DIGITAL BRANDING AS CURRICULUM IDENTITY REPRESENTATION IN AN INTEGRATED ISLAMIC SCHOOL: A CASE STUDY OF SMP IT CENDEKIA TAKENGON

Abstrak

The rapid development of digital media has encouraged educational institutions to utilize online platforms to build institutional identity and strengthen public engagement. In the context of Islamic schools, digital branding serves not only as a promotional tool but also as a medium for representing curriculum identity. This study examines how the distinctive curriculum identity of the Integrated Islamic School Network (JSIT) is represented through the digital branding practices of SMP IT Cendekia Takengon, Central Aceh, Indonesia. A qualitative case study design was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation, and document analysis involving the principal, public relations staff, teachers, students, and parents. The data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña and interpreted through Stuart Hall's theory of representation. The findings reveal that digital branding represents curriculum identity through the publication of distinctive educational programs, including Qur'anic Learning, Arabic Language Instruction, Islamic Character Development (BPI), Agribusiness Education, and Outing Class. These programs reflect the values, culture, and educational orientation of the integrated Islamic school model. Theoretically, this study extends the educational branding literature by proposing the perspective of digital branding as curriculum identity representation, integrating educational branding, identity representation, and the integrated Islamic curriculum into a coherent analytical framework