study seeks to reframe student agency within Islamic education by integrating the concept of humans as khalifah with the Sundanese wisdom of ngaji diri as foundations for ethically grounded and reflective learning in the digital age. Employing an integrative literature review, the study synthesizes scholarship on student agency, Islamic educational thought, and cultural studies on reflective self-awareness to construct a conceptual framework responsive to educational challenges posed by generative AI. The analysis suggests that khalifah consciousness situates agency within moral responsibility and stewardship toward society and the environment, while ngaji diri cultivates reflective self-awareness and emotional regulation necessary for sustained learning engagement. Integrating these perspectives reframes agency not merely as personal autonomy but as socially responsible and ethically guided participation in learning and technological environments. The study argues that Islamic education can contribute to sustainable educational futures by nurturing learners capable of intentional, reflective, and responsible use of digital technologies. This framework positions culturally and spiritually grounded educational traditions as valuable resources for shaping harmonious human–technology relationships in rapidly transforming learning environments.