THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION IN CAMBODIA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MODERN ERA

Abstract

This research analyzes the Digital Transformation (DT) of Islamic education in Cambodia using a Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods Design (QUAN → QUAL). The study aimed to quantify the infrastructure readiness and technology adoption and qualitatively analyze the digital literacy and pedagogical challenges faced by Islamic educators. Quantitative findings exposed a severe digital divide: for instance, only 62.4% of Cambodian secondary schools had access to basic ICT infrastructure in 2018, with marginal readiness for DT in madrasahs. Educator surveys corroborated this, revealing low self-reported competence (TPACK ≈ 3.2/5) and low confidence, with only 13% of teachers feeling prepared for the digital shift. Qualitative analysis provided context, revealing that DT is primarily constrained by infrastructural deficits, budget limitations, and a fundamental pedagogical fear among educators that digital learning compromises tarbiyah (moral development) due to reduced personal interaction. The study concludes that equitable DT requires a twofold strategy: targeted investment to close the digital infrastructure gap and the immediate implementation of continuous, context-specific training focused on critical digital religious literacy to ensure technology enhances, rather than erodes, Islamic ethical principles.