The Implications of Teaching-Learning About Character as A General Subject (MKU) for Improving the Behavior of Students Whilst Learning about the Study of Religion and Spirituality at Serambi Mekkah University in Banda Aceh

The purpose of this research study was to find the most appropriate method or model for the teaching-learning about character that will contribute to form the students’character so that they will have strong character whilst being competitive and nobled with high moral character yet tolerant, working with the community, and with the spirit of patriotism, dynamic, oriented to (the development of) science and technology. The population for this research was all the students at Serambi Mekkah University in all 8 (eight) faculties. To obtain the quantitative data a Likert scale was used whilst to get the qualitative data the researcher used observations, a questionnaire and interview techniques with the purpose to describe the relevant categories (of character values) to be observed in this research. The result of this research found implications that the teaching-learning of character via the Study of Religion and Spirituality at Serambi Mekkah University has not yet achieved the satisfactory results that were hoped for. This was because there has not been consistency of curriculum and syllabus for the Study of Religion and Spirituality amongst the lecturers for the subject; differences in the educational background of these lecturers have resulted in different expertise being expressed so that not all the indicators of character have been touched upon. The 18 (eighteen) components of character in the government program do not cover all the aspects of character of the Indonesian people; there are still some important aspects not covered like shyness which is one aspect of character that is not ideal whilst bravery represents an aspect that is truly good and meritorious.