Ahmad Saiful Rizal

Pesantren-based madrasahs may organize religious and general learning through two configurations, separated and integrated, yet students' experiences under the two configurations are rarely compared sequentially within one institution. Prior studies mostly address the epistemological and curricular dimensions of knowledge integration, while students' experiences under both configurations have not been compared directly. This study compares academic achievement, religious understanding, and student well-being between the cohort of students who studied under the separated system and the cohort who later studied under the integrated system at MA Khozinatul Ulum Blora, as reported by teachers and students. It uses an embedded case study with two units of analysis. Thirteen informants took part: five students from each cohort, one madrasah diniyah teacher, one general subject teacher, and one deputy head for curriculum. Data came from semi-structured interviews for both cohorts, along with observation and document analysis for the currently running integrated system, analyzed thematically with triangulation. Three differences emerged. Separated-system students described more structured learning, whereas integrated-system students described difficulty keeping focus as the scope of material widened. Broader religious understanding across subjects was described by integrated-system students, while separated-system students tied it to religion class hours. Fatigue was reported more often in the integrated group. The study contributes a comparison of two periods of learning systems within one institution.

Islamic Cultural History (Sejarah Kebudayaan Islam/SKI) learning requires students to understand values and meaning beyond historical facts, yet empirical explanations of how storytelling connects narratives with students’ meaning-making remain limited. This study analyzes storytelling as a narrative pedagogy practice in SKI learning, identifies its pedagogical potential and limitations in supporting students’ understanding and meaning-making of Islamic historical narratives, and formulates a conceptual model of the meaning-making process emerging from the practice. A qualitative approach with a case study design was employed at MA Khozinatul ‘Ulum Blora. Data were obtained from 10 informants, comprising one Grade XI SKI teacher, one vice principal for curriculum affairs, and eight Grade XI students, through classroom observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation. Data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, involving data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings indicate that storytelling was implemented dialogically and adaptively rather than as a stand-alone method, being integrated with teacher explanations, questions, and classroom discussions. The practice supported students’ understanding of historical events, figures, conflicts, and values, while its limitations included students’ perceived difficulty in recalling factual details when narratives were lengthy or contained numerous names and dates, as well as dependence on teacher mediation. Meaning-making developed through narrative understanding, personal reflection, and pedagogical dialogue. The study contributes the Multi-Pathway Meaning-Making model, which conceptualizes storytelling as a trigger for engagement and meaning-making rather than as a single causal mechanism.