A Workshop for Education for Shared Life: Bedouins and Jews Female Teaching Students at Kay College for Education in the Southern Region of Israel

Abstract

The importance of multiculturalism in education in general and in academic institutions for teacher training in particular, it receives a lot of attention in the academic-educational research field. Most of the studies held in Israel about teacher training accompanied by a multicultural approach as part of an educational concept discussed the distinction between the attitudes of students from different cultural groups or their achievements; Others proposed models for multicultural education or contented themselves with raising awareness of the need to design models. This study seeks to propose an interventional concept oriented to situation assessment and well planned within the framework of diverse lessons as part of a pragmatic tool – applicable that seeks to educate for intercultural care and cultural competence. To examine these training processes, the qualitative paradigm was chosen by the activation of an action research that continued within the framework of a course called: “Education for ambassadors for a shared life” that was prepared in advance after a careful assessment of the situation and divided into structured steps. 10 female teaching students participated in the study: 6 Jewish and 4 Bedouin Muslim women, residents of the southern region of the State of Israel. The students wrote reflections and were asked to formulate a joint educational project. The results of the study emphasize the importance of learning the mutual culture as a tool that produces closeness and reducing stereotypes; Understanding the need to take mutual cultural responsibility as future teachers and citizens; Collaborative learning spaces of this type create a safe educational space for self-expression and presentation of personal and cultural identity. Cultural sublimation and a sense of belonging were also expressed. All the participants recognize the importance of the topic and the need to learn.