Utilization of Digital Media Among Students at International Islamic Boarding Schools

International Islamic boarding schools (IIBS) are updating their educational curriculum by utilizing digital media in the learning process as a solution to the lag of students in the global era, especially in accessing information literacy during college selection. This study examines the use of digital media using the Uses and Gratifications theory with a descriptive qualitative approach, conducted in IIBS, which has international networks and a curriculum. Informants consist of students, teaching teams, and information technology managers. Data collection was carried out through in-depth interviews and participatory observations. The data analysis technique uses an interactive model that includes data reduction, presentation, and concluding. The results show that the literacy level of students of IIBS is quite good compared to other Islamic boarding schools, because the administrators of international Islamic boarding schools understand the importance of digital media in the globalization era. Digital utilization is limited so as not to disrupt the activities of Islamic boarding schools. In addition, international-standard Islamic boarding schools can change the bad stereotypes of students, proven by alums of Islamic boarding schools being able to compete with the community, especially in the best university competitions and scholarships.