Abstract
Javanese people have
great respect for religious teachers who are often called ustad / kyai. Even
though they should always educate and supervise students in boarding schools,
but they still teach at the community outside of teaching hours in schools.
This paper will describe the information-seeking behavior among ustads to
address the issues they face, both at school and at home.
1.
INTRODUCTION
Islamic
Boarding School is often called
pondok or pesantren. It is a place where
students lived with and studied under the guidance of a teacher who is often
known as kyai or ustad. There are four elements in the majority of pesantren in Central Java, namely kyai, dormitory, mosque, and school.
In
ancient times, kyai is
a key element why
parents
send their children
in
boarding school (Zamakhsyari,1994). But
the condition changes now that
kyai does not
become
a major
figure
and
not a
determinant of
school curriculum
too.
Nowadays,
parents send their children
in
boarding schools
are not
underpinned by
kyai or ustad’s (teacher at pesantren) fame
but
because
they do not have
time to
supervise
their children
directly.
They
also
argued
that the
social
conditions
among young people
more
free.
Quite often
teenagers
are
addicted to
cigarettes
or
drugs.
That's why
the parents
feel
more secure
to enter
their children in
boarding schools.
(interview
with a parent of student).
The
parents believe
that education
in
pesantren is relatively
more able to
control
their children
to
do
well because
they
are under ustad’s control for 24
hours in a day.
Ustads are ready
to watch them
both
at the
time
in class,
as well as
activities outside the
classroom lessons.
In pesantren, ustads have
a very strict
supervision.
Apparently at the same time, the
public has great expectations to ustads to not only teach in the pesantren, but
they also teach in the community around it. The ustad often play two characters
at once, one hand they have to succeed the school lessons for their students,
while when at home, they are required to be a problem solver for the
surrounding community.
This
research aims to
describe
how the
information seeking
behavior
among
ustads
in addressing
the problem
both as ustads
at the pesantren
and in the community,
and it also
to describe
what
the obstacles
faced
by
the
ustads to
resolve
the problem,
both
in the
pesantren and at the
home.
2. LITERATUR REVIEW
2.1. ISB
As
human beings in general, ustads always try to meet the needs of the information. These needs can be met by the Ustads actively or passively. Talking with friends, watching a television show is a
human activity that aims to meet the information needs. To meet the needs of such
information, people generally have the typical information-seeking
behavior. Wilson defines ISB as
“The
purposive seeking for information as a consequence of a need to satisfy some
goal. In the course of seeking, the individual information systems (such as a
newspaper or a library), or with computer based systems (such as the World Wide
Web)”.
Behavior is an act that is used as a means to achieve
the goal, so that it can meet the
needs of information seekers. This activity is a dynamic activity because it
is useful to address the problems
faced. The information-seeking
behavior appears as a factor of one's information
needs. Anyone, including the ustad will face
with a problem where the knowledge
of theirs does not necessarily explain
or answer the issues they were facing.
Information-seeking behavior can be observed from anyone
in need, what type is required, how the information is found, how the information is evaluated,
and also concerning the selection of sources of information.
Darmono in Yasir
(2009, 20) says
that there are several categories of information seeking, namely:
• Any form of activity associated
with the peer, or expert
• Any form of activity that related with information unit
• Activities that appear or not appear in the search for information
• Choice of form of information relating to the utilization of information resources
• Use of tool
• Any form of activity that related with information unit
• Activities that appear or not appear in the search for information
• Choice of form of information relating to the utilization of information resources
• Use of tool
2.2. ISB Models
2.2.1. Kuhthau
Kuhlthau
(1991) formulated six stages of information searching. The Kuhlthau’s stages are the initiation, selection, exploration, formulation, collection, and presentation. The stages are illustrated in the
following figure:
|
|
Stages
in
ISP
|
Feelings
Common
to
each
Stage
|
Thoughts
Common
to each
Stage
|
Actions
Commons to each
Stage
|
Appropriate
Task
according
to
Kuhlthau
model
|
|
1
|
Initiation
|
uncertainty
|
General/vague
|
Seeking
Background
information
|
Recognize
|
|
2
|
Selection
|
optimism
|
|
|
identify
|
|
3
|
exploration
|
Confusion/
Frustration/
doubt
|
|
Seeking
Relevant
information
|
investigate
|
|
4
|
Formulation
|
Clarity
|
Narrowed/
clearer
|
|
Formulate
|
|
5
|
Collection
|
Sense
of direction/
confidence
|
Increased
interest
|
Seeking
relevant or focused information
|
Gather
|
|
6
|
Presentation
|
Relief/
Satisfaction
Or
disappointment
|
Clearer
or
focused
|
|
Complete
|
Figure1. (Kuhlthau, 1991, 367)
Kuhlthau (1991) explains that
the first phase is the Initiation of
an early stage,
characterized by a
sense of uncertainty. So what needs to ensure
the information seekers of information; Selection is the stage where the search
information to ensure the general topic of a
search (identify); Exploration is the search
within a specific stage (Investigate); Formulate
is a more specific focus on topics or issues. Collection
is the stage where
information seekers gather information
relevant to the topic; Presentation is the
final stage of the search will result in
two possibilities, satisfied or not
satisfied.
2.2.2. Ellis
Pendit
(2008) mentioned six
stages of the model. They are
Starting, Chaining, Browsing, differentiating, Monitoring, and Extracting.
Starting consists of activities that trigger information search activities; Chaining is a series of activities following
the citation, or reference between the documents; Browsing
is an activity of searching, wandering, but still somewhat
focused in areas that are potentially found the
materials sought; Differentiating is the separation, using
the characteristics in the sources of
information as a benchmark to
check the quality of information;
Monitoring is to monitor progress by concentrating on
a few selected sources; extracting is systematically digging at one source to retrieve information that is considered important.
Then
Pendit (2008) describes
the model
of Ellis as shown below:
Figure 2. Ellis model (Pendit,
2008)
3.
METHOD
This research used
a qualitative approach
in order to
dig
more deeply about
information-seeking
behavior among
ustads.This case study
makes the researcher gain a comprehensive understanding of the various dimensions
of the case facts
and information seeking behavior among ustads.
Bogdan and Taylor in Kurniadi
(2004:38) states that a qualitative approach as a research procedure that
generates the data in the form of words written or spoken of the people and the
observed behavior, this approach is directed at the individual's background and
thoroughly and will be better again when giving subjects the freedom to express
their responses in depth and naturally as possible.
In this study, researcher selected informants with criteria
1) have experience in the field, 2) have a high mobility, 3) occupy a key
position in the boarding school. Referring of this, the researcher chose
informants who are considered able to answer the research problem. Object of
this study is ustads in Selamat Islamic Boarding House, and subject of research
is information seeking behavior among ustads.
This
research used purposive sampling techniques
to choose informants based on 1) Ustad was teaching
at the boarding school, 2) he/she has also
taught in the community where the lived.
4. DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
4.1. Profile of
informants
There
are ustads who teach in the pesantren. Most of
them living in boarding
schools and some others live outside the pesantren. Their task was to oversee the students at the school
and outside school. Meanwhile there are also ustads who teach in schools,
but did not live
there. Ustads who live outside their schools
were also taught
the people, and of
course also involved in socio-religious
activities. In this
research, the ustads who became
informant3 amounted to 3 people.
They are the ustads who teach students
in pesantren in the morning, while outside of teaching
hours in the morning, they
teach and engage in
community and socio-religious
activities.
They are Nafila, Sulaeman, and Fauzi. Nafila is a teacher
of art
and culture; Sulaeman is a teacher of Islamic Studies, and Fauzi is a teacher
of Arabic Language.
4.2. Information needed
Teaching
quality is not just in how to convey knowledge to students based on the
existing textbooks, but also about how knowledge is being studied refers to a reliable source of
information, and also how that knowledge can
be applied in everyday life.
Nafila
for example, she taught
art and culture. If only the textbook is
taught, the teaching would not appeal to students.
She is also trying
to link arts and culture studies with the tenets
of Islam. She was not only
looking for information on what is
taught in the classroom, but
also looking for the information that answers the
question og her society. In the village, as a religious leader,
she must prepare to answer all questions about how the social and religious
teachings are applied in everyday life. In this position, she is always looking for information
related to Islamic law (Islamic Jurisprudence) because more people asked to
explain Islamic jurisprudence especially concerning women’s problems.
Fauzi
teaches Arabic. According
to him, the material in the
book is sufficient for the students,
at both the junior and senior high school, but
he felt he had a lot of searching for information related to the
delivery methods in teaching Arabic. Fauzi faces the
fact that students have diverse backgrounds. Most
are already familiar with the Arabic language, but others are not familiar
with Arabic language.
At home, People assume that Fauzi taught at the school, then they are not wrong when
they asked him
questions relating to the Islamic law of zakaah.
According to the scriptures, the wealth that must be spent to pay the zakaah
is the result of agriculture or trade, but they are not from a group
of farmers and traders,
Then they ask about zakaah of profession.
Sulaeman
teaches Islam studies (fiqh, morals, etc.) at pesantren. In everyday teaching practice,
Sulaeman has not a problem, because
from the beginning until now he has been those subjects. His educational background makes it easier
to answer the question of religious instruction in schools. The concern is precisely the people in
his village. He is dealing with old religious
scholars (old kyais), whose views are conservative and unwilling
to change. He tries to find
the latest information about the religious and social
community to convince the old kyai that knowledge of theirs is not relevant, and can not answer the occurrence or the
dynamics of today's society.
4.3. ISB models
among
ustads.
Information
seeking process may differ between the ustads
with researchers, scientists, professors or other professionals. I
saw Khulthau models
can be used to view information search model among ustad. Khulthau said
there are six stages in the search information includes the initiation, selection, exploration, formulation, collection, and presentation.
4.3.1. Initiation.
At
this stage, the ustads
had actually realized that they need certain information in order to resolve the problems. So
in this condition cause the feeling unsure
and uncertain, resulting in efforts arise associate
the situation with information search. The informants had different problems
with each other even
though they were teaching at the
same pesantren. Nafila for example. She taught art
and culture. A thriving arts and
culture today is much broader
than the previous
art and culture, which in certain cases
she has to explain the concept of art and culture in Islam.
What Nafila faced was the text of the hadith does not recommend
to draw a living thing or make a statue that resembles a person. Message of the
hadith is contrary to the fact that the drawing is part of the cultural arts
curriculum. When referring to the hadith of the prophet, there is a belief that
someone who makes statues or paintings that resemble living creatures will be
forced to make a similar creature in the hereafter. These conditions make her
trying to find information on teaching about Islam and the arts and culture,
whether in fact there is a match between the teachings of Islam with the
subjects she teaches. These conditions make her uncertainty.
In
addition, she has a double responsibility, at school and
home. She had different problems between at the
school with at
home. At school she tried to compromise the verse or hadith of
the prophet with the
actual events in the subjects of art and culture, while at home she was asked
about implementation of Islamic Jurisprudence for women.
What happened to Nafila also experienced Sulaeman and Fauzi.
In schools, Sulaeman and Fauzi act as a figure who mastered the teachings of
Islam, as well as in his society. Sulaeman has problem with old kyai concerning
with Friday prayer for muslimah in congregation. Sulaeman recommends muslimah to perform Friday prayer
but the Old kyais do not recommend. Meanwhile Fauzi has problem with
teaching method at school and also zakaah of profession asked by his neighbors.
The Conditions mentioned above make the informants have
anomalous as expressed by Belkin (Achananuparp), where experience and knowledge
that exist in the informants is not sufficient to answer the issues they face
today.
4.3.2. Selection/Exploration
This
stage, in view of
Wilson (1999) selection
and exploration can
be in one stage. Nafila
try to identify all the resources associated with
the problems she faced,
both at school and at home. She was optimistic but
at the same time confused about all the problems. So
she tried talking with her
colleagues who joined in MGMP / subject teacher meetings and a lecturer of art.
Sulaeman
begins to identify the sources associated with
Friday prayers, both
derived from the yellow book
or commonly Javanese called it “kitab kuning” another sources. He feels optimistic to find those materials related problems
he faced.
While Fauzi
feels compelled to share information
and discussion with
colleagues who live
in boarding schools on the issue
of learning the Arabic language. While for the problems
associated with the community
around his house, he find and select
from the sources he has.
4.3.3. Formulation
After
exploration, go to the next stage of the
formulation. This stage determines because of uncertainty feelings
begin to disappear and the informants
were getting clearer information about the
problems.
Nafila
gets clarity on the answers that have been the problem. She had
found a source that could compromise the
teachings of religion with culture and art lessons.
Sulaeman feels much more confident because he got the clarity of the
reference source that can he used to argue
with old kyai in the old
village. And Fauzi also feels happy because the issue
of Arabic learning and teaching methods
in the class got
the clarity. He also felt happy because
the issue of Arabic learning and teaching methods in the class got the clarity
after sharing information
with colleagues, as
well as issues asked by the public charity, he had a certain clarity of
the source literature.
4..3.4. Collection
Collection,
that is, gather relevant information on the focus (Wilson, 1999). At this stage,
the informants collect important information related
to their problems. They tried to find the resources that are more specific, but they do not come to
check and trace
the source of the material found in the bibliography.
Nafila for example. She was looking for the source of the sacred texts and
books are also associated
with the development of material culture and art in the school library where she teaches.
Nafila has very strategic position to raise the argument
about the relationship between Islamic teaching cultural art. On one side, he
taught art and culture in the classroom, at the same time he also had to
explain to all students because there are many statues in the Modern Islamic
Boarding School Selamat. According to historical records, the boarding school
has never collected in the form of paintings or statues of people. When Selamat
put a lot of statues, an art teacher would have to explain the permissibility
of Islamic teachings in making paintings or statues of people.
She
also must gather
information about Islamic women's jurisprudence for
the people around her house. According to her, the collection of information resources
related to women's jurisprudence is relatively easier because the sources that
explore the theme is easily obtained. These sources do not contain the controversy
as the issue of cultural arts.
Sulaeman
usually
collect
reference
material
from
classical to
modern
literature.
He
had a
simple
reason
that the
old
kyais
would only
use the
sources
of
classical
literature,
while,
in reality
the classic
sources
are not necessarily
able to
answer the
current
problems.
for
it
Sulaeman
also
collects
classical
and
modern
literature.
He
mastered the
classical
sources
to
show
the
old
kyais that
there are
some sources
that
have expired,
and
new
sources
(fatwa of ulama) can
answer the problems
concerning with muslimah that perform Friday
prayers
in congregation.
Fauzi
faces the same problem with an informant
earlier, there are some neighbors asking
about something that has not been evaluated by the classic books. Zakaah
of profession for example.
Zakaah of profession that must be paid by the
person who has a
particular profession outside of farmers and traders. In the classical book,
which is obliged to pay zakaah are farmers and
traders only. However,
now there are so many kinds of professions that
exist so that the zakaah must be
paid by them. Even
when compared to profession
of traders
or farmers, perhaps
now more professions make money. These religious
issues faced by Fauzi.
In
this stage, the he felt a bit relieved because there
is a book that explores the
zakaah of profession. By finding this book,
he feels no need
any more to share
with a friend related
question asked by the community. In
this stage, he was increasingly convinced that his search is more specific to
the up to date information, which comes on the latest books.
4.3.5. Presentation
Presentation
is a re-examination of the information gathered by the informants. It
could be information that was
initially ignored even be useful for the
purpose of information seekers. This
stage ends with the two possibilities, the
informants satisfied with the results of information search, or
not satisfied.
Nafila
can find answers
to the problems encountered so
far, both issues at the Islamic Boarding School Selamat or
at home. Not easy
for her to answer
the questions that can give satisfaction to
the requesters. There are books that explore the
problems encountered, but all
the books supported on the literal meaning of the
hadith. These books will certainly discredit her position as an art teacher. Fortunately There are many books
that explore the problems encountered,
but all the books
supported on the
literal meaning of the hadith.
Fortunately there is a book that supports the idea of art
that not only look at the art based
on the hadith text, but look at the case returned
to the context. She feels satisfied because there is literature
that gives permissibility of Islamic art and
culture.
Sulaeman
was satisfied that it can get literature from the yellow
book and a collection of contemporary fatwas. Without the literatures, it is difficult for him to give
new views to old
kyais about Friday Prayers fo muslimah.
Fauzi
faces the problems associated with the Zakaah of profession. Quran ordered to Zakaah,
but no details for the profession. The most common is a farmer and merchant. Of
course, he does not just refer to the Quran but also contemporary
interpretations and fatwas.
5. OBSTACLES
5.1. Individual
factor.
Islamic Boarding School Selamat requires
certain teachers to come
in the morning and return in the evening (05.00 AM-04.30 PM).
This pattern is
different from the school in
general (07.00 AM-02.PM). The rule
also applies to Nafila,
a teacher of cultural art. As a housewife, of course this is rather difficult position because
she could not accompany breakfast with her children and drive them to
school. Her activities at home and
in the Pesantren made her has no spare time to visit the library and
read a lot. She often
asks librarians to
provide the required books. When she finds a particular references,
they will make
her happy though she realizes not
be able to check
the reference sources used by the author of the
book.
The
regulations also for Sulaeman and Fauzi which should arrive in pesantren at
05.00 AM and return at 4:30 PM. This condition makes them have no free time to
search information at school libraries. Sulaeman has many roles. He
is a teacher and
supervisor for the
physical development of the pesantren,
in addition he became a teacher of the Koran in his house. he tells:
"My
students under the age of five to over fifty years"
5.2. Exploration
Information
Nafila and Sulaeman
just use the books and discuss it with colleagues, while
forgetting other sources (internet).
They rarely explore
the information on the internet. They tend to
use books as sources of information they need. Lack of expertise in
exploring the information via the Internet is causing them to use
the book as its main source.
6.
CONCLUSION &
RECOMMENDATION
Information-seeking
behaviors among ustads and lecturers or researchers are different. Academic
works produced by researchers and lecturers in universities requires the
manners of scientific writing. In scientific writing requires them to research
citations or references to reliable sources. Meanwhile, the ustads was no need
to check the source of reference as done by scientists or researchers. For
them, as long as it gets answers to the problems encountered, they had had
enough.
Model of
information seeking behavior among ustads is more
similar to that presented by Wilson proposal when comparing the ISP
model of Kuhlthau and Ellis, which
is actually their activities can be seen in the Recognize,
Identify / formulate,
Gather, Complete as
seen in Wilson (1999).
Figure 3:
A comparison of Ellis's and Kuhlthau's frameworks
Ustads often feel too much
time teaching to students in the classrooms. This situation forced them rarely visit the library and read a lot of
literatures, or at least, when they encounter
certain problems can resolve themselves without
having to depend on others,
namely librarians. Boarding school management
should be able to provide “spare
time” for ustads to
increase knowledge by visiting the
library. In addition, management
should provide training of information literacy
for ustads, so that they can independently seek
information from a variety of sources.
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