Cultural Adaptation
The Experience of Santri Finding Learning Comfort in Modern Islamic Boarding Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31004/anthor.v5i5.1461Keywords:
Cultural Adaptation, Students (Santri), Learning Comfort, Modern Islamic Boarding School, Qualitative StudyAbstract
As Islamic educational institutions, modern pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) present a cultural environment distinct from the students' previous lives, making cultural adaptation a unique challenge for newcomers. This study aims to understand the experiences of new students in navigating cultural shifts, the adaptation strategies they employ, and the factors that foster a sense of comfort in the pesantren learning environment. A qualitative approach was adopted for this research. Three new students were selected as informants using purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model, comprising data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The study identifies six key themes: students' emotional states during the initial adaptation period, major obstacles encountered, dominant adaptation strategies used, primary sources of support, the sense of family shared with caregivers and fellow students, and student acceptance of the pesantren culture. The findings reveal that the cultural adaptation process unfolds gradually shifting from emotional instability to full acceptance of the pesantren culture ultimately creating a comfortable learning environment. This research is expected to assist pesantren administrators in designing support programs that are more responsive to the psychological and social needs of new students. In practical terms, this study is expected to assist and encourage pesantren administrators in designing support programs that are more responsive to the psychological and social needs of new students. Theoretically, the findings are expected to foster a more comprehensive understanding and development of the subject from a sociocultural perspective.
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