Multicultural education in teacher education: Shared experience and awareness of power relations as a prerequisite for conflictual identities dialogue in Israel

Abstract

Our multicultural, conflict-pervaded era challenges teacher-education institutes to find optimal ways to educate the next generation of educators. The current research investigates teacher education in Israel, where conflict exists between a Jewish majority and Arab minority.Qualitative action research, conducted over five years at an Israeli college of education, examined three different education models for multicultural education. Findings suggest that the most successful model relied on shared, egalitarian experience, recognizing power relations between majority and minority groups. These findings may inform teacher-education institutes in other countries, suggesting tools to promote tolerance towards minorities and their integration as equals in society.