Experience Changes Perceptions: Arabic-Speaking Students’ Perceptions Regarding the PDS Model and Teacher Training

Orr Levental,Marcel Amasha,Edni Naifeld,Saleh Kharanbe

doi:10.5539/ies.v13n2p115

Abstract

During their studies, education students are required to engage practice-based experience in a collaborative model: Professional Development School (PDS), where there are many options for building professional and personal development processes. Through this experience, students formulate professional identity and perceptions about teaching. This study sought to examine the impact of this experience model on Arabic-speaking education students attending a Hebrew speaking college. The effect of the practice-based experience was examined on both the concept of teaching as a profession, the process of teaching instruction and social and cultural aspects. The findings of the study showed that PDS practice-based experience directly and indirectly contributes to the way students perceive teaching, the role of the teacher, the education system, as well as the importance of the practical experience in the teaching training process. However, there was no significant contribution of PDS practice-based experience to students’ perceptions of multicultural aspects of campus life.

Highlights

1.1 Arabic-Speaking Students’ Perceptions Regarding the Professional Development School (PDS) Model and Teacher TrainingAs of 2019, teacher training in Israel is a four-year study program leading to a BED degree, taught at educational institutions designated for training teachers
The basic assumption of this research is that the PDS model as implemented among Arab students helps them connect to the teaching profession and provides them with a more holistic perspective on the education system
The assumption is that experience with the PDS model will on the one hand generate a stronger connection to the teaching profession and improved social relations with other education students, while on the other hand it will produce more positive perceptions of the course of study

Summary

Introduction

1.1 Arabic-Speaking Students’ Perceptions Regarding the PDS Model and Teacher TrainingAs of 2019, teacher training in Israel is a four-year study program leading to a BED degree, taught at educational institutions designated for training teachers. Israeli institutions of higher education serve as an arena for intercultural encounters that provide students—both Jews and Arabs—with their first opportunity for meaningful, direct and long-term contact. These encounters are instrumental in shaping students’ perceptions of the other in society, in the teaching profession and in their learning experience at college. The research focuses particular attention on intercultural encounters during the students’ theoretical studies and practical experience To this end, the research adopted a qualitative approach that entailed 60 in-depth interviews with Arabic-speaking education students at a college in northern Israel who acquired their practical experience through the

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