LEARNING MOTIVATION IN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED CONTEXTS: A CASE STUDY FROM AN INDONESIAN ISLAMIC SCHOOL

Abstract

This study investigates strategies used to sustain learning motivation among students from economically disadvantaged families in an Indonesian Islamic school. The research is based on the assumption that learning motivation is not solely determined by socioeconomic status but is shaped by pedagogical, spiritual, and social educational environments. A qualitative case study approach was employed. Data were collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews with teachers, students, parents, and school administrators, as well as document analysis. The data were analyzed using Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña’s interactive model involving data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that students’ learning motivation is maintained through five integrated strategies: varied instructional methods, integration of religious values, reward and punishment mechanisms, teacher creativity and innovation, and school–parent collaboration. These strategies collectively form a motivational ecosystem that enhances students’ engagement, discipline, and persistence despite economic constraints. The study concludes that learning motivation in disadvantaged contexts is socially constructed through continuous interaction between teachers, school culture, and family support. This study contributes to motivation theory by emphasizing the role of religious and ecological dimensions in sustaining student engagement in Islamic education settings