The AEWake Model: An AI-Enabled Instructional System for Enhancing Executive Function and Islamic Growth Mindset in Early Learners
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##
Erna Budiarti
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7529-2226
Rd. Heri Solehudin
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4456-2606
Balqis Shinta Rahayu
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8723-238X
Elyasa Hariangwibawa
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7149-1271
Nita Priyanti
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9921-9494
Abstract
In today's era of digital transformation and artificial intelligence, executive function skills and adaptive character are crucial competencies for students to face complex future challenges. Teaching that integrates interactive media based on smart technology with a spiritual values approach is seen as an effective and creative strategy to cultivate these skills from an early age. Although previous research has focused on basic digital literacy, evaluation of the impact of teaching that combines cognitive and spiritual aspects holistically is still limited. This study aims to develop and test the effectiveness of an instructional system based on the AEWake model through a smart puzzle barcode hijaiyah media designed to stimulate executive function while instilling an Islamic Growth Mindset. Using a Research and Development (R&D) method with an adapted development model, the study involved 90 early childhood children as test subjects. Data collection techniques were carried out through structured observations based on the AEWake instrument and digital documentation, which were then analyzed using inferential statistics to measure the media's effectiveness. The results showed that the use of this instructional media had a significant positive impact on improving children's directed attention, self-control, and cognitive flexibility. The findings revealed that digital scaffolding through interactive content was a key variable influencing learning success, while the use of recycled materials was shown to increase sensory comfort without reducing the effectiveness of the technology. It is concluded that the integration of AI-enabled technology and Islamic values is able to support sustainable cognitive and character development in the PAUD environment.
Downloads
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##
Copyright (c) 2025 Erna Budiarti, Rd. Heri Solehudin, Balqis Shinta Rahayu, Elyasa Hariangwibawa, Nita Priyanti
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
References
Aryaseta, A. W., Rosidah, I., Cahaya, V. E., Dausat, J., & Darmayanti, R. (2023). Digital Marketing: Optimization of Uniwara Pasuruan Students to Encourage UMKM “Jamu Kebonagung” Through Branding Strategy. Jurnal Dedikasi, 20(2).
Asbell-Clarke, J., Dahlstrom-Hakki, I., Voiklis, J., Attaway, B., Barchas-Lichtenstein, J., Edwards, T., Bardar, E., Robillard, T., Paulson, K., Grover, S., Israel, M., Ke, F., & Weintrop, D. (2024). Including neurodiversity in computational thinking. Frontiers in Education, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1358492
Brito, R., & Dias, P. (2020). “Which apps are good for my children?”: How the parents of young children select apps. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2020.100188
Cadime, I., Rodrigues, B., Ribeiro, I., & Martín-Aragoneses, M. T. (2024). Executive Functioning in Different Types of Reading Disabilities. Journal of Intelligence, 12(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12100101
Chawki, M. (2025). AI Moderation and Legal Frameworks in Child-Centric Social Media: A Case Study of Roblox. Laws, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/laws14030029
Cherniak, S., Lee, K., Cho, E., & Jung, S. E. (2019). Child-identified problems and their robotic solutions. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 17(4), 347–360. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X19860557
Chung, E. H., Chou, J., & Brown, K. A. (2020). Neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants: A recent literature review. Translational Pediatrics, 9, S3–S8. https://doi.org/10.21037/TP.2019.09.10
Coombes, T. F. (2023). Enter Children, with Childhood. Journal of the Royal Musical Association, 148(1), 171–179. https://doi.org/10.1017/rma.2023.8
Cutter-Mackenzie, A., Edwards, S., & Quinton, H. W. (2015). Child-framed video research methodologies: issues, possibilities and challenges for researching with children. Children’s Geographies, 13(3), 343–356. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2013.848598
Davis, A. C., Wright, C., Curtis, M., Hellard, M. E., Lim, M. S. C., & Temple-Smith, M. J. (2021). ‘Not my child’: parenting, pornography, and views on education. Journal of Family Studies, 27(4), 573–588. https://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2019.1657929
Deng, Y. (2024). The Construction of Higher Vocational English Language Bank Based on Neurolinguistic Knowledge. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.2478/amns-2024-1615
Diéguez, M. P., García, M. C., Asencio, E. N., & Vergara-Moragues, E. (2024). Executive Function Training Through a Mindfulness-Based Neuroeducational Program in Elementary School Students. Mindfulness, 15(11), 2739–2749. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-024-02474-8
Dong, J., Choi, K., Yu, S., Lee, Y., Kim, J., Vajir, D., Haines, C., Newbill, P. L., Wyatt, A., Upthegrove, T., & Jeon, M. (2024). A Child-Robot Musical Theater Afterschool Program for Promoting STEAM Education: A Case Study and Guidelines. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 40(13), 3465–3481. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2023.2189814
Dörrenbächer-Ulrich, L., & Bregulla, M. (2024). The Relationship Between Self-Regulated Learning and Executive Functions—a Systematic Review. Educational Psychology Review, 36(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09932-8
Hidayat, A., & Dhuhani, E. M. (2025). Evaluating the Acceptance and Use of Education Management Information System (EMIS) 4.0 in a Private Islamic Boarding School Based on the Technology Acceptance Model. Nazhruna: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 8(2), 349–362. https://doi.org/10.31538/nzh.v8i2.150
Huang, Y. (2024). Mind Over Machine? The Role of Student Mindset in AI-Assisted Curriculum Design for Sexual Health Education. Journal of Advanced Computational Intelligence and Intelligent Informatics, 30(2), 415–423. https://doi.org/10.20965/jaciii.2026.p0415
Kayaduman, H., & Sağlam, M. (2024). An examination of the research studies on augmented reality use in preschool education: a bibliometric mapping analysis. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 56(5), 595–615. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2023.2186988
Kazanidis, I., & Pellas, N. (2024). Harnessing Generative Artificial Intelligence for Digital Literacy Innovation: A Comparative Study between Early Childhood Education and Computer Science Undergraduates. AI (Switzerland), 5(3), 1427–1445. https://doi.org/10.3390/ai5030068
Kimmons, R., & Jensen, B. (2023). The Open Guidebook Approach: Designs to Support Collaborative, Close-to-Practice Teacher Learning. Open Praxis, 15(1), 8–26. https://doi.org/10.55982/openpraxis.15.1.521
Korhonen, T., Laakso, N., Seitamaa, A., Salonen, V., Tiippana, N., Lavonen, J., & Hakkarainen, K. (2024). Sociodigital practices, competences, mindsets, and profiles of Finnish students before and after the COVID-19 distance learning period. Cogent Education, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2334575
Kothalkar, P. V, Datla, S., Dutta, S., Hansen, J. H. L., Seven, Y., Irvin, D., & Buzhardt, J. (2021). Measuring Frequency of Child-directed WH-Question Words for Alternate Preschool Locations using Speech Recognition and Location Tracking Technologies. ICMI 2021 Companion - Companion Publication of the 2021 International Conference on Multimodal Interaction, 414–418. https://doi.org/10.1145/3461615.3485440
Krause, C. A., Escamilla, K. J., Hyland, M. T., Gonzalez, A. S., Woods, S. P., Cirino, P. T., Williams, M. W., & Medina, L. D. (2025). An initial review of doctoral clinical neuropsychology coursework syllabi: common trends and core competencies. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 47(9–10), 990–1000. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803395.2025.2494650
Lê-Scherban, F., Headen, I., Klem, A. M., Traister, K., Gilliam, E., Beverly, M., Jannetti, M., Ferroni, J., & Carroll-Scott, A. (2023). Research and Evaluation in a Child-Focused Place-Based Initiative: West Philly Promise Neighborhood. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20095716
Morales, S., Bowers, M. E., Shuffrey, L., Ziegler, K., Troller-Renfree, S., Hernandez, A., Leach, S. C., McGrath, M., Ola, C., Leve, L. D., Nozadi, S. S., Swingler, M. M., Lai, J.-S., Schweitzer, J. B., Fifer, W., Camargo, C. A., Khurana Hershey, G. K., Shapiro, A. L. B., Keating, D. P., … Elliott, A. J. (2024). Maternal education prospectively predicts child neurocognitive function: An environmental influences on child health outcomes study. Developmental Psychology, 60(6), 1028–1040. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001642
Nazari, N., & Far, D. M. (2019). The relationship between teaching skills, academic emotion, academic stress and mindset in university student academic achievement prediction: A PLS-SEM approach. Journal of Intellectual Disability - Diagnosis and Treatment, 7(3), 119–133. https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2019.07.03.9
Neumann, M. M., Calteaux, I., Reilly, D., & Neumann, D. L. (2023). Exploring teachers’ perspectives on the benefits and barriers of using social robots in early childhood education. Early Child Development and Care, 193(13–14), 1503–1516. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2023.2257000
Nieuwenhuis, S., van Buuren, M., Janssen, T. W. P., Altikulaç, S., Hollarek, M., Sijtsma, H., Walsh, R., Lee, N. C., & van Atteveldt, N. M. (2025). Is mindset related to functional connectivity in motivation-related brain networks: A resting-state fMRI study in adolescents. Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tine.2025.100262
Ozturk, E., Zhao, M., Hoffman, A. J., Joy, A., Marlow, C. S., Law, F., Deutsch, A. R., Mathews, C. J., McGuire, L., Balkwill, F., Burns, K., Butler, L., Drews, M., Fields, G., Smith, H., Winterbottom, M., Rutland, A., Hartstone-Rose, A., & Mulvey, K. L. (2024). Developmental Trajectories of Adolescents’ Math Motivation: The Role of Mindset and Perceptions of Informal STEM Learning Site Inclusivity. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 53(7), 1542–1563. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-024-01949-0
Peixoto, M., Dores, A., Monteiro, M., Marques, A., & Barbosa, F. (2025). Executive Function in Gambling Disorder: A Meta-analysis on Neuropsychological Evidence. Journal of Gambling Studies, 41(2), 449–488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-025-10383-1
Pietsch, M., & Mah, D.-K. (2025). Leading the AI transformation in schools: it starts with a digital mindset. Educational Technology Research and Development, 73(2), 1043–1069. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-024-10439-w
Procopio, M., Fernández-Cézar, R., Fernandes-Procopio, L., & Yánez-Araque, B. (2024). Neuroscience-Based Information and Communication Technologies Development in Elementary School Mathematics through Games: A Case Study Evaluation. Education Sciences, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14030213
Rutter, E. C., Oremus, M., Maxwell, C. J., & Tyas, S. L. (2025). Functional Social Support Subtypes Are Associated With Executive Function in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Findings From the Baseline Comprehensive Cohort of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Journal of Aging and Health, 37(9), 595–605. https://doi.org/10.1177/08982643241279879
Samuelsson, R. (2025). Computational transformations of early childhood education: Pathways toward child-centred computing in two educational change projects. British Journal of Educational Technology, 56(4), 1573–1592. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13536
Santiago, P. V. da S., Darmayanti, R., & Sugianto, R. (2023). Conquering IMO Problems in Brazil by Recognizing the Didactic Situation, Mathematics Teachers Must Know! Assyfa Learning Journal, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.61650/alj.v1i2.60
Siu, A. F. Y., & Ng, C. K. Y. (2024). Child-Centered home learning for preschool children during the pandemic: views from school practitioners and parents. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 44(2), 374–389. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2022.2118668
Sydow, S. L., Åkerfeldt, A., & Falk, P. (2021). Becoming a Maker Pedagogue: Exploring Practices of Making and Developing a Maker Mindset for Preschools. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series. https://doi.org/10.1145/3466725.3466756
Tan, K., Chin, H. X., Yau, C. W. L., Lim, E. C. H., Samarasekera, D., Ponnamperuma, G., & Tan, N. C. K. (2018). Evaluating a bedside tool for neuroanatomical localization with extended-matching questions. Anatomical Sciences Education, 11(3), 262–269. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.1741
Undheim, M., Kucirkova, N., Unstad, T., & Dardanou, M. (2024). Tracing the Ontological Beliefs of Norwegian Educators Concerning Technology use in Early Childhood Education and Care. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 29(3), 1627–1643. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-024-09733-6
Valencia-Londoño, P. A., Cardona-Rodas, H., & Jiménez-Builes, J. A. (2025). Artificial intelligence in education: advancing educational digital inclusion for adults older with diverse neuromuscular conditions. Frontiers in Education, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1464030
Vedianty, A. S. A., Nurhayati, D., Darmayanti, R., & Lestari, A. S. B. (2024). Application of the TPACK Framework in Digital Assessment of Elementary School Students’ Mathematical Communication Skills Based on Level of Self-Confidence. Delta-Phi: Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.61650/dpjpm.v2i1.28
Verdeflor, R. N., Dellosa, R. V, Ventures, R. R., Bordios, A. G., Sequito, A. I. B., & Mujeres, P. C. R. (2025). Using technology in instruction to increase innovative mindset and behavior: Lens from higher education learners in science and ICT. Environment and Social Psychology, 10(4). https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i4.3266
Vidal-Hall, C., Flewitt, R., & Wyse, D. (2020). Early childhood practitioner beliefs about digital media: integrating technology into a child-centred classroom environment. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 28(2), 167–181. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1735727
Wright, A., Martin, A., Pollak, S. D., Phillips, D. A., Stein, G. L., & Johnson, A. D. (2025). COVID-19-induced educational disruptions and children’s executive functioning: A longitudinal cohort study. Developmental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0002113