Cultural Pluralism Increases Difficulties in Learning Experiences yet Advances Identity Formation for Muslim Arab Female Students in Higher Education

• In Event: 70.038 - Issues of Gender and Higher Education

Abstract

This presentation describes how learning experiences and identity formation are shaped for Arab Muslim women students by the different educational approaches (teaching style, relations with lecturers and types of knowledge) and extent of cultural pluralism in three different Higher Education campuses in Israel. To clarify these issues we conducted narrative interviews with twelve Arab Muslim women students in the Hebrew University and in two academic colleges. Significant differences were found in the women’s experiences between the university and the two academic colleges. Arab women had difficulty integrating in the university in contrast to a supportive more familiar environment in the colleges. Implications for minority students in different HE campuses are discussed.

Author

• Khalid Arar, The Center for Academic Studies