ABSTRACT
Human development refers to changes that occur with the passage of time with changing biological and environmental factors. This chapter outlines some principles and pathways of human development to consider how educators might optimize Islamic learning environments and pedagogies they employ with learners. It is premised on three key concepts. First, the ways and pedagogies by which educators engage learners have impacts on accelerating or decelerating development; second, educators who understand how young people develop may be better able to design effective learning experiences; and third, Islamic education is composed of unique content, pedagogies, and learning objectives, which together suggest a unique type of human development. Starting with basic mechanisms of human development, the chapter illuminates some uniquely Muslim perspectives on human development, including the fitra (nature) and the ruh (soul). The chapter then presents three examples of Islamically coherent leading learning activities – play, dialogue, and adult–youth companionship – intended to nurture holistic human development in three main age periods of youth. Employing particular pedagogies may directly contribute to a young person's engagement, meaning making, and internalization of Islamic material and, simultaneously, draw development forward.
