Sacred Traditions, Digital Transitions: Exploring English Teachers’ Experiences in Bridging Faith and Technology in Pesantren
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v14i1.9180Keywords:
English Teachers; Digital Literacy; Pesantren; TELLAbstract
This research scrutinizes how three English teachers in Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) located in Ngawi, East Java, Indonesia, negotiate the integration of digital technology within a framework of sacred values and pedagogical practice. Employing a narrative inquiry approach, the research draws on semi-structured interviews conducted between June and October 2025 to capture teachers’ life experiences in navigating institutional norms and moral expectations. Data were analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) framework to identify recurring patterns of ethical reflection and pedagogical decision-making. The findings demonstrate that digital technology in pesantren is not understood as a neutral instructional instrument but as a moral space imbued with ethical and spiritual significance, where every pedagogical choice is evaluated against religious norms. Teachers engage in selective adaptation strategies, such as restricting open internet access, curating faith-aligned digital content, and repurposing technology for controlled activities like language performances and project-based tasks. These practices give rise to a distinctive form of value-based digital literacy characterized by spiritual awareness, ethical filtering, and pedagogical adaptability. The discussion reveals that although institutional restrictions often constrain technological innovation, they simultaneously foster teachers’ reflective agency and moral creativity. The research concludes that effective digital integration in pesantren relies less on rigid regulation than on the cultivation of ethical consciousness among teachers and students, allowing technology to function as an instrument of faith-oriented learning rather than a disruption to religious tradition.
References
Fadli, M. R., & Dwiningrum, S. I. A. (2021). Pesantren’s digital literacy: An Effort to Realize the Advancement of Pesantren Education. ULUL ALBAB Jurnal Studi Islam, 22(2), 338–359. https://doi.org/10.18860/ua.v22i2.14221
Fadlilah, S., Yuliasri, I., & Fitriati, S. W. (2025). Faith, Culture, and Technology in EFL Classrooms: Ethnographic Insights from Professional Learning Communities in Indonesian Islamic Schools. Dinamika Ilmu, 25(2), 181–202. https://doi.org/10.21093/di.v25i2.11495
Febrian, H. (2024). Visualizing Authority: Rise of the Religious Influencers on the Instagram. Social Media and Society, 10(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051241286850
Fu, W. H., & Satrianawati. (2022). Pedagogy teachers’ competence establishes students’ digital ethics: Case of educational modernization in Indonesia. International Journal on Education Insight, 3(1), 19–40. https://doi.org/10.12928/ijei.v3i1.6120
Furwana, D., Muin, F. R., Zainuddin, A. A., & Mulyani, A. G. (2024). Unlocking the Potential: Exploring the Impact of Online Assessment in English Language Teaching. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 12(1), 653-662.
Hasumi, T., & Chiu, M. S. (2024). Technology-enhanced language learning in English language education: Performance analysis, core publications, and emerging trends. Cogent Education, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2346044
Hefner, C. M. (2022). Morality, religious authority, and the digital edge: Indonesian Muslim schoolgirls online. American Ethnologist, 49(3), 359–373. https://doi.org/10.1111/amet.13088
Husnaini, H. (2022). Development of Self Esteem-Oriented Micro Teaching Materials for IAIN Palopo English Education Students. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 10(1), 538-560.
In’amurrohman, F. (2019). Kesyubhatan Tik: Sisi Gelap Dan Terang Penggunaan Tik Pada Literasi Digital Pondok Pesantren. Medika Teknika : Jurnal Teknik Elektromedik Indonesia, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.18196/mt.010105
Jamil, Z. A., Nurhuda, Alfian, Ulfah, S. M., Rasidin, & Youssef, A. (2025). Program Evaluation Study on Islamic Religious Education in Pesantren: Addressing Educational Degradation in the Digital Era. Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam, 22(1), 122–139. https://doi.org/10.14421/jpai.v22i1.11358
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated Learning Legitimate Peripheral Participation. In Cambridge University Press (pp. 89–118). https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511815355.006
Madkur, A. (2024). Multilingual Realities and English Teacher Construction in Indonesian Pesantren: A Narrative Inquiry. AnglophileJournal, 4(2), 91–102. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.51278/anglophile.v4i2.1044
Mujib, M., & Majid, A. (2022). Pengaruh Program Bilingual Dalam Meningkatan Prestasi Bahasa Santri Di Pondok Pesantren.Mambaul Ulum Bata-Bata Panaan Palengaan Pamekasan. Studia Religia : Jurnal Pemikiran Dan Pendidikan Islam, 6(2), 217–227. https://doi.org/10.30651/sr.v6i2.14623
Muksit, M., Shodiq, J., & Alfarisi, S. (2024). The Leadership of the Caregivers of Salafy Islamic Boarding Schools in Facing the Challenges of Education Modernization. JUMPA : Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan, 5(2), 97–110. https://doi.org/10.33650/jumpa.v5i2.9273
Nurfazri, M., Irwansyah, F. S., Lukman, F., Ruhullah, M. E., & Marinda, S. M. (2024). Digital Literacy in Education: An Analysis of Critical Thinking Culture for Preventing the Hoaxes. Jurnal Perspektif, 8(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.15575/jp.v8i1.268
Pahrurrozi, L. (2025). Strategi Pondok Pesantren Dalam Mengantisipasi Dampak Negatif Era Digital Bagi Karakter Santri ( Study Kasus Di Pondok Pesantren Munirul Arifin Nahdlatul Wathan Praya ). Jurnal Psikologi Dan Konseling, 1, 72–83. https://jurnal.kalimasadagroup.com/index.php/parikesit/article/download/1580/715/7268
Ramadhan, A. P., & Luthfi, M. (2020). Strategi Komunikasi Pondok Pesantren Al-Istiqomah Dalam Pembelajaran Bahasa Arab Sebagai Bahasa Bahasa Resmi. Sahafa Journal of Islamic Communication, 3(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.21111/sjic.v3i1.4653
Ridho, A., Al Manduriy, S. M., & Yaacob, M. (2024). Use of Digital Technology in Pesantren Salaf: Transition From Digitization to Digitalization. Al-Insyiroh: Jurnal Studi Keislaman, 10(1), 189–202. https://doi.org/10.35309/alinsyiroh.v10i1.7291
Rosyidah, I. M. (2024). Inovasi Hybrid Kurikulum Sekolah Dan Pondok Pesantren Pada Era Teknologi Informasi. Jurnal Pendidikan Indonesia, 5(9), 665–674. https://doi.org/10.59141/japendi.v5i9.3550
Rusdi, M., Riwayatiningsih, R., Taufik, H., & Djollong, A. F. (2023). The Impact of Technology Use in Teaching and Understanding Religious Values on Students’ Moral Development in Islamic Schools in Indonesia. In The Eastasouth Journal of Learning and Educations (Vol. 1, Issue 03, pp. 123–134). https://doi.org/10.58812/esle.v1i03.158
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrisic Motivation, Social Development and Well Being. American Psychological Association, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/DOI: 10.1037110003-066X.55.1.68
Saini, M. (2024). Pesantren dalam Era Digital: Antara Tradisi dan Transformasi. Tasamuh: Jurnal Studi Islam, 2(2), 343–356. https://doi.org/10.25124/cosecant.v2i2.18657.2
Sulisno, S. (2025). Integrating Islamic Values and Technology for Holistic Character Education in Indonesian Islamic Schools. Al Hikmah: Journal of Education, 6(1), 171. https://doi.org/10.54168/ahje.v6i1.439
Sulistiyawan, L. (2025). Sebaran Pondok Pesantren di Indonesia, Terbanyak di Jawa Barat. Kompas.Com. https://www.kompas.com/cekfakta/read/2025/06/30/121700782/sebaran-pondok-pesantren-di-indonesia-terbanyak-di-jawa-barat?utm_source=Various&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=Top_Desktop
Tianur, Jaenudin, J., & Madona, P. (2024). Pelatihan Dan Pembimbingan Robot Line Follower Bagi Santri Pesantren Darussalam. JITER-PM (Jurnal Inovasi Terapan - Pengabdian Masyarakat), 2(4), 27–34. https://doi.org/10.35143/jiter-pm.v2i4.6463
Waqiyulloh, M., & Dini, S. S. T. (2025). Literasi Digital Pesantren: Studi Praktik Literasi Digital Santri di Bahtsul Masail Al-Hikmah Kediri. Journal of Islamic Studies, 2(3), 1–15. https://haddatsana.com/index.php/jsimahadaly/article/download/87/37
Wijaya, D. A. L., Rahmattika, N., & ... (2024). Strategi Pengembangan Bilingual Pada Santri Pondok Pesantren Tahfidzul Qur’an Syifaul Qulub. Community …, 5(1), 2537–2543. http://journal.universitaspahlawan.ac.id/index.php/cdj/article/view/20159
Xia, Y., Shin, S. Y., & Kim, J. C. (2024). Cross-Cultural Intelligent Language Learning System (CILS): Leveraging AI to Facilitate Language Learning Strategies in Cross-Cultural Communication. Applied Sciences (Switzerland), 14(13). https://doi.org/10.3390/app14135651
Yanto, Y., Anwari, M., & Rofiki, R. (2024). Pembinaan Kesadaran Digital: Mencegah dampak Buruk Media Sosial dan Etika Penggunaannya pada Santri Pondok Pesantren Pantura Pamekasan. Abdimas Indonesian Journal, 4(2), 779–788. https://doi.org/10.59525/aij.v4i2.536
Zafi, A. A., Jamaluddin, D., Partono, Fuadi, S. I., & Chamadi, M. R. (2021). The Existence of Pesantren Based Technology: Digitalization of Learning in Pondok Pesantren Darul Ulum Kudus. Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam, 18(2), 493–510. https://doi.org/10.14421/jpai.2021.182-15
Zhang, H. X. (2023). Smartphone Addiction Among University Students’ During the Post-COVID-19 Era: The Role of Emotional Intelligence and Future Anxiety. Psychiatry Investigation, 20(10), 951–961. https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2023.0021
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Hertiki, Eliasanti Agustina, Rahmat Setiawan, Meytha Dwi Kurniadiansyah
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See the Effect of Open Access)
