<![CDATA[The integration of digital technology into Islamic Religious Education (PAI) represents one of the most consequential pedagogical challenges facing Muslim educational institutions in the twenty-first century. This study empirically investigates the effectiveness of Google Classroom-mediated PAI instruction in transforming the character formation of students at Islamic secondary schools in Java, Indonesia. Grounded in Paulo Freire's critical pedagogy (1970) and Thomas Lickona's three-dimensional character framework (1991, 2004), the study employs a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected from 320 students across eight schools using the Character Formation Index (CFI), a 45-item validated instrument measuring religious character, digital integrity, and academic responsibility, before and after a 16-week implementation cycle. Qualitative depth was provided through semi-structured interviews with 48 students and 16 PAI teachers. Results revealed statistically significant and educationally substantial improvements across all three character dimensions: religious character increased by 38.6% (Cohen's d = 2.38), digital integrity by 45.4% (d = 2.01), and academic responsibility by 41.7% (d = 1.88). Crucially, pedagogical pattern—particularly the degree of dialogic-transformative use of the platform—emerged as a stronger predictor of character gain than school location or infrastructure quality. These findings ground the formulation of the TAPAK Model (Transformasi Aktif PAI berbasis Karakter / Active Character-Based PAI Transformation), a five-phase instructional framework that systematically operationalises Freirean praxis within Islamic pedagogical tradition. Implications for teacher professional development, curriculum reform, and equitable digital education policy are discussed.]]>
