Culturally Responsive Teaching-Based Interactive Learning Application for Strengthening Polite Behaviour in Madrasah Tsanawiyah Students

The rapid development of digital technology in education requires learning innovations that support both academic achievement and character development. This study aimed to develop an interactive web-based learning application grounded in Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) to strengthen students’ polite behaviour in Akidah Akhlak (Islamic Creed and Ethics) learning, and to evaluate its feasibility, practicality, and effectiveness. This Research and Development (R&D) study adopted the ADDIE model integrated with Kapp’s gamification concept at Madrasah Tsanawiyah Attaqwa Putra Bekasi. Using simple random sampling from 156 eighth-grade students, different students took part in the one-to-one (n=3), small-group (n=10), field-trial (n=20), and one-group pretest–posttest (n=57) stages, alongside 12 expert validators. Data were collected through observations, interviews, questionnaires, expert validation, and pre-test and post-test measurements. The application, named RAVID, integrates learning materials, instructional videos, character-based games, interactive quizzes, reflection activities, and teacher-managed content features. Expert validation yielded an average feasibility score of 91.50%, while practicality evaluations ranged from 90.60% to 92.80%, indicating highly feasible and practical criteria. In the one-group pretest–posttest trial, students’ self-reported polite behaviour scores increased from 72.30 to 93.75, with an N-gain score of 0.772 (77.23%) and a significant difference between pre-test and post-test results (t(56)=37.443, p<0.001). The findings indicate that RAVID RAVID can support character education in Akidah Akhlak by linking Islamic adab (respect, courteous speech, salam, empathy), madrasah practices (shaking hands, asking permission), and daily interactions with teachers, peers, and online. However, the study was limited to one madrasah and a one-group pretest–posttest design. Future research should involve broader contexts and longitudinal approaches to examine the sustainability of character development.