Communication Patterns in the Learning Process at Pesantren: A Cultural Communication Perspective on the Formation of Santri Values and Identity at Pesantren Alkhairat Ambon

Abstract

Learning in pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) is not merely a process of knowledge transfer from educators to students; it is also a communicative process that facilitates the formation of the students' meanings, values, habits, and identities. This study aims to analyze the communication patterns established during the learning process at Pesantren Alkhairaat Ambon, utilizing a cultural communication perspective, specifically regarding the formation of student values ​​and identities. A qualitative research approach was employed. Data were gathered through participant observation, open-ended interviews, and document analysis. Research informants included students, teachers (ustaz/ustazah), school leadership, parents, the school committee, and representatives from the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The results indicate that learning communication patterns at Pesantren Alkhairaat Ambon unfold through several interconnected forms: teacher-student communication, peer communication, independent study, and external communication between the pesantren and families. Learning extends beyond face-to-face classroom interactions, evolving through out-of-class study practices, group learning, peer tutoring, and parental involvement. The findings reveal that these communication patterns create a social space for students to cultivate independence, responsibility, and interpersonal skills, such as respecting others, while internalizing the values ​​governing pesantren life. These patterns form a "triangular learning communication" model, with students, teachers, and parents as primary elements, while the pesantren, media, school committee, government, and peer tutors serve as supporting elements. From a cultural communication perspective, this pattern demonstrates that pesantren learning is a process of transmitting and constructing cultural meaning through both formal and informal interactions. This study contributes to the field of cultural communication by positioning the pesantren as a communicative space that not only transmits knowledge but also shapes the values ​​and identities of its students.