The Education of Dispute Resolution in Al Jazeera Al Arabiya: A Case for a Culturally Engaging Pedagogy

Khadija El Alaoui,Sukhsimranjit Singh,Maura A E Pilotti,Muamar Hasan Salameh

doi:10.3390/educsci10040089

Khadija El Alaoui, Sukhsimranjit Singh + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10040089

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Abstract

In law and business schools, culturally relevant/responsive curricula can aid students’ academic success. In this paper, we examine the use of culturally responsive narratives to illustrate principles and practices of dispute resolution (mediation and arbitration) in the Middle East as distinct or similar to those prescribed under Common Law. Through narratives embedded in familiar historical and socio-cultural contexts, we argue that students of Middle Eastern descent can achieve a greater understanding and retention of the curriculum as it is translated from theory into practice, exercise critical thinking skills, and enhance their motivation to learn. Teaching that taps into a reservoir of knowledge within Middle Eastern communities can also become a transformative experience for students, since it not only recognizes their communities of origin as noteworthy, but also makes their socio-cultural identities a key ingredient of the instructional process. As evidence of methodological effectiveness, we examine students’ reflections on the use of culturally familiar narratives to illustrate principles and practices of dispute resolution (mediation and arbitration) in the Middle East as distinct or similar to those adopted by the Western world.

Highlights

Teaching dispute resolution is not an easy task to do [1,2,3,4,5]
For instance, students of Middle Eastern descent either studying abroad or at local institutions with curricula borrowed from the Western world
We propose to add critical analyses of culturally relevant scenarios taken from the history of the Middle East to the array of techniques used to teach dispute resolution in law and business programs

Summary

Introduction

Teaching dispute resolution is not an easy task to do [1,2,3,4,5]. It is challenging if students’socio-cultural and religious traditions invoke a distinct paradigm for dealing with disputes, and their habits of information acquisition and communication encourage replication by means of memorization and recitation, respectively. Teaching dispute resolution is not an easy task to do [1,2,3,4,5]. Belief that local paradigms are antiquated and less worthy of study take hold [6,7], and their motivation to learn, understanding of the complexities of conflict resolution, and development of potentially useful analytical skills to address problems in a diverse world will be curtailed. It is argued that these educational materials can promote integration of novel concepts, and that integration can aid Middle Eastern students’ learning in the following categories: Cognition (e.g., comprehension and retention of information), motivation (e.g., cognitive, affective, and behavioral engagement), and self-image (e.g., socio-cultural perception)

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