Camping as an Integrated Experiential Character Education System: Student-Managed Outdoor Learning in a Formal Islamic School

Camping as an Integrated Experiential Character Education System: Student-Managed Outdoor Learning in a Formal Islamic School | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Camping as an Integrated Experiential Character Education System: Student-Managed Outdoor Learning in a Formal Islamic School Ulil Amri Syafri, Endin Mujahidin, Rosli Bin Ahmat This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9145496/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Character education in formal schooling is often implemented through normative instruction, limiting students’ opportunities to develop responsibility, leadership, and moral autonomy through authentic experience. Experiential learning offers an alternative by situating character formation within real-life contexts that require active engagement and accountability. Purpose This study examined how camping activities at a private Islamic international school in Indonesia are designed and enacted as an integrated experiential character education system through student-managed outdoor learning. Method A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 130 students and 8 teachers using questionnaires measuring perceptions of character development. Qualitative data were obtained through observations, interviews, and document analysis, and were analyzed thematically. Both data sets were integrated at the interpretation stage. Findings: The results demonstrate that camping functions not as a recreational or extracurricular activity, but as a curriculum-integrated experiential learning system. Student-managed camping operates as a social and moral learning laboratory that fosters responsibility, leadership, cooperation, and ethical decision-making through authentic experience. Implications: Camping-based experiential learning offers a transferable pedagogical model for character education in formal and value-based educational contexts. experiential learning camping-based learning character education Islamic madrasah outdoor experiential context Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Introduction In recent years, character education has become an important concern in many educational systems, including Indonesia. Schools are increasingly expected not only to promote academic achievement but also to nurture students’ responsibility, independence, and social awareness (Sakti et al., 2024 ; Zainuddin et al., 2025 ). This moral concern is reflected not only in students’ individual behavior but also in school social dynamics, including limited peer interaction, weakened responsibility in addressing learning challenges, and diminished learning initiative (Ang et al., 2021 ; Ma et al., 2026 ; Novalia et al., 2025 ). In the broader societal context, these conditions indicate that education has not yet fully succeeded in fulfilling its function of forming holistic individuals who are morally grounded, empowered, and socially responsible (Sari & Sutarto, 2024 ). Character education has become a normative agenda in many educational systems. However, its instructional practice in schools remains largely oriented toward cognitive achievement and administrative compliance (Hadi et al., 2025 ; Sarifah et al., 2025 ). The excessive emphasis on academic targets, evaluation standards, and curriculum benchmarks often marginalizes the process of internalizing character values. As a result, character education is frequently reduced to slogans, supplementary content, or formal attitude assessments, rather than being treated as lived experiences that shape moral conduct ( adab ), sensibility, and habitual behavior (Birhan et al., 2021 ; Oldham & McLoughlin, 2025 ). This condition creates a gap between the ideal goals of character education and the actual learning experiences of students. Consequently, character education often remains at a declarative level rather than evolving into embodied dispositions that shape everyday conduct and moral judgment (Hossain et al., 2023 ; Sánchez et al., 2026 ). This situation indicates that formal education has not yet fully enabled students to develop as autonomous learners; instead, it still reflects a high level of dependence on external agents in thinking, acting, and making decisions (Rivera-Gómez-Barris & El Homrani Maknuzi, 2025). Consequently, students tend to become passive subjects, as their actions are largely guided by teachers’ directions. They often experience difficulties when confronted with situations that require independent decision-making (Truong Son & Thanh Hai, 2023 ; Yeung et al., 2024 ). Discipline and compliance are also more frequently shaped by monitoring systems and assessment mechanisms than by internalized value awareness, leading to weakened consistency of positive behavior when external control diminishes (Ma et al., 2026 ; Yusuf & Fajari, 2025 ). This dependency suggests that students frequently function as compliant participants rather than autonomous agents capable of independent judgment and action. This dependency is further reinforced by students’ relationship with technology, which encourages the pursuit of instant answers without reflective processes or critical reasoning (Ang et al., 2021 ; Hou et al., 2025 ). At a more fundamental level, this condition has implications for weakened moral autonomy, where notions of right and wrong are understood as external prescriptions rather than the result of personal ethical deliberation (Zhai et al., 2024 ). Within the framework of character education, this situation indicates that educational processes still place greater emphasis on external compliance than on the development of internal autonomy (Soe et al., 2025 ; Zhu et al., 2024 ). Based on these challenges, there is a need for learning experiences that emphasize real responsibility and independent decision-making in order to cultivate disciplined and responsible student character. Educational theorists have long emphasized that character formation does not emerge from instruction or assessment, nor from the standardization of predetermined values, but rather from significant experiences that promote growth, reflection, and continuity (Dewey, 1938 ). When students are placed in real-life situations that require them to make decisions and take responsibility, learning occurs through the experience itself. Accordingly, learning is understood as a cyclical process consisting of concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation (Kolb, 1984 ). From this perspective, character formation emerges through lived experience in which reflection, responsibility, and action are inseparable components of learning. A growing body of research over the past five years indicates that experiential learning, particularly through outdoor-based activities, is effective in creating contextual learning situations that require active student engagement and contribute to character development (Down et al., 2025 ; Yildiz, 2022 ; Zong et al., 2024 ). Such approaches have also been shown to enhance reflective social–emotional skills and to foster experiences of responsibility and independence in decision-making (A. Ghani et al., 2025 ; Akarsu, 2025 ; Down et al., 2025 ). However, much of the existing research still treats outdoor education activities, including camping and adventure programs, as supplementary or extracurricular experiences rather than as integral components of formal education systems. Many studies focus primarily on short-term outcomes related to social–emotional skills, teamwork, or self-confidence, without examining how experiential activities can be systematically designed to support sustained character formation within curricular structures (Dania et al., 2025 ; Kokkonen et al., 2025 ; Mann et al., 2022 ). As a result, experiential learning is not consistently positioned as a central pedagogical framework for character education. Accordingly, there remains a critical need to examine how experiential learning can be systematically embedded within formal schooling structures to support sustained character formation rather than short-term developmental outcomes. These limitations become even more pronounced in the context of Islamic education and Islamic schools. Although the primary aims of Islamic education are character formation, moral responsibility, and ethical conduct, educational practices in Islamic school are still frequently dominated by cognitive-oriented instruction and normative regulation. In contrast, Islamic educational philosophy emphasizes the integration of knowledge, action, and moral responsibility. However, empirical research examining how these principles are operationalized through experiential learning in Islamic schools remains very limited (Halstead, 2007 ; Sahin, 2015 ; Hossain et al., 2023 ). This condition raises a fundamental question regarding how character education can be authentically realized in contemporary Islamic school educational practice. A private Islamic international school in Indonesia represents a distinctive case within this landscape. As a contemporary Islamic educational institution, it integrates modern pedagogical approaches such as project-based learning, STEAM education, and experiential programs, while consistently affirming Islamic values as its ethical foundation. This school can be categorized as a progressive international madrasah, as it develops a “Madrasah 4.0” model—one that is adaptive to the digital era while remaining firmly rooted in Islamic values (Hasanah, 2021 ). At this school, camping activities are not positioned as recreational or extracurricular programs but are integrated into the curriculum and implemented regularly as part of the educational program. Students are entrusted with substantial responsibility, ranging from activity planning and logistical management to decision-making and reflection on outcomes, while teachers serve as facilitators and moral companions rather than technical controllers. Within this pedagogical arrangement, camping at the participating school can be understood as a model of experiential character education, as character values are not taught explicitly but are enacted within real-life contexts (Dewey, 1938 ; Kolb, 1984 ; Hossain et al., 2023 ). Students encounter situations that require ethical judgment, leadership, cooperation, and responsibility through authentic challenges and social interaction. Consistent with Dewey’s concept of educative experience and Kolb’s experiential learning cycle, minor mistakes and failures are not regarded as disruptions but as valuable pedagogical opportunities for self-reflection, action improvement, and moral growth (Dewey, 1938 ; Kolb, 1984 ; Mann et al., 2022 ). Despite its strong pedagogical significance, such practices have received limited attention in the international experiential education literature. There remains a need for empirical studies that examine how experiential learning can be systematically designed as a character education system within formal schooling, particularly in value-based educational contexts such as madrasahs. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates camping activities at the participating school as an integrated experiential character education system. Using a mixed methods approach, the study seeks to illuminate how experiential learning processes, role structures, and ethical reflection contribute to students’ character formation. This study contributes to experiential education scholarship by reconceptualizing camping as a formally embedded experiential character education system and by extending empirical evidence from a faith-based Global South educational context. Method Research Design This study employs a mixed methods approach to obtain a comprehensive understanding of camping activities at the participating school as a model of experiential character education in outdoor settings. Quantitative data are used to measure general perceptions, while qualitative data explore participants’ subjective experiences in greater depth. The integration of both approaches aims to enhance the validity of the findings through the triangulation of numerical and descriptive data (Mekheimer, 2025). The research design adopts a sequential explanatory mixed methods design approach, in which quantitative data are analyzed first and subsequently elaborated through qualitative data. Both types of data are collected within a relatively similar time frame, analyzed separately, and integrated at the interpretation stage to strengthen the overall understanding of the findings (Contreras-Villalobos et al., 2024; Şahin & Ozturk, 2022; Hongling et al., 2025). Participants This study was conducted at a private Islamic international school in Indonesia, with research participants consisting of students and accompanying teachers. The participants included 130 students and 8 teachers from the Ibtidaiyah and Tsanawiyah levels who were involved in the camping activities. The sampling technique employed was purposive sampling, involving the selection of participants considered the most representative and information-rich based on the researcher’s judgment (Tajik et al., 2025). This approach, also known as judgmental sampling, enabled the researchers to capture diverse perspectives related to pedagogical design, role relationships, and value-based experiences within the camping activities (Ahmed, 2024; Memon et al., 2024; Weiss et al., 2023). This study involved two main groups of participants, namely students and teachers. The inclusion of both groups was intended to obtain a comprehensive understanding of experiential character education within camping activities. The student participants, predominantly aged 10–15 years and spanning levels 4–9, served as the primary source of both quantitative and qualitative data related to their direct experiences, perceptions, and attitudinal changes during the camping program. This group represents an early adolescent developmental stage that is particularly relevant for strengthening character values such as independence, cooperation, discipline, and responsibility through authentic outdoor experiences. Meanwhile, the teachers involved—aged between 26 and 40 years and coming from diverse educational backgrounds—served as key informants in explaining the design, facilitation processes, and pedagogical dynamics of the camping activities. Teachers’ perspectives provided an interpretive context for the students’ quantitative findings, particularly in elucidating how the camping experiences were facilitated, guided, and reflected upon as part of character education. Within a convergent mixed methods framework, the integration of data from both participant groups enabled the triangulation of findings and strengthened the validity of interpretations regarding the effectiveness of camping as an experiential learning model for character education in outdoor settings. Instruments The research instruments were designed to comprehensively examine the implementation of camping activities at the participating school as a model of experiential character education in outdoor settings. The instruments consisted of a closed-ended questionnaire and open-ended interviews, developed based on key character education indicators, including independence, responsibility, discipline, cooperation, leadership, and social awareness. The closed-ended questionnaire employed a Likert scale to measure students’ and teachers’ perceptions and attitudes toward the process and impact of camping activities on character formation (Ana Maryana et al., 2025). The questionnaire items were contextualized to camping activities, such as participation in group tasks, decision-making in the field, adherence to shared rules, and social interaction. This instrument generated standardized quantitative data suitable for statistical analysis. Meanwhile, open-ended interviews were used to explore participants’ subjective and reflective experiences related to interaction dynamics and character learning during the camping activities. The combination of these two instruments enabled the study to capture both measurable and contextual dimensions of character education within camping activities at the participating school Procedure Quantitative surveys were administered after camping activities. Qualitative observations, interviews, and document analysis were conducted to capture experiential and pedagogical processes. Table 1 Instruments and data sources. Component Instrument Description Participants Students and teachers Students were the primary participants, while teachers served as key informants. Quantitative instrument Likert-scale questionnaire Measured perceptions of the camping program and character development. Qualitative instrument Open-ended questions Explored teachers’ role modeling and participants’ experiences. This questionnaire was divided into two parts. The first part of the question is presented using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree). Respondent confidentiality is maintained to ensure that the answers provided are objective and honest. In this mixed methods study, the quantitative approach emphasizes objectivity and replication through structured statistical procedures, although it still requires careful attention to instrument validity and reliability (Ghanad, 2023; Sapkota, 2024). Table 2 Stages of data collection and analysis. Stage Procedure Description Data collection Survey Quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently with ensured anonymity. Quantitative analysis Descriptive statistics (SPSS) Likert-scale data were analyzed using SPSS to generate frequencies and percentages. Qualitative analysis Thematic analysis Responses were coded and organized into themes supported by quotations. Data integration Convergent interpretation Quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated to strengthen interpretation. Data Analysis This study collects both quantitative and qualitative data to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the role of camping activities in shaping students’ character. Quantitative data are used to map students’ perceptions and experiences related to experiential character education, covering aspects such as responsibility, cooperation, leadership, and independence. These data are analyzed using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) through descriptive statistical techniques. All findings are integrated at the interpretation stage to produce a holistic picture of camping as experiential learning in character education in outdoor settings. This quantitative data analysis is necessary to examine the relationships among variables and to draw conclusions that can be generalized to a broader population (Claro et al., 2024). Descriptive statistics were employed to map general tendencies of students’ perceptions, as the primary aim was to contextualize and explain experiential processes rather than to test causal relationships. Qualitative data were obtained through observations, open-ended interviews, and documentation studies to explore in depth the implementation process of camping activities, interactions among students, and the meaning of character values internalized through outdoor learning experiences. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis, involving repeated reading of the data, coding, pattern categorization, and theme development, which are presented in narrative form supported by direct quotations from participants (Park, 2025). The qualitative approach in this study emphasizes an in-depth understanding of experiences, meanings, and social contexts that cannot be measured quantitatively. This approach is grounded in inductive and naturalistic logic to interpret social phenomena contextually and holistically in accordance with participants’ lived experiences (Makateng & Mokala, 2025). Ethical Review Statement This study received approval from the institutional ethics review authority of the participating school. Participation was voluntary, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants and their parents or legal guardians prior to data collection. Participants were informed of the purpose of the study, the procedures involved, and their right to withdraw at any time without consequence. All data were treated confidentially and reported in anonymized form. Results Strengthening Student Character Closed Questionnaire (Quantitative) The questionnaire instrument consists of closed (quantitative) questionnaires and open (qualitative) interviews with students. From the results of the descriptive statistical data analysis conducted on the questionnaire scoring results, the following findings were obtained, as shown in Table 3. Table 3 Students’ perceptions of camping activities (n = 130). No. Statement Strongly Disagree (%) Disagree (%) Neutral (%) Agree (%) Strongly Agree (%) Overall Tendency 1. I feel braver and more independent after joining the camping activity 1 1 43.8 40.0 13.8 Positive 2. I learned to work together with friends during camping 0 1 20.0 56.2 23.1 Strongly positive 3. Camping activities make me appreciate nature and God’s creation more 1 2 18.5 43.8 33.8 Very strongly positive 4. Camping helps me develop good character (caring, patience, courage) 1 2 24.6 54.6 16.9 Strongly positive 5. I enjoy camping activities and feel they are beneficial for me 1 4 35.4 38.5 20.8 Moderately positive 6. I do not like camping and only join because I am forced 28.5 38.5 23.8 6 3 Mostly disagreement 7. Camping makes me feel tired or uncomfortable so I become less motivated 12.3 32.3 36.2 15.4 4 Mixed (leaning disagreement) Note: Percentages are rounded; totals may not equal 100% due to rounding. The results of the study indicate that camping activities have a positive impact on students’ courage and independence. A total of 40.0% of respondents agreed and 13.8% strongly agreed that they felt more courageous and independent after participating in the camping program, resulting in a combined positive response of 53.8%. However, the relatively high proportion of neutral responses (43.8%) suggests that the strengthening of these two aspects has not been evenly experienced and requires ongoing habituation and repeated exposure to similar experiences. Negative responses were very minimal (approximately 2%), indicating a low level of resistance to this activity. The aspect of cooperation shows the strongest results. A total of 56.2% of respondents agreed and 23.1% strongly agreed that camping helped them learn to work collaboratively, resulting in a combined positive response of 79.3%. Neutral responses accounted for only 20.0%, and virtually no negative responses were identified. These findings indicate that camping functions as an effective experiential context for fostering collaboration, social responsibility, and collective engagement. In the dimension of spiritual and environmental awareness, camping activities also demonstrate a significant impact. A total of 43.8% of respondents agreed and 33.8% strongly agreed that camping increased their appreciation of nature and God’s creation, resulting in an overall positive response of 77.6%. Neutral responses accounted for 18.5%, while negative responses were very minimal (approximately 3%). This indicates that nature-based learning contributes strongly to the development of ecological awareness and spiritual reflection. The role of camping in character formation is clearly reflected in the responses, with 54.6% of respondents agreeing and 16.9% strongly agreeing that this activity helps cultivate caring, patience, and courage, resulting in a total positive response of 71.5%. The neutral response rate of 24.6% indicates that character internalization is a gradual process and is experienced differently by each student. Negative responses appeared in very small numbers. From the affective perspective, perceptions of enjoyment and benefits of camping show a moderately positive trend. A total of 38.5% of respondents agreed and 20.8% strongly agreed (59.3%) that they enjoyed and benefited from the camping activities. However, the relatively high proportion of neutral responses (35.4%) suggests variation in individual levels of comfort and adaptation to outdoor activities. Responses to the negative statement regarding being forced to participate in camping indicate strong rejection. A total of 38.5% of respondents disagreed and 28.5% strongly disagreed, resulting in a combined rejection rate of 67.0%. Only about 9% agreed or strongly agreed. These findings confirm that most students participated in camping voluntarily and did not perceive it as a compulsory activity. Regarding physical fatigue and motivation, respondents tended to disagree that camping reduced their learning motivation. A total of 32.3% disagreed and 12.3% strongly disagreed (44.6%), while 36.2% remained neutral and 19.4% agreed or strongly agreed. This indicates that although physical challenges were present, they did not predominantly hinder learning motivation and were instead understood as part of the educational experience. Figure 3 Distribution of response categories across camping indicators (n = 130). The overall distribution of responses shows a strong positive tendency, as presented in Figure 3. The majority of students provided positive responses to camping activities. A total of 68.3% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the various benefits of camping, encompassing aspects of courage, cooperation, spiritual awareness, character formation, and personal benefits. Neutral responses accounted for 28.5%, indicating variation in the level of experience internalization, while negative responses were very minimal (3.2%). These findings confirm that, overall, camping is perceived as an effective and meaningful learning activity. Meanwhile, the combined diagram of negative indicators shows that the majority of respondents rejected negative perceptions of camping activities. A total of 55.7% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that camping was undertaken due to compulsion or that it led to decreased motivation. Neutral responses accounted for 30.0%, while only 14.3% agreed with the negative statements. This indicates that physical challenges and activity demands were not predominantly perceived as serious barriers in students’ learning experiences. Open Interview (Qualitative) Table 4 presents the thematic results of open-ended student interviews and their alignment with related quantitative Likert-scale indicators. Table 4 Integration of open-ended responses with quantitative (Likert-scale) indicators. Core Theme Description of Experiences Related Quantitative Indicator Integrated Interpretation Outdoor challenge and adventure Outbound tasks, flying fox, night trekking, tracking, and activities in rain and water Courage and independence Environmental and physical challenges correspond with higher agreement on courage and independence outcomes Interaction with nature Stargazing, rivers and forests, authentic camping (non-glamping), learning to live with nature Independence and self-reliance Direct engagement with nature supports autonomy and self-reliance patterns in survey responses Social bonding and responsibility Group tasks, shared meals, peer interaction, mentoring younger students, committee roles Cooperation, social responsibility, leadership Role-based social interaction aligns with strong cooperation scores and varied leadership indicators Emotional challenge and reflection Managing fear, fatigue, wet conditions, and emotional shifts from fear to pride Courage, emotional growth, self-confidence Emotional coping experiences help explain both strong and moderate Likert responses across character indicators The integration of quantitative and qualitative findings indicates that students’ concrete camping experiences consistently reinforce Likert-scale outcomes, especially in courage and independence. Challenging outdoor tasks and group dynamics help explain high cooperation and social responsibility scores, while variation in leadership outcomes corresponds to differences in assigned roles. Neutral responses suggest uneven levels of character internalization. From an experiential learning perspective, character formation emerges through direct experience and social interaction but requires structured responsibility and guided reflection to support deeper and more sustained value internalization. Teachers’ Perspectives on the Character Education Process Closed Questionnaire (Quantitative) Similar to the student participants, teacher data were collected using a closed-ended questionnaire and open-ended interviews. Descriptive statistical analysis of the questionnaire results indicates consistent patterns in teachers’ evaluations of the camping-based character education process. The detailed results are presented in Table 5. Table 5 Teachers’ perceptions of camping activities for character education (n = 8). No. Statement Strongly Disagree (%) Disagree (%) Neutral (%) Agree (%) Strongly Agree (%) Overall Tendency 1 Camping activities provide an effective space to foster students’ independence 0 0 0 75.0 25.0 Strongly positive 2 I observed the development of students’ responsibility during the activity 0 0 0 75.0 25.0 Strongly positive 3 This activity strengthens cooperation and communication among students 0 0 0 62.5 37.5 Strongly positive 4 Outdoor activities such as camping facilitate teachers in developing students’ character (discipline, manners, courage) 0 0 0 62.5 37.5 Strongly positive 5 The natural environment during camping helps students learn real-life problem solving 0 0 0 75.0 25.0 Strongly positive 6 Camping provides opportunities for teachers to better understand students’ personalities and needs 0 0 0 100.0 0 Unanimously positive 7 Camping activities are too tiring and not proportional to their educational benefits 25.0 62.5 12.5 0 0 Mostly disagreement 8 Overall, camping activities are aligned with the goals of character education in schools or madrasahs 0 0 0 87.5 12.5 Very strongly positive Note : Values are percentages of teacher responses (n = 8) on a 5-point Likert scale. Table 5 shows that teachers reported highly consistent positive perceptions regarding the character education value of camping activities. All positive indicators fall within the agree and strongly agree categories, with agreement levels ranging from 62.5% to 87.5% and strong agreement from 12.5% to 37.5%. All teachers (100%) agreed that camping helps them better understand students’ personalities and needs through direct interaction outside the classroom. The negatively framed statement regarding excessive fatigue and limited educational value was rejected by most teachers (87.5%), with no agreement responses recorded. These results indicate that physical challenge is generally interpreted as a constructive component of the learning process. Overall, teachers perceive camping as aligned with character education goals and as an effective experiential pedagogical approach. Figure 4 presents the distribution of teachers’ responses across Likert-scale categories for camping activities. Agreement responses (agree and strongly agree) account for the largest share across items, indicating broadly positive teacher evaluations of camping as a character education approach. Neutral responses are present at a moderate level, while disagreement responses form a smaller proportion overall. This pattern suggests that although some concerns are reported, teachers’ ratings are predominantly favorable. Open Interview (Qualitative) Table 6 summarizes the results of teachers’ open-ended interviews on the most prominent character education aspects observed during camping activities and their alignment with related Likert-scale indicators. Table 6 Teachers’ perspectives on key character outcomes in camping. Key Statement (Summarized) Dominant Educational Aspects Identified Students demonstrated critical thinking and creativity in solving real-life survival and life-skill problems Critical thinking, creativity, life skills Camping fostered strong responsibility, independence, and leadership among students Responsibility, independence, leadership Students showed adaptability to unfamiliar conditions along with physical and mental resilience Adaptability, physical and mental resilience Leadership and responsibility were clearly reflected in student behavior Leadership, responsibility Students developed personal and group responsibility, independence in survival tasks, and time discipline Responsibility, independence, discipline Camping strengthened independence, cooperation, social skills, and problem-solving ability Independence, cooperation, social skills, problem solving Students demonstrated accountability and the ability to manage challenges effectively Responsibility, accountability, problem solving Independence emerged as the most frequently observed character trait Independence The interview results are consistent with the questionnaire findings. Teachers frequently reported student independence, responsibility, and discipline during camping activities, aligning with the high agreement levels observed in the Likert-scale results. Leadership and cooperation were commonly noted in group-based tasks, while critical thinking and problem-solving emerged in field-based situations. Overall, the qualitative responses support the quantitative pattern, indicating that camping activities function as an experiential context for character development. Discussion Several notable features emerge from the camping activities conducted at a private Islamic international school in Indonesia. First, the camping program implements a role distribution based on students’ age levels and maturity: Level 7 students serve as team leaders, Level 8 students act as the full organizing committee, and Level 9 students function as supervisors, while teachers are positioned as mentors. This structure serves as a form of gradual leadership training that instills an understanding that responsibility and trust are mandates that must be accounted for. Second, as the main organizers, Level 8 students prepare a complete activity proposal, including the background, objectives, rationale, schedule, and budget estimation. They conduct site surveys, compile logistics lists, arrange transportation, and manage the funds entrusted by the school through a transparent financial reporting system. At this stage, managerial competence and integrity emerge—qualities rarely found at such a young age. These students practice functioning as a civic community within a miniature educational society—learning to organize, lead, coordinate, and take responsibility for shared resources. Field observations during the camping program showed that students often negotiated responsibilities within their groups, particularly when organizing shared tasks such as food preparation and equipment management. Third, the three-day field activities provide a space for the development of four dimensions of intelligence as formulated in their proposal: Spiritual Quotient (SQ), reflected in nature contemplation ( tadabbur ) and reflection ( tafakkur ) that cultivate an awareness of God’s presence within His creation; Emotional Quotient (EQ), manifested in character formation such as patience, courage, cooperation, and empathy; Intelligence Quotient (IQ), demonstrated through the application of technical and scientific knowledge in real contexts, such as setting up tents, managing meals, or maintaining environmental cleanliness; and Physical Quotient (PQ), developed through physical endurance and mental resilience fostered by outdoor activities that require a balance between physical effort and cognitive engagement. Fourth, students’ ability to produce formal documents, manage finances, and organize cross-level activities indicates the presence of a systemic work culture that has been internalized within the madrasah environment. They work not out of compulsion, but from a sense of collective responsibility. This is where the seeds of a civic habitus—habits of civilized living and organization that lie at the core of educational civilization—become visible. Observations show that students make thoughtful and measured considerations. Their choices are not merely technical decisions, but reflections of a learning process grounded in collective responsibility and moral sensibility. The students do not merely observe; they also evaluate values and consequences behind every decision they make. This activity demonstrates that camping is not a supplementary component of the education system, but an integral part of the participating school’s educational vision to integrate intellect, moral conduct ( adab ), and action ( ʿamal ) within the learning process. Students are not only taught how to think correctly, but also how to act appropriately in real-life situations. Mistakes, delays, and failures during the preparation process instead become materials for reflection and collective learning. This implies that learning and teaching processes must allow space for error, failure, and imperfection. Students learn that failure is not a disgrace, but a formative space—a part of the journey toward becoming mature human beings rather than perfect ones (Hafizallah, 2024). When viewed from the perspective of character education, camping activities in the participating school embody elements of Ki Hajar Dewantara’s concept of auto-education—an educational approach that allows learners to shape themselves through experience under the moral guidance of adults rather than through direct control (Purbonuswanto et al., 2024; Sasti et al., 2025). This approach resonates with Dewey’s notion of educative experience, in which learners actively construct meaning through action, reflection, and guided moral support, rather than through externally imposed regulation. In this pedagogical arrangement, teachers are no longer positioned as the center of control, but as facilitators and guardians of values who support students’ experiential meaning-making processes. Within this practice, camping functions as a concrete form of value-based experiential education that fosters autonomy, responsibility, and moral courage from an early age. These qualities emerge not through explicit moral instruction, but through students’ engagement in real-life situations that require decision-making, accountability, and cooperation within a shared learning environment. Taken together, these findings illustrate how structured responsibility, role differentiation, and guided reflection transform outdoor activities into educative experiences that cultivate moral autonomy and social accountability. Camping activities can therefore be understood as a miniature model of experiential character education in outdoor settings. Students are encouraged to identify opportunities and risks through rational deliberation while simultaneously considering social and ethical implications—for example, by organizing shared responsibilities, maintaining environmental cleanliness, and ensuring the accommodation of collective needs. In the context of Islamic education, this process reflects the integration of experiential learning with spiritual and ethical reflection, where knowledge, action, and moral responsibility are closely interconnected. Within Islamic educational philosophy, this integration reflects the inseparability of knowledge ( ʿilm ), action ( ʿamal ), and ethical conduct ( adab ), positioning experiential learning as a pathway for holistic human formation. Overall, camping activities at a private Islamic international school in Indonesia exemplify an educational praxis aligned with the principles of progressive education—learning through experience—where students learn by acting, reflecting, and constructing social meaning. From this perspective, experiential learning becomes holistic when accompanied by reflective self-discipline and value-oriented reflection. Camping is thus not positioned merely as a recreational activity, but as a formative educational space in which character is cultivated through concrete action, social responsibility, and ethical awareness. Character formation is manifested in students’ everyday practices, such as caring for the environment, respecting time and roles, exercising leadership, and building constructive social relationships. Implications This study offers several important implications for experiential education theory and practice. First, the findings extend experiential learning scholarship by demonstrating how camping can function as a systemically embedded pedagogical model rather than an extracurricular enrichment activity. By positioning students as organizers, decision makers, and reflective agents, the program illustrates how experiential education can cultivate responsibility, autonomy, and ethical judgment through structured real-life practice. Second, the study contributes to the development of character education within value-based schooling, particularly in Islamic educational contexts. The integration of experiential learning with spiritual reflection, moral responsibility, and communal ethics shows that character formation can be strengthened when ethical values are enacted in authentic social and environmental contexts. Third, the findings offer practical implications for schools seeking holistic character education approaches. Curriculum-integrated outdoor experiential programs can foster leadership, cooperation, resilience, and ecological awareness while strengthening students’ moral autonomy and social responsibility. Such models may be transferable to diverse educational contexts aiming to balance cognitive achievement with ethical and social development. Finally, this study contributes to global discussions on experiential education by presenting evidence from a Global South, faith-based educational setting, expanding the cultural and pedagogical diversity represented in experiential education research. These findings suggest that outdoor experiential programs, when systematically integrated into school curricula, can serve as sustainable pedagogical models for character education beyond short-term interventions. Limitations of the Present Study Several limitations should be considered when interpreting the findings of this study. First, the research was conducted in a single Islamic international school with a distinctive pedagogical culture, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other educational settings. Second, the sample size, particularly the number of teacher participants, was relatively small, which may restrict the breadth of perspectives captured. Third, the study relied partly on self-reported perceptions, which may be influenced by social desirability bias. Although triangulation with qualitative data strengthened interpretation, observational measures over longer durations could provide deeper insights into behavioral change. Finally, the study focused on short-term experiential outcomes observed during and shortly after camping activities. Future research may explore longitudinal impacts to examine how experiential character formation is sustained over time. Conclusion The results demonstrate that camping activities are not positioned as recreational outdoor programs or merely as supplementary curricular components, but rather as a consciously designed and integrated system of character education within the pedagogical architecture of the madrasah. Camping functions as a social and spiritual learning laboratory that enables students to experience character values, life skills, and ethical–spiritual awareness through direct engagement—dimensions that are often addressed only conceptually in classroom settings. In this context, character education is understood not as the transmission of values, but as a formative process realized through authentic experience, consistent with the principles of experiential learning. In its implementation, camping is constructed as a learning space grounded in responsibility and leadership. Students are positioned as the primary agents who plan, manage, and carry out activities, while teachers act as moral companions and guardians of values. This arrangement fosters dynamic social relations in which leadership, cooperation, communication, and decision-making emerge naturally through direct practice rather than formal instruction. The study further finds that character values such as independence, trustworthiness, discipline, empathy, and responsibility are interpreted and practiced through concrete situations that require students to face real consequences. Minor mistakes and failures that arise during camping activities become key media for character learning, as they create opportunities for self-reflection and moral self-regulation, and personal maturation. In this context, character values are not delivered primarily through formal instruction. Instead, students encounter them directly through shared responsibilities, decision making, and cooperation during the camping activities. This study contributes to the literature by examining camping as a curriculum-embedded experiential learning model rather than as an extracurricular activity. The findings illustrate how outdoor programs can function as structured spaces for character formation within formal schooling. By repositioning camping as a curriculum-integrated experiential character education system, this study demonstrates how formal schooling can cultivate autonomy, responsibility, and ethical awareness through authentic practice. The findings suggest that curriculum-integrated experiential learning can play a meaningful role in strengthening students’ autonomy, responsibility, and ethical awareness within formal schooling environments. Declarations Funding: This research received no external funding. Ethics Approval: This study was approved by the institutional ethics review authority of the participating school. Informed Consent: Informed consent was obtained from all participants and their parents or legal guardians. Clinical Trial Number: Not applicable. Author Contribution U.A.S. conceived and designed the study, conducted data collection, and wrote the main manuscript. E.M. contributed to the research design, theoretical framework, and data interpretation. R.B.A. contributed to data analysis and manuscript revision. All authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript. Acknowledgement The authors would like to thank Madrasah Internasional Technonatura for supporting this research and all students and teachers who participated in the study. Data Availability The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Due to ethical considerations and the protection of participants’ privacy, the data are not publicly available. References A. Ghani, R. B., Lau, P. W. C., Lu, N., Zhou, P., & Wang, J. J. (2025). Investigating the impact of adventure education on children’s physical, cognitive and socio-emotional development: A mixed method systematic review. PLOS ONE, 20 (6), e0327181. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327181 Akarsu, A. H. (2025). Beyond the walls: Investigating outdoor learning experiences of social studies teacher candidates in Türkiye. 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Implications and Critiques of Quantitative Research: A Systematic Review. Journal of Learning Theory and Methodology, 5(3), 153–159. https://doi.org/10.17309/jltm.2024.5.3.09 Sari, D. P., & Sutarto, S. (2024). Teacher-Student Interaction: A Strong Foundation for Quality Character Education. Ta’dib, 27(2), 365. https://doi.org/10.31958/jt.v27i2.12165 Sarifah, I., Nurhasanah, N., Hasanah, U., Marini, A., & Muawanah, U. (2025). How can educational policy support the application of the Rasch Model for character E-assessment in elementary schools during Indonesia’s new normal era? Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 12, 101752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101752 Sasti, R., Suyato, & Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (2025). Rediscovering the Basic Values of Ki Hajar Dewantara’s Education for Civic Education Learning. International Journal Of Multidisciplinary Research and Analysis, 08(01). https://doi.org/10.47191/ijmra/v8-i01-14 Soe, H. Y., Zhang, D., Fu, D., & Cui, Y. (2025). How an autonomy-supportive learning environment influences students’ achievements in science and mathematics. Social Psychology of Education, 28(1), 53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-024-09970-8 Truong Son, N., & Thanh Hai, T. (2023). The Trend of Research on Learner Autonomy in the Past Two Decades: A Bibliometric Study from the Scopus Database. Higher Education Research. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.her.20230804.12 Yeung, M. M.-Y., Chan, E. A., Wong, M. M.-Y., & Mok, A. L.-F. (2024). Teaching and learning strategies foster the development of autonomous learning and its interrelated factors in prelicensure nursing education: A scoping review. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 19(2), e288–e297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2023.11.012 Yildiz, K. (2022). Experiential learning from the perspective of outdoor education leaders. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 30 , 100343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2021.100343 Yusuf, F. A., & Fajari, L. E. W. (2025). Character Quality Development in Future-Oriented Education: A Case Study of Indonesian Nature-Based Schools. Educational Process International Journal, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2025.14.29 Zainuddin, Z., Nafisah, A., & Muttaqin, M. (2025). Transforming Character Education through the Implementation of the Independent Curriculum in Indonesia. International Journal of Education and Humanities, 5(3), 560–572. https://doi.org/10.58557/(ijeh).v5i3.346 Zhai, C., Wibowo, S., & Li, L. D. (2024). The effects of over-reliance on AI dialogue systems on students’ cognitive abilities: A systematic review. Smart Learning Environments, 11(1), 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-024-00316-7 Zhu, Y., Abidi, L., Savelberg, H., Köhler, S. E., Kusurkar, R. A., & Dolmans, D. (2024). Fostering university students’ autonomous motivation through a societal impact project: A Qualitative Study of Students’ and Teachers’ Perspectives. BMC Medical Education, 24(1), 1503. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-06494-9 Zong, B., Sun, Y., & Li, L. (2024). Advances, hotspots, and trends in outdoor education research: A bibliometric analysis. Sustainability, 16 (22), 10034. https://doi.org/10.3390/su162210034 Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9145496","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":629987867,"identity":"b28f3f0a-9663-49bd-a2bf-484ec11bdad3","order_by":0,"name":"Ulil Amri 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3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":50458,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDistribution of response categories across camping indicators (n = 130).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9145496/v1/4562a36647b522447df35d44.png"},{"id":108761036,"identity":"674d4b86-fc19-4e60-bcbf-79bf5494aae5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-08 06:42:36","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":74023,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTeachers’ response distribution across Likert-scale categories for camping activities.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9145496/v1/ad3e7f8f443071d1fc3e71b2.png"},{"id":108810167,"identity":"0244a185-34a1-44c7-bac9-275bbef8388f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-08 15:57:40","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":650624,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9145496/v1/8fd7c3d8-39b9-4dbc-a5d0-d51c06f0c775.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Camping as an Integrated Experiential Character Education System: Student-Managed Outdoor Learning in a Formal Islamic School","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn recent years, character education has become an important concern in many educational systems, including Indonesia. Schools are increasingly expected not only to promote academic achievement but also to nurture students\u0026rsquo; responsibility, independence, and social awareness (Sakti et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Zainuddin et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). This moral concern is reflected not only in students\u0026rsquo; individual behavior but also in school social dynamics, including limited peer interaction, weakened responsibility in addressing learning challenges, and diminished learning initiative (Ang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Ma et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2026\u003c/span\u003e; Novalia et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). In the broader societal context, these conditions indicate that education has not yet fully succeeded in fulfilling its function of forming holistic individuals who are morally grounded, empowered, and socially responsible (Sari \u0026amp; Sutarto, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCharacter education has become a normative agenda in many educational systems. However, its instructional practice in schools remains largely oriented toward cognitive achievement and administrative compliance (Hadi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Sarifah et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). The excessive emphasis on academic targets, evaluation standards, and curriculum benchmarks often marginalizes the process of internalizing character values. As a result, character education is frequently reduced to slogans, supplementary content, or formal attitude assessments, rather than being treated as lived experiences that shape moral conduct (\u003cem\u003eadab\u003c/em\u003e), sensibility, and habitual behavior (Birhan et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Oldham \u0026amp; McLoughlin, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). This condition creates a gap between the ideal goals of character education and the actual learning experiences of students. Consequently, character education often remains at a declarative level rather than evolving into embodied dispositions that shape everyday conduct and moral judgment (Hossain et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; S\u0026aacute;nchez et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2026\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis situation indicates that formal education has not yet fully enabled students to develop as autonomous learners; instead, it still reflects a high level of dependence on external agents in thinking, acting, and making decisions (Rivera-G\u0026oacute;mez-Barris \u0026amp; El Homrani Maknuzi, 2025). Consequently, students tend to become passive subjects, as their actions are largely guided by teachers\u0026rsquo; directions. They often experience difficulties when confronted with situations that require independent decision-making (Truong Son \u0026amp; Thanh Hai, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Yeung et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Discipline and compliance are also more frequently shaped by monitoring systems and assessment mechanisms than by internalized value awareness, leading to weakened consistency of positive behavior when external control diminishes (Ma et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2026\u003c/span\u003e; Yusuf \u0026amp; Fajari, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). This dependency suggests that students frequently function as compliant participants rather than autonomous agents capable of independent judgment and action.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis dependency is further reinforced by students\u0026rsquo; relationship with technology, which encourages the pursuit of instant answers without reflective processes or critical reasoning (Ang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Hou et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). At a more fundamental level, this condition has implications for weakened moral autonomy, where notions of right and wrong are understood as external prescriptions rather than the result of personal ethical deliberation (Zhai et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Within the framework of character education, this situation indicates that educational processes still place greater emphasis on external compliance than on the development of internal autonomy (Soe et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Zhu et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on these challenges, there is a need for learning experiences that emphasize real responsibility and independent decision-making in order to cultivate disciplined and responsible student character. Educational theorists have long emphasized that character formation does not emerge from instruction or assessment, nor from the standardization of predetermined values, but rather from significant experiences that promote growth, reflection, and continuity (Dewey, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1938\u003c/span\u003e). When students are placed in real-life situations that require them to make decisions and take responsibility, learning occurs through the experience itself. Accordingly, learning is understood as a cyclical process consisting of concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation (Kolb, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1984\u003c/span\u003e). From this perspective, character formation emerges through lived experience in which reflection, responsibility, and action are inseparable components of learning.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA growing body of research over the past five years indicates that experiential learning, particularly through outdoor-based activities, is effective in creating contextual learning situations that require active student engagement and contribute to character development (Down et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Yildiz, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Zong et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Such approaches have also been shown to enhance reflective social\u0026ndash;emotional skills and to foster experiences of responsibility and independence in decision-making (A. Ghani et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Akarsu, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Down et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, much of the existing research still treats outdoor education activities, including camping and adventure programs, as supplementary or extracurricular experiences rather than as integral components of formal education systems. Many studies focus primarily on short-term outcomes related to social\u0026ndash;emotional skills, teamwork, or self-confidence, without examining how experiential activities can be systematically designed to support sustained character formation within curricular structures (Dania et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Kokkonen et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Mann et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). As a result, experiential learning is not consistently positioned as a central pedagogical framework for character education. Accordingly, there remains a critical need to examine how experiential learning can be systematically embedded within formal schooling structures to support sustained character formation rather than short-term developmental outcomes.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese limitations become even more pronounced in the context of Islamic education and Islamic schools. Although the primary aims of Islamic education are character formation, moral responsibility, and ethical conduct, educational practices in Islamic school are still frequently dominated by cognitive-oriented instruction and normative regulation. In contrast, Islamic educational philosophy emphasizes the integration of knowledge, action, and moral responsibility. However, empirical research examining how these principles are operationalized through experiential learning in Islamic schools remains very limited (Halstead, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e; Sahin, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e; Hossain et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). This condition raises a fundamental question regarding how character education can be authentically realized in contemporary Islamic school educational practice.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA private Islamic international school in Indonesia represents a distinctive case within this landscape. As a contemporary Islamic educational institution, it integrates modern pedagogical approaches such as project-based learning, STEAM education, and experiential programs, while consistently affirming Islamic values as its ethical foundation. This school can be categorized as a progressive international madrasah, as it develops a \u0026ldquo;Madrasah 4.0\u0026rdquo; model\u0026mdash;one that is adaptive to the digital era while remaining firmly rooted in Islamic values (Hasanah, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAt this school, camping activities are not positioned as recreational or extracurricular programs but are integrated into the curriculum and implemented regularly as part of the educational program. Students are entrusted with substantial responsibility, ranging from activity planning and logistical management to decision-making and reflection on outcomes, while teachers serve as facilitators and moral companions rather than technical controllers. Within this pedagogical arrangement, camping at the participating school can be understood as a model of experiential character education, as character values are not taught explicitly but are enacted within real-life contexts (Dewey, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1938\u003c/span\u003e; Kolb, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1984\u003c/span\u003e; Hossain et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eStudents encounter situations that require ethical judgment, leadership, cooperation, and responsibility through authentic challenges and social interaction. Consistent with Dewey\u0026rsquo;s concept of educative experience and Kolb\u0026rsquo;s experiential learning cycle, minor mistakes and failures are not regarded as disruptions but as valuable pedagogical opportunities for self-reflection, action improvement, and moral growth (Dewey, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1938\u003c/span\u003e; Kolb, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1984\u003c/span\u003e; Mann et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite its strong pedagogical significance, such practices have received limited attention in the international experiential education literature. There remains a need for empirical studies that examine how experiential learning can be systematically designed as a character education system within formal schooling, particularly in value-based educational contexts such as madrasahs. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates camping activities at the participating school as an integrated experiential character education system. Using a mixed methods approach, the study seeks to illuminate how experiential learning processes, role structures, and ethical reflection contribute to students\u0026rsquo; character formation. This study contributes to experiential education scholarship by reconceptualizing camping as a formally embedded experiential character education system and by extending empirical evidence from a faith-based Global South educational context.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Method","content":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResearch Design\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study employs a mixed methods approach to obtain a comprehensive understanding of camping activities at the participating school as a model of experiential character education in outdoor settings. Quantitative data are used to measure general perceptions, while qualitative data explore participants\u0026rsquo; subjective experiences in greater depth. The integration of both approaches aims to enhance the validity of the findings through the triangulation of numerical and descriptive data (Mekheimer, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research design adopts a sequential explanatory mixed methods design approach, in which quantitative data are analyzed first and subsequently elaborated through qualitative data. Both types of data are collected within a relatively similar time frame, analyzed separately, and integrated at the interpretation stage to strengthen the overall understanding of the findings (Contreras-Villalobos et al., 2024; Şahin \u0026amp; Ozturk, 2022; Hongling et al., 2025).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eParticipants\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was conducted at a private Islamic international school in Indonesia, with research participants consisting of students and accompanying teachers. The participants included 130 students and 8 teachers from the \u003cem\u003eIbtidaiyah\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eTsanawiyah\u003c/em\u003e levels who were involved in the camping activities. The sampling technique employed was purposive sampling, involving the selection of participants considered the most representative and information-rich based on the researcher\u0026rsquo;s judgment (Tajik et al., 2025). This approach, also known as judgmental sampling, enabled the researchers to capture diverse perspectives related to pedagogical design, role relationships, and value-based experiences within the camping activities (Ahmed, 2024; Memon et al., 2024; Weiss et al., 2023).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study involved two main groups of participants, namely students and teachers. The inclusion of both groups was intended to obtain a comprehensive understanding of experiential character education within camping activities. The student participants, predominantly aged 10\u0026ndash;15 years and spanning levels 4\u0026ndash;9, served as the primary source of both quantitative and qualitative data related to their direct experiences, perceptions, and attitudinal changes during the camping program. This group represents an early adolescent developmental stage that is particularly relevant for strengthening character values such as independence, cooperation, discipline, and responsibility through authentic outdoor experiences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, the teachers involved\u0026mdash;aged between 26 and 40 years and coming from diverse educational backgrounds\u0026mdash;served as key informants in explaining the design, facilitation processes, and pedagogical dynamics of the camping activities. Teachers\u0026rsquo; perspectives provided an interpretive context for the students\u0026rsquo; quantitative findings, particularly in elucidating how the camping experiences were facilitated, guided, and reflected upon as part of character education. Within a convergent mixed methods framework, the integration of data from both participant groups enabled the triangulation of findings and strengthened the validity of interpretations regarding the effectiveness of camping as an experiential learning model for character education in outdoor settings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstruments\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research instruments were designed to comprehensively examine the implementation of camping activities at the participating school as a model of experiential character education in outdoor settings. The instruments consisted of a closed-ended questionnaire and open-ended interviews, developed based on key character education indicators, including independence, responsibility, discipline, cooperation, leadership, and social awareness.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe closed-ended questionnaire employed a Likert scale to measure students\u0026rsquo; and teachers\u0026rsquo; perceptions and attitudes toward the process and impact of camping activities on character formation (Ana Maryana et al., 2025). The questionnaire items were contextualized to camping activities, such as participation in group tasks, decision-making in the field, adherence to shared rules, and social interaction. This instrument generated standardized quantitative data suitable for statistical analysis. Meanwhile, open-ended interviews were used to explore participants\u0026rsquo; subjective and reflective experiences related to interaction dynamics and character learning during the camping activities. The combination of these two instruments enabled the study to capture both measurable and contextual dimensions of character education within camping activities at the participating school\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProcedure\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuantitative surveys were administered after camping activities. Qualitative observations, interviews, and document analysis were conducted to capture experiential and pedagogical processes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 1\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eInstruments and data sources.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 164px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eComponent\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 149px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstrument\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 290px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDescription\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 164px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eParticipants\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 149px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudents and teachers\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 290px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudents were the primary participants, while teachers served as key informants.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 164px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eQuantitative instrument\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 149px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLikert-scale questionnaire\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 290px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMeasured perceptions of the camping program and character development.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 164px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eQualitative instrument\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 149px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOpen-ended questions\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 290px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eExplored teachers\u0026rsquo; role modeling and participants\u0026rsquo; experiences.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis questionnaire was divided into two parts. The first part of the question is presented using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree). Respondent confidentiality is maintained to ensure that the answers provided are objective and honest. In this mixed methods study, the quantitative approach emphasizes objectivity and replication through structured statistical procedures, although it still requires careful attention to instrument validity and reliability (Ghanad, 2023; Sapkota, 2024).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 2\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eStages of data collection and analysis.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 139px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStage\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 187px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProcedure\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 290px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDescription\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 139px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eData collection\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 187px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSurvey\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 290px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eQuantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently with ensured anonymity.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 139px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eQuantitative analysis\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 187px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDescriptive statistics (SPSS)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 290px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLikert-scale data were analyzed using SPSS to generate frequencies and percentages.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 139px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eQualitative analysis\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 187px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThematic analysis\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 290px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eResponses were coded and organized into themes supported by quotations.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 139px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eData integration\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 187px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eConvergent interpretation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 290px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eQuantitative and qualitative findings were integrated to strengthen interpretation.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study collects both quantitative and qualitative data to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the role of camping activities in shaping students\u0026rsquo; character. Quantitative data are used to map students\u0026rsquo; perceptions and experiences related to experiential character education, covering aspects such as responsibility, cooperation, leadership, and independence. These data are analyzed using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) through descriptive statistical techniques. All findings are integrated at the interpretation stage to produce a holistic picture of camping as experiential learning in character education in outdoor settings. This quantitative data analysis is necessary to examine the relationships among variables and to draw conclusions that can be generalized to a broader population (Claro et al., 2024). Descriptive statistics were employed to map general tendencies of students\u0026rsquo; perceptions, as the primary aim was to contextualize and explain experiential processes rather than to test causal relationships.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQualitative data were obtained through observations, open-ended interviews, and documentation studies to explore in depth the implementation process of camping activities, interactions among students, and the meaning of character values internalized through outdoor learning experiences. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis, involving repeated reading of the data, coding, pattern categorization, and theme development, which are presented in narrative form supported by direct quotations from participants (Park, 2025). The qualitative approach in this study emphasizes an in-depth understanding of experiences, meanings, and social contexts that cannot be measured quantitatively. This approach is grounded in inductive and naturalistic logic to interpret social phenomena contextually and holistically in accordance with participants\u0026rsquo; lived experiences (Makateng \u0026amp; Mokala, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical Review Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study received approval from the institutional ethics review authority of the participating school. Participation was voluntary, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants and their parents or legal guardians prior to data collection. Participants were informed of the purpose of the study, the procedures involved, and their right to withdraw at any time without consequence. All data were treated confidentially and reported in anonymized form.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrengthening Student Character\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eClosed Questionnaire (Quantitative)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe questionnaire instrument consists of closed (quantitative) questionnaires and open (qualitative) interviews with students. From the results of the descriptive statistical data analysis conducted on the questionnaire scoring results, the following findings were obtained, as shown in Table 3.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 3\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eStudents\u0026rsquo; perceptions of camping activities (n = 130).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNo.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStatement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrongly Disagree (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDisagree (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNeutral (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAgree (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrongly Agree (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOverall Tendency\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eI feel braver and more independent after joining the camping activity\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e40.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePositive\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eI learned to work together with friends during camping\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e56.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStrongly positive\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCamping activities make me appreciate nature and God\u0026rsquo;s creation more\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e33.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVery strongly positive\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCamping helps me develop good character (caring, patience, courage)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e24.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e54.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e16.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStrongly positive\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eI enjoy camping activities and feel they are beneficial for me\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e35.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e38.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eModerately positive\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eI do not like camping and only join because I am forced\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e38.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMostly disagreement\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCamping makes me feel tired or uncomfortable so I become less motivated\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e32.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e36.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMixed (leaning disagreement)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote:\u003c/strong\u003e Percentages are rounded; totals may not equal 100% due to rounding.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe results of the study indicate that camping activities have a positive impact on students\u0026rsquo; courage and independence. A total of 40.0% of respondents agreed and 13.8% strongly agreed that they felt more courageous and independent after participating in the camping program, resulting in a combined positive response of 53.8%. However, the relatively high proportion of neutral responses (43.8%) suggests that the strengthening of these two aspects has not been evenly experienced and requires ongoing habituation and repeated exposure to similar experiences. Negative responses were very minimal (approximately 2%), indicating a low level of resistance to this activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe aspect of cooperation shows the strongest results. A total of 56.2% of respondents agreed and 23.1% strongly agreed that camping helped them learn to work collaboratively, resulting in a combined positive response of 79.3%. Neutral responses accounted for only 20.0%, and virtually no negative responses were identified. These findings indicate that camping functions as an effective experiential context for fostering collaboration, social responsibility, and collective engagement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the dimension of spiritual and environmental awareness, camping activities also demonstrate a significant impact. A total of 43.8% of respondents agreed and 33.8% strongly agreed that camping increased their appreciation of nature and God\u0026rsquo;s creation, resulting in an overall positive response of 77.6%. Neutral responses accounted for 18.5%, while negative responses were very minimal (approximately 3%). This indicates that nature-based learning contributes strongly to the development of ecological awareness and spiritual reflection.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe role of camping in character formation is clearly reflected in the responses, with 54.6% of respondents agreeing and 16.9% strongly agreeing that this activity helps cultivate caring, patience, and courage, resulting in a total positive response of 71.5%. The neutral response rate of 24.6% indicates that character internalization is a gradual process and is experienced differently by each student. Negative responses appeared in very small numbers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the affective perspective, perceptions of enjoyment and benefits of camping show a moderately positive trend. A total of 38.5% of respondents agreed and 20.8% strongly agreed (59.3%) that they enjoyed and benefited from the camping activities. However, the relatively high proportion of neutral responses (35.4%) suggests variation in individual levels of comfort and adaptation to outdoor activities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResponses to the negative statement regarding being forced to participate in camping indicate strong rejection. A total of 38.5% of respondents disagreed and 28.5% strongly disagreed, resulting in a combined rejection rate of 67.0%. Only about 9% agreed or strongly agreed. These findings confirm that most students participated in camping voluntarily and did not perceive it as a compulsory activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegarding physical fatigue and motivation, respondents tended to disagree that camping reduced their learning motivation. A total of 32.3% disagreed and 12.3% strongly disagreed (44.6%), while 36.2% remained neutral and 19.4% agreed or strongly agreed. This indicates that although physical challenges were present, they did not predominantly hinder learning motivation and were instead understood as part of the educational experience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFigure 3\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eDistribution of response categories across camping indicators (n = 130).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe overall distribution of responses shows a strong positive tendency, as presented in Figure 3. The majority of students provided positive responses to camping activities. A total of 68.3% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the various benefits of camping, encompassing aspects of courage, cooperation, spiritual awareness, character formation, and personal benefits. Neutral responses accounted for 28.5%, indicating variation in the level of experience internalization, while negative responses were very minimal (3.2%). These findings confirm that, overall, camping is perceived as an effective and meaningful learning activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, the combined diagram of negative indicators shows that the majority of respondents rejected negative perceptions of camping activities. A total of 55.7% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that camping was undertaken due to compulsion or that it led to decreased motivation. Neutral responses accounted for 30.0%, while only 14.3% agreed with the negative statements. This indicates that physical challenges and activity demands were not predominantly perceived as serious barriers in students\u0026rsquo; learning experiences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eOpen Interview (Qualitative)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 4 presents the thematic results of open-ended student interviews and their alignment with related quantitative Likert-scale indicators.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 4\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eIntegration of open-ended responses with quantitative (Likert-scale) indicators.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 112px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCore Theme\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDescription of Experiences\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Quantitative Indicator\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 206px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntegrated Interpretation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 112px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOutdoor challenge and adventure\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOutbound tasks, flying fox, night trekking, tracking, and activities in rain and water\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCourage and independence\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 206px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEnvironmental and physical challenges correspond with higher agreement on courage and independence outcomes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 112px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eInteraction with nature\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStargazing, rivers and forests, authentic camping (non-glamping), learning to live with nature\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIndependence and self-reliance\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 206px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDirect engagement with nature supports autonomy and self-reliance patterns in survey responses\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 112px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSocial bonding and responsibility\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGroup tasks, shared meals, peer interaction, mentoring younger students, committee roles\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCooperation, social responsibility, leadership\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 206px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eRole-based social interaction aligns with strong cooperation scores and varied leadership indicators\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 112px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEmotional challenge and reflection\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eManaging fear, fatigue, wet conditions, and emotional shifts from fear to pride\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 126px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCourage, emotional growth, self-confidence\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 206px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEmotional coping experiences help explain both strong and moderate Likert responses across character indicators\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe integration of quantitative and qualitative findings indicates that students\u0026rsquo; concrete camping experiences consistently reinforce Likert-scale outcomes, especially in courage and independence. Challenging outdoor tasks and group dynamics help explain high cooperation and social responsibility scores, while variation in leadership outcomes corresponds to differences in assigned roles. Neutral responses suggest uneven levels of character internalization. From an experiential learning perspective, character formation emerges through direct experience and social interaction but requires structured responsibility and guided reflection to support deeper and more sustained value internalization.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeachers\u0026rsquo; Perspectives on the Character Education Process\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eClosed Questionnaire (Quantitative)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimilar to the student participants, teacher data were collected using a closed-ended questionnaire and open-ended interviews. Descriptive statistical analysis of the questionnaire results indicates consistent patterns in teachers\u0026rsquo; evaluations of the camping-based character education process. The detailed results are presented in Table 5.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eTeachers\u0026rsquo; perceptions of camping activities for character education (n = 8).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNo.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStatement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrongly Disagree (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDisagree (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNeutral (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAgree (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrongly Agree (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOverall Tendency\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCamping activities provide an effective space to foster students\u0026rsquo; independence\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e75.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStrongly positive\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eI observed the development of students\u0026rsquo; responsibility during the activity\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e75.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStrongly positive\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThis activity strengthens cooperation and communication among students\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e37.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStrongly positive\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOutdoor activities such as camping facilitate teachers in developing students\u0026rsquo; character (discipline, manners, courage)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e37.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStrongly positive\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe natural environment during camping helps students learn real-life problem solving\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e75.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStrongly positive\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCamping provides opportunities for teachers to better understand students\u0026rsquo; personalities and needs\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eUnanimously positive\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCamping activities are too tiring and not proportional to their educational benefits\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMostly disagreement\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOverall, camping activities are aligned with the goals of character education in schools or madrasahs\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e87.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVery strongly positive\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote\u003c/strong\u003e: Values are percentages of teacher responses (n = 8) on a 5-point Likert scale.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 5 shows that teachers reported highly consistent positive perceptions regarding the character education value of camping activities. All positive indicators fall within the agree and strongly agree categories, with agreement levels ranging from 62.5% to 87.5% and strong agreement from 12.5% to 37.5%. All teachers (100%) agreed that camping helps them better understand students\u0026rsquo; personalities and needs through direct interaction outside the classroom.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe negatively framed statement regarding excessive fatigue and limited educational value was rejected by most teachers (87.5%), with no agreement responses recorded. These results indicate that physical challenge is generally interpreted as a constructive component of the learning process. Overall, teachers perceive camping as aligned with character education goals and as an effective experiential pedagogical approach.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFigure 4 presents the distribution of teachers\u0026rsquo; responses across Likert-scale categories for camping activities. Agreement responses (agree and strongly agree) account for the largest share across items, indicating broadly positive teacher evaluations of camping as a character education approach. Neutral responses are present at a moderate level, while disagreement responses form a smaller proportion overall. This pattern suggests that although some concerns are reported, teachers\u0026rsquo; ratings are predominantly favorable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eOpen Interview (Qualitative)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 6 summarizes the results of teachers\u0026rsquo; open-ended interviews on the most prominent character education aspects observed during camping activities and their alignment with related Likert-scale indicators.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 6\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eTeachers\u0026rsquo; perspectives on key character outcomes in camping.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"3\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Statement (Summarized)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDominant Educational Aspects Identified\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudents demonstrated critical thinking and creativity in solving real-life survival and life-skill problems\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCritical thinking, creativity, life skills\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCamping fostered strong responsibility, independence, and leadership among students\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eResponsibility, independence, leadership\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudents showed adaptability to unfamiliar conditions along with physical and mental resilience\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAdaptability, physical and mental resilience\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLeadership and responsibility were clearly reflected in student behavior\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLeadership, responsibility\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudents developed personal and group responsibility, independence in survival tasks, and time discipline\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eResponsibility, independence, discipline\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCamping strengthened independence, cooperation, social skills, and problem-solving ability\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIndependence, cooperation, social skills, problem solving\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudents demonstrated accountability and the ability to manage challenges effectively\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eResponsibility, accountability, problem solving\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIndependence emerged as the most frequently observed character trait\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIndependence\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe interview results are consistent with the questionnaire findings. Teachers frequently reported student independence, responsibility, and discipline during camping activities, aligning with the high agreement levels observed in the Likert-scale results. Leadership and cooperation were commonly noted in group-based tasks, while critical thinking and problem-solving emerged in field-based situations. Overall, the qualitative responses support the quantitative pattern, indicating that camping activities function as an experiential context for character development.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eSeveral notable features emerge from the camping activities conducted at a private Islamic international school in Indonesia. First, the camping program implements a role distribution based on students\u0026rsquo; age levels and maturity: Level 7 students serve as team leaders, Level 8 students act as the full organizing committee, and Level 9 students function as supervisors, while teachers are positioned as mentors. This structure serves as a form of gradual leadership training that instills an understanding that responsibility and trust are mandates that must be accounted for.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecond, as the main organizers, Level 8 students prepare a complete activity proposal, including the background, objectives, rationale, schedule, and budget estimation. They conduct site surveys, compile logistics lists, arrange transportation, and manage the funds entrusted by the school through a transparent financial reporting system. At this stage, managerial competence and integrity emerge\u0026mdash;qualities rarely found at such a young age. These students practice functioning as a civic community within a miniature educational society\u0026mdash;learning to organize, lead, coordinate, and take responsibility for shared resources. Field observations during the camping program showed that students often negotiated responsibilities within their groups, particularly when organizing shared tasks such as food preparation and equipment management.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThird, the three-day field activities provide a space for the development of four dimensions of intelligence as formulated in their proposal: Spiritual Quotient (SQ), reflected in nature contemplation (\u003cem\u003etadabbur\u003c/em\u003e) and reflection (\u003cem\u003etafakkur\u003c/em\u003e) that cultivate an awareness of God\u0026rsquo;s presence within His creation; Emotional Quotient (EQ), manifested in character formation such as patience, courage, cooperation, and empathy; Intelligence Quotient (IQ), demonstrated through the application of technical and scientific knowledge in real contexts, such as setting up tents, managing meals, or maintaining environmental cleanliness; and Physical Quotient (PQ), developed through physical endurance and mental resilience fostered by outdoor activities that require a balance between physical effort and cognitive engagement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFourth, students\u0026rsquo; ability to produce formal documents, manage finances, and organize cross-level activities indicates the presence of a systemic work culture that has been internalized within the madrasah environment. They work not out of compulsion, but from a sense of collective responsibility. This is where the seeds of a civic habitus\u0026mdash;habits of civilized living and organization that lie at the core of educational civilization\u0026mdash;become visible. Observations show that students make thoughtful and measured considerations. Their choices are not merely technical decisions, but reflections of a learning process grounded in collective responsibility and moral sensibility. The students do not merely observe; they also evaluate values and consequences behind every decision they make.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis activity demonstrates that camping is not a supplementary component of the education system, but an integral part of the participating school\u0026rsquo;s educational vision to integrate intellect, moral conduct (\u003cem\u003eadab\u003c/em\u003e), and action (\u003cem\u003eʿamal\u003c/em\u003e) within the learning process. Students are not only taught how to think correctly, but also how to act appropriately in real-life situations. Mistakes, delays, and failures during the preparation process instead become materials for reflection and collective learning. This implies that learning and teaching processes must allow space for error, failure, and imperfection. Students learn that failure is not a disgrace, but a formative space\u0026mdash;a part of the journey toward becoming mature human beings rather than perfect ones (Hafizallah, 2024).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen viewed from the perspective of character education, camping activities in the participating school embody elements of Ki Hajar Dewantara\u0026rsquo;s concept of auto-education\u0026mdash;an educational approach that allows learners to shape themselves through experience under the moral guidance of adults rather than through direct control (Purbonuswanto et al., 2024; Sasti et al., 2025). This approach resonates with Dewey\u0026rsquo;s notion of educative experience, in which learners actively construct meaning through action, reflection, and guided moral support, rather than through externally imposed regulation. In this pedagogical arrangement, teachers are no longer positioned as the center of control, but as facilitators and guardians of values who support students\u0026rsquo; experiential meaning-making processes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin this practice, camping functions as a concrete form of value-based experiential education that fosters autonomy, responsibility, and moral courage from an early age. These qualities emerge not through explicit moral instruction, but through students\u0026rsquo; engagement in real-life situations that require decision-making, accountability, and cooperation within a shared learning environment. Taken together, these findings illustrate how structured responsibility, role differentiation, and guided reflection transform outdoor activities into educative experiences that cultivate moral autonomy and social accountability.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCamping activities can therefore be understood as a miniature model of experiential character education in outdoor settings. Students are encouraged to identify opportunities and risks through rational deliberation while simultaneously considering social and ethical implications\u0026mdash;for example, by organizing shared responsibilities, maintaining environmental cleanliness, and ensuring the accommodation of collective needs. In the context of Islamic education, this process reflects the integration of experiential learning with spiritual and ethical reflection, where knowledge, action, and moral responsibility are closely interconnected. Within Islamic educational philosophy, this integration reflects the inseparability of knowledge (\u003cem\u003eʿilm\u003c/em\u003e), action (\u003cem\u003eʿamal\u003c/em\u003e), and ethical conduct (\u003cem\u003eadab\u003c/em\u003e), positioning experiential learning as a pathway for holistic human formation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall, camping activities at a private Islamic international school in Indonesia exemplify an educational praxis aligned with the principles of progressive education\u0026mdash;learning through experience\u0026mdash;where students learn by acting, reflecting, and constructing social meaning. From this perspective, experiential learning becomes holistic when accompanied by reflective self-discipline and value-oriented reflection. Camping is thus not positioned merely as a recreational activity, but as a formative educational space in which character is cultivated through concrete action, social responsibility, and ethical awareness. Character formation is manifested in students\u0026rsquo; everyday practices, such as caring for the environment, respecting time and roles, exercising leadership, and building constructive social relationships.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImplications\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study offers several important implications for experiential education theory and practice. First, the findings extend experiential learning scholarship by demonstrating how camping can function as a systemically embedded pedagogical model rather than an extracurricular enrichment activity. By positioning students as organizers, decision makers, and reflective agents, the program illustrates how experiential education can cultivate responsibility, autonomy, and ethical judgment through structured real-life practice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecond, the study contributes to the development of character education within value-based schooling, particularly in Islamic educational contexts. The integration of experiential learning with spiritual reflection, moral responsibility, and communal ethics shows that character formation can be strengthened when ethical values are enacted in authentic social and environmental contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThird, the findings offer practical implications for schools seeking holistic character education approaches. Curriculum-integrated outdoor experiential programs can foster leadership, cooperation, resilience, and ecological awareness while strengthening students\u0026rsquo; moral autonomy and social responsibility. Such models may be transferable to diverse educational contexts aiming to balance cognitive achievement with ethical and social development.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, this study contributes to global discussions on experiential education by presenting evidence from a Global South, faith-based educational setting, expanding the cultural and pedagogical diversity represented in experiential education research. These findings suggest that outdoor experiential programs, when systematically integrated into school curricula, can serve as sustainable pedagogical models for character education beyond short-term interventions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLimitations of the Present Study\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral limitations should be considered when interpreting the findings of this study. First, the research was conducted in a single Islamic international school with a distinctive pedagogical culture, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other educational settings. Second, the sample size, particularly the number of teacher participants, was relatively small, which may restrict the breadth of perspectives captured. Third, the study relied partly on self-reported perceptions, which may be influenced by social desirability bias. Although triangulation with qualitative data strengthened interpretation, observational measures over longer durations could provide deeper insights into behavioral change.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, the study focused on short-term experiential outcomes observed during and shortly after camping activities. Future research may explore longitudinal impacts to examine how experiential character formation is sustained over time.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe results demonstrate that camping activities are not positioned as recreational outdoor programs or merely as supplementary curricular components, but rather as a consciously designed and integrated system of character education within the pedagogical architecture of the madrasah. Camping functions as a social and spiritual learning laboratory that enables students to experience character values, life skills, and ethical\u0026ndash;spiritual awareness through direct engagement\u0026mdash;dimensions that are often addressed only conceptually in classroom settings. In this context, character education is understood not as the transmission of values, but as a formative process realized through authentic experience, consistent with the principles of experiential learning.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn its implementation, camping is constructed as a learning space grounded in responsibility and leadership. Students are positioned as the primary agents who plan, manage, and carry out activities, while teachers act as moral companions and guardians of values. This arrangement fosters dynamic social relations in which leadership, cooperation, communication, and decision-making emerge naturally through direct practice rather than formal instruction.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study further finds that character values such as independence, trustworthiness, discipline, empathy, and responsibility are interpreted and practiced through concrete situations that require students to face real consequences. Minor mistakes and failures that arise during camping activities become key media for character learning, as they create opportunities for self-reflection and moral self-regulation, and personal maturation. In this context, character values are not delivered primarily through formal instruction. Instead, students encounter them directly through shared responsibilities, decision making, and cooperation during the camping activities.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study contributes to the literature by examining camping as a curriculum-embedded experiential learning model rather than as an extracurricular activity. The findings illustrate how outdoor programs can function as structured spaces for character formation within formal schooling. By repositioning camping as a curriculum-integrated experiential character education system, this study demonstrates how formal schooling can cultivate autonomy, responsibility, and ethical awareness through authentic practice. The findings suggest that curriculum-integrated experiential learning can play a meaningful role in strengthening students\u0026rsquo; autonomy, responsibility, and ethical awareness within formal schooling environments.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003ch2\u003eFunding:\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis research received no external funding.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e Ethics Approval: This study was approved by the institutional ethics review authority of the participating school.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e Informed Consent: Informed consent was obtained from all participants and their parents or legal guardians.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eClinical Trial Number: Not applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eU.A.S. conceived and designed the study, conducted data collection, and wrote the main manuscript. E.M. contributed to the research design, theoretical framework, and data interpretation. R.B.A. contributed to data analysis and manuscript revision. All authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAcknowledgement\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe authors would like to thank Madrasah Internasional Technonatura for supporting this research and all students and teachers who participated in the study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Availability\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Due to ethical considerations and the protection of participants\u0026rsquo; privacy, the data are not publicly available.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA. Ghani, R. B., Lau, P. W. C., Lu, N., Zhou, P., \u0026amp; Wang, J. J. (2025). 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Advances, hotspots, and trends in outdoor education research: A bibliometric analysis. \u003cem\u003eSustainability, 16\u003c/em\u003e(22), 10034. https://doi.org/10.3390/su162210034 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":true,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"experiential learning, camping-based learning, character education, Islamic madrasah, outdoor experiential context","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9145496/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9145496/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eCharacter education in formal schooling is often implemented through normative instruction, limiting students\u0026rsquo; opportunities to develop responsibility, leadership, and moral autonomy through authentic experience. Experiential learning offers an alternative by situating character formation within real-life contexts that require active engagement and accountability.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePurpose\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study examined how camping activities at a private Islamic international school in Indonesia are designed and enacted as an integrated experiential character education system through student-managed outdoor learning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethod\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA sequential explanatory mixed methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 130 students and 8 teachers using questionnaires measuring perceptions of character development. Qualitative data were obtained through observations, interviews, and document analysis, and were analyzed thematically. Both data sets were integrated at the interpretation stage.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFindings:\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results demonstrate that camping functions not as a recreational or extracurricular activity, but as a curriculum-integrated experiential learning system. Student-managed camping operates as a social and moral learning laboratory that fosters responsibility, leadership, cooperation, and ethical decision-making through authentic experience.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eImplications:\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eCamping-based experiential learning offers a transferable pedagogical model for character education in formal and value-based educational contexts.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Camping as an Integrated Experiential Character Education System: Student-Managed Outdoor Learning in a Formal Islamic School","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-05-08 06:42:23","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9145496/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"e3a7d36e-02df-4e43-a49b-cad3830596f2","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 8th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-05-13T22:32:02+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-10T06:17:50+00:00","index":15,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-13T22:38:57+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-05-08 06:42:23","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9145496","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9145496","identity":"rs-9145496","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}