Fostering Creative Learning through Pedagogical Competence: An Educational Reflection on Exodus 36:1 at SDN 1 Hurung Bunut

Abstract

This study examines the role of teachers’ pedagogical competence in fostering creative learning in Christian Religious Education (CRE), drawing on a biblical-educational reflection of Exodus 36:1. In contemporary education, creativity is increasingly recognized as a core competence for students, requiring teachers to design learning environments that encourage imagination, originality, and active engagement. Within Christian education, creativity is also understood as a God-given capacity that should be nurtured and directed toward meaningful and constructive purposes. This study seeks to integrate educational theory and biblical theology in exploring how pedagogical competence contributes to creative learning in a public elementary school context. Using a quantitative research design with a descriptive-correlational approach, data were collected from 78 Christian students at SDN 1 Hurung Bunut, Gunung Mas. A structured questionnaire was used to measure students’ perceptions of their Christian Religious Education teacher’s pedagogical competence and the extent to which creative learning was fostered in the classroom. The findings indicate that students perceived both pedagogical competence and creative learning to be at high levels. A strong and statistically significant positive correlation was found between pedagogical competence and creative learning, suggesting that higher levels of perceived pedagogical competence are associated with richer creative learning experiences. Regression analysis further demonstrated that pedagogical competence significantly predicted creative learning outcomes. Interpreted through Exodus 36:1, these results affirm that creative abilities can be intentionally cultivated through wise and skillful pedagogy. This study concludes that strengthening teachers’ pedagogical competence is essential for fostering creative, meaningful, and theologically grounded learning environments in Christian Religious Education.