THE 1ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (ICON-ELITE) 2018 Proceeding

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INVESTIGATING STUDENTS’ IDENTITY STATUS THROUGH SHORT MEMOIRS

Zuvyati A. Tlonaen*
Budi Darma
Ali Mustofa
Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra, Pascasarjana, Universitas Negeri Surabaya
*) [email protected]

Abstract
The objective of this research is to investigate students’ identity status, whether they have identity
achievement, foreclosure identity, moratorium identity or diffusion identity. To find out the identity status,
researcher uses students’ memoir writings. This study has a research questions; what types of identity status
revealed in students’ short memoirs? Each participant was asked to write five memoirs and then they were
interviewed. After collecting the data, researcher analyzed the data qualitatively using Miles and Huberman’s
model of qualitative data analysis; data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusion. The findings indicated
that the five participants’ identity status is identity achievement in which they undergo crisis yet have high
commitment and high exploration.
Key Word: Identity status, short memoirs

Abstrak
Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menginvestigasi status identitas mahasiswa yaitu apakah status identitas
mereka adalah identity achievement, foreclosure identity, moratorium identity, atay diffusion identity. Untuk
menemukan status identitas tersebut, peneliti menggunakan penulisan memoar dimana mahasiwa
mengekspresikan pengalaman mereka dalam memoar. Peneliti meneliti meneliti status identitas apa yang
dimiliki oleh mahasiswa melalui penulisan memoar. Studi ini melibatkan 5 partisipan (3 wanita dan 2 pria).
Masing-masing partisipan diminta untuk menuliskan 5 memoar kemudian mereka diinterview. Setelah
pengumpulan data, Peneliti menganalisis data secara qualitatif menggunakan model Miles dan Huberman. Hasil
penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ke lima mahasiswa memiliki status identitas tipe identity achievement dimana
ketika mereka mengalami krisis, mereka memiliki komitmen dan eksplorasi yang tinggi.
Kata Kunci : Status Identitas, memoar pendek

of problems related to students' attitude and

A. INTRODUCTION
behaviour in learning process. Some students
Understanding students’ identity
are very diligent and tenacious in showing
status is pivotal in education. Research had
their learning activities, such as doing tasks
shown that self identity plays important role
exactly like what have been instructed by
in education (Aleandri & Checchi, 2015;
teachers even they develop it, actively
Fearon, 2012; Rahmani, 2011; Jensen, 2015;
answering questions in the classroom, having
Cazan & Schiopca, 2013). Self identity is too
the ability to present material, etc. some also
broad to be discussed. Therefore, researcher
relaxed and show not too concerned with
has limit the study on identity statuses.
their learning activities, such as not collecting
Marcia (1993) used the term ‘status’ to refer
tasks, do not work on the task in maximum,
to the self identity development. Why identity
often retake the courses because their score is
statuses? Teachers often meet different types
not enough to pass the course and many

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more. Automatically, the result is that diligent relationship and behaviour toward themselves
and very active students will be successful or others. Thirdly, writing memoir is easier for
achieving good grades while those who are students rather than autobiography. Unlike
relaxed and ignore to study will get autobiography which focuses on life history of
unsatisfactory learning result. There are few the writer while memoir covers one specific
reasons affect students’ performance. One of aspect of the writer’s life, such as specific
those factor is self identity. Students who event, time or relationship in an author’s life
achieve good academic result are (Abrams, 1999;Larson, 2007).
demonstrating high level of self identity. On By investigating students’ identity
the contrary, students who do not achieve status, writer raises a different study in which
good academic result are demonstrating their the study investigated what kind of identity
low level of self identity. Researcher finally statuses that are revealed through short
argued that students’ identity status strongly memoirs based on James Marcia’s theory of
affects their academic performance. identity statuses; identity achievement,
Therefore, by conducting this study researcher foreclosure identity, moratorium identity, and
would like to find out what type of identity identity diffusion.
status revealed in students’ short memoirs. James Marcia’s identity statuses will
To find out students’ statuses identity, be used to support this study. Marcia (1993)
researcher used memoirs written by students. stated there are four unique development of
Theoretically, writing is one of ways that we self identity, well known as identity statuses;
use to express self identity (Fitzpatrick, 2012). identity achievement is an individual is
Researcher prefers to use memoir as primary considered to have high commitment and high
data in this research. There are three reasons exploration. In this identity status, one has
why researcher uses memoirs; 1) a memoir is strong belief to his own decision and do effort
a piece of writing or a kind of narrative that to achieve his goal. Individuals with
contains of life experiences in which one can foreclosure identity are individuals that have
express his/her feeling or emotion freely. high commitment and low exploration,
Feeling and emotion written constructs moratorium identity refers to individuals who
identity. Therefore, writing memoirs becomes have low commitment but high exploration,
a medium to represent identity. It was and diffusion identity refers to an individual
strengthened by Elliot (2005), Larson, (2007), who has no commitment and no exploration.
& Abram, (1999) that is to write a story Therefore, by focusing on their commitment
(narrative) is to present self identity. Memoirs and exploration, researcher wants to see what
necessarily involve construction of identity, as identity statuses the students have. This
the author explores the self. Second, memoir research hopefully has a benefit for the
exposes not only the life of the author but development of identity statuses research
also the participation of others such as through the use of literary work as well as to
parents, and friends and the author (Abrams, the prediction of identity statuses via memoir
1999). It means that the author not only written by students. This research is also
focuses on his/her own stories but also benefit to introduce identity statuses to the
focuses on the others’ stories. One’s identity students themselves, to train students to
can be seen from his/her relation to the write their own life experience, and to
others as stated by Layder (2004) that self- consider students’ identity statuses when
identity is not only about a person’s views designing learning activity or when providing
about him/her self but also about the assignments.

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B. METHOD fairness, because it is the process of learning

This study involved five participants (3 people socialize. This process of socialization
females and 2 males). Each participant was gives indirect impact to the participants to
asked to write five memoirs and then they determine their identity status; i.e in the case
were interviewed. This activity was conducted of this research, the participants want to be
for 1 month. 1 story was written more or less an English teacher.
two to three days. The interview was Participants feel similar comfort in
conducted after all memoirs were collected. learning in their higher education (university).
The interview was based on the story. After For instance, Rebekah has favourite lecturer
collecting the data, researcher analyzed the who is her academic advisor. This decision is
data qualitatively using Miles and Huberman’s based on the way of teaching and always
model of qualitative data analysis; data motivates and encourages the participants to
reduction, data display, and drawing try to be a good teacher and professional as a
conclusion. form of individualizing the development of
identity achievement status (Cote & Schwartz,
C. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
2002). For this reason, the quality of
1. Students’ Identity Statuses; Identity educators can influence participants
Achievement indirectly, although it depends on the
The finding indicated that the five maturity of participants to respond however
participants have identity achievement. In when the impression is left very positive, then
their short memoirs they wrote that how they they will always memorize the impression and
undergo the life challenge. They show their even will dedicate themselves to continue the
high commitment and high exploration. The impression (such as the impression to become
participants are Dewi (female, 20 years old), a professional English language teacher).
Putri (females, 20 years old), Ribekah Therefore, to determine the status of the
(Females, 20 years old), Kristo (Male, 20 years participant's identity, the involvement in
old), and Andi (male, 20 years old). social community as well as the subjects who
Building commitment to achieve long- socialize becomes the consideration. one will
term vision does not occur spontaneously, be good, because she/he is among the good
even in a state of unconsciousness, the vision people, and one will commit if one is among
can go into the lives of participants implicitly. the committed people. By representing
When Looking at the school period from basic his/her experiences in memoirs, the identity
to high education, it is quite long. Participants status of participants can be well identified
do not make decisions when they were in because they are also committed to
primary school for their vision of being an continuing to maintain their self-esteem
English teacher, but this vision arose when (Marcia & Friedman, 1970) and as a leap for a
they were aware of the lessons presented by happy and productive life (Yunus, Malik, &
previous teachers. Teachers are able to make Zakaria, 2012).
them comfortable to learn, even though The family is the "fortress" and the helper
English is not their mother tongue. This is in this life, whether Father, Mother, Brother,
mentioned by Berzonsky & Kuk, (2000) as a Sister, or others will share the feel of what we
style of informational identity that is more feel. They can fortify us from misfortunes and
readily adaptable to the challenge. To difficulties, and can be a place for discussion
establish identity status, participants are still and "sharing". Parent plays a role to help their
"contaminated" with others, and this is children succeed in various ways, including

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academics. They want their children's lives to failures. Uniquely, some participants have
be better than they are now. As experienced different ways to embroider their anxiety and
by Kristo, he is lucky to still live with his disappointment, such as "... when I am tired
parents. At home her mother always reminds and my heart is broken and when I feel down
him to finish the task first before doing any and when I complain about the task and the
other work. This process "forces" Kristo to project, I just have to imagine them in my
mature in his identity status (Yip, Seaton, & face" . Rebekah only needs to imagine her
Sellers, 2006). Sometimes, he is negligent and parents for the spirit of recovering. She knows
lethargic as emotional and social turmoil in that to send her to school, parent sacrifices
the development of his age which could have time, energy, and finance therefore it is not
destroyed his education. However, his mother fair for her to waste the opportunity to
is good at escorting and always supports him complete her undergraduate education in
to always prioritize learning (e.g. doing his English in order to be able to make parent felt
academic task) so that it can be concluded proud of her and to help the economy of
that family plays a role in the formation of family
teens' identity (Balajiwale & Kochargaonkar, There is no learning without assignment;
2013). task is part of the assessment and evaluation
There are also participants involved in this process conducted by lecturers on campus.
study are children who live far away from The task is given to the students in accord
their parents, Dewi, Andi, Rebekah, and Putri. with their respective portions, there are many
When living far away from parents, this tasks, there are few tasks, there are tasks in
situation is usually used for more expressive groups or individually, and there are also tasks
doing anything, because parent or family do collected in a short time. The tasks that
not pay attention directly to what they are participants can sometimes make them feel
doing. However, the participants they are uncomfortable; they still think they are "free"
cared for by their Uncle or aunt (Dewi and people without having to do something.
Putri) whom they have considered as their Though the tasks are given not only to train
parents. Their learning activities are noticed, them in terms of academic, but foster in non-
the progress of learning tasks are controlled, academic matters, such as discipline,
and academic grades are monitored to ensure cooperation, perseverance,confidence,
that they have studied seriously. Putri who honesty, and competitive. After passing
lives with uncle, she is always reminded by her several occasions, participants ultimately
uncle to focus on her education, uncle never realize that the tasks given by the lecturer is a
felt bored to advise her to be a good person. means of improving the quality of self. Quality
The spirit, attention, and support of the family in many ways, as it is called learning outcome,
are the participants' learning energies. is cognitive, affective, social, and
As students, of course their feelings psychomotor. To enjoy and be grateful,
fluctuate. For certain moments, saturation Rebekah said that: "Can I get everything if I
and laziness approached. Disappointment and decide to choose another University?
"disarray" often arise, as they fail or even less Rebekah's reflective question indicates that
satisfied with their own learning outcomes. If she truly undergoes a significant change so
this period occur in length, participants' that she is happy and joyful. She is under the
academic procrastics may occur, thus control of professional educators and is built
participants can have extra time, extra energy, on a "healthy" system so that abilities can be
and extra budget to re-embroider their

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well transferred and developed to become a reasoning as well as students, parents’

competent and professional future teacher. involvement. Researcher also suggest to the
educators to use memoirs to explore
D. CLOSING
respondents’ identity statuses as memoirs
1. Conclusion contain of life experiences in which people
Identity statuses highly affect students’ can tell or write their memorable experiences.
academic performance whether failure or Memoirs bridge a room for communication
success. Students with identity achievement between educators and learners. This way
will success to investigate and master all used because sometimes people do not want
information that are important for them, are to tell who are they openly and honestly but
able to compare calmly the positive attitude by asking them to write memoirs we may see
from their various negative and positive sides. the pattern of their story then decide who are
Thus, they are able to immediate determine they. Researcher also suggests the learners to
what information is selected as the write life experiences to train them to
component of their self-identity construction. communicate in written form. A student is
In the other side, when determining the expected to build a writing habit because
alternative choice, they tend to show strong writing has positive advantages and
loyalty toward the choice due to knowing that contribution to his/her who do it consistently.
their choices are appropriate. Therefore, The advantages such as recognizing self ability
students with achievement identity statuses and potential, absorbing and searching for a
will always succeed in achieving good lot of information, organizing idea
academic result. Their education will produce systematically, getting used to thinking and
very satisfying results. communicating in an orderly manner.
Memoirs bridge a room for
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