Culture-sensitive teaching and learning in
a diverse and divided society: the case of
a college on a journey towards
internationalization of higher education
Helena Desivilya Syna, Geke Kalovski,
Ilana Lavy, Liora Ore,
Dalit Yassour-Borochowitz
The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College
ISRAEL
9-11 July 2014
Vienna University of Economics and
Business, Austria
International Conference
Diversity in Organizations, Communities and
Nations
The structure of the
presentation
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Background: research framed in
international TEMPUS/IRIS project on HE
Research Rationale and Aims
Conceptual Framing of the Research
Initial Findings (Mapping the Nature of the
Encounters and Tracing Faculty’s Positions)
Concluding Thoughts: Insights, Queries and
Future Directions
International Conference
Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations, July 9-11, 2014,
Framing the research in the context
of IRIS/TEMPUS project
YVC a partner in EU Project aiming:
To foster academic international relations in Israeli public
colleges
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promoting the quality of education
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expanding international research
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fostering innovation
 Participants and Partners: 8 public colleges in Israel and
European partners (Austria, Holland, Germany, Italy, Poland,
UK)
 One of the objectives: internationalization of
curriculum (pedagogy and content)
Framing the research
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Case Study – Learning Community/Research
Group on Culture Sensitive-Competent Teaching
and Learning
Musicians Engaging Diversity in a Global and
Divided World (Herbie Hancock Imagine Project)
International Conference
Diversity in Organizations, Communities and
Nations, July 9-11, 2014, Vienna University of
Economics and Business
Research Rationale
"The question is again before us today as we confront
an economic and political integration on the scale of the
planet: shall we be, intimately and subjectively, able to
live with the others, to live as others, without ostracism
but also without leveling? The modification in the
status of foreigners that is imperative today leads one
to reflect on our ability to accept new modalities of
otherness…" (Kristeva 1991: 1-2).
July 9-11, 2014
International Conference
Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations
Vienna University of Economics and Business
Research Aims
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To study teaching-learning patterns in
academic institutions within a context of
diverse students' population and a divided
society
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July 9-11 2014
To examine faculty’s perspectives re: impact of
socio-political, cultural context on learning and
teaching of diverse students in a divided society
To explore faculty’s perceptions re: coping with the
complexities of culture sensitive teaching-learning
in a diverse and divided society
International Conference
Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations
Conceptual Framing (1)
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Grounded in action-science approach: interfacing
research with praxis
Integrating social-psychological and constructivist
conceptual perspective
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social psych.: individual limitations in processing the social
world
constructivist: construction of power by social institutions
Philosophy of International Education: the
‘Cosmopolitan’ Self in the Era of Globalization?
July 9-11, 2014
International Conference
Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations
Vienna University of Economics and Business
Conceptual Framing (2)
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Diversity: focuses on markers of social
identity generating intergroup
stereotypes, prejudice and acts of
discrimination (Ely & Roberts, 2008;
Ramarajan & Thomas, 2010)
Conceptual Framing (3)
Mechanisms Underlying the Effects of
Diversity
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Dimensions of Diversity
 Variety (differences in perspectives information, knowledge and expertise) +
 Separation and Disparity (differences in
position, control over valued resources) –
Faultlines – hypothetical dividing lines causing
intergroup polarization, salience of
categorization, in-group favoritism (Tajfel &
Turner, 1984; Van Knippenberg et al., 2011)
Conceptual Framing (4)
Integration of Explanations: divided
society (protracted inter-group conflict)
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divided society - “mutually contradictory assertions of
identity in which one identity is validated or defined by
suppressing another identity, making it difficult to presuppose
any reciprocity of interests among groups (Schaap 2006: 266–
7)
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protracted national conflict - extreme example of a
divided society with the most accentuated long-term legacies
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Salient faultlines - bias blind spot intertwined
with social construction of power (majorityminority)
Conceptual Framing (5): Philosophy of
International Education in the Global Era
Variety of Perspectives
 Ethico-political responsibility: “ability to confront
asymmetries that the local caused to others or
undergoes due to uneven power [uneven life potentials]
within and out.” (Papastephanou, 2011, p.604)
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Culturalist cosmpolitanism – approaching global
and local politics employing cultural difference and
cultural identity perspectives
Ethno-relativistic learning and teaching (Trahar,
2013)
Conceptual Framing (5): Philosophy of
International Education in the Global Era
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Liberal cosmopolitanism: “a context-sensitive
cosmopolitanism is expected to reshuffle particular
identities in such a way that the self may be made to
feel at home everywhere and, at the same time, fully
at home nowhere.” (Papastephanou, 2011, p. 598)
Liberal paternalism: What otherness can be
accommodated in a mixed up world?
Educational imperialism: “Colonizing and
Decolonizing knowledge: internationalization a cover
for – creeping westernization.” (Trahar, 2013, p.11)
Research Questions/Issues
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What is the impact of socio-political and cultural
context on learning and teaching of diverse students
in the complex context of a divided society?
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What is the nature of faculty members’ encounters
with cultural diversity and social divisions in their
teaching/learning experiences?
What is the faculty members’ approach and role in
these encounters?
How to incorporate cultural sensitivity and political
context in teaching and learning?
Methodology
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Action-research: mapping the
phenomena, initiating and
implementing action and follow-up on
action
Research Tool: Individual semistructured interview
Participants: 20 faculty members in a
public academic college
Semi-structured individual interview: key
questions
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Have you encountered in the course of your work as
a lecturer/instructor/teaching career issues related to
cultural differences, differences in cultural
background? Can you describe the nature of these
issues?
How do cultural differences and diversity affect
learning, the relations among students and between
students and the lecturer/instructor?
How do you deal with issues related to
diversity/cultural differences?
What ways/methods would you suggest to use in
order to promote culturally sensitive teaching and
learning?
Initial Findings (1): My encounters with
cultural diversity and social divisions
Direct/Approaching-Inclusive
“you can see students in the same classroom who come from different worlds: one woman
who comes from the most liberal family where she can do anything she wants; can live
with her boyfriend…and she does not understand in what parallel planet a woman sitting in
a row above is living […] she has to marry older man so that he can pay her tuition” (Y.)
“We have Jewish/Sephardic women, Arab women and from former Soviet Union […]
Diversity is an asset: enriches learning, it is a privilege to be part of it for the faculty,
especially teaching groups that undergo intense and significant transformations: young
Sephardic women and young Arab women.” (Z.)
Sneaking/Posing Internal Identity Conflicts
“It is quite clear that when they sit in two separate groups, I always feel that the Arab
students don’t follow they come unprepared and this annoys me as an Arab woman; wakeup, study, be serious […]When they come to me with requests I feel I am more harsh with
them than with the Jewish students […] As an Arab I know more about the Jews than vice
versa… festivities, music, literature, I know a lot and the other way around they don’t
know.” (A.)
Initial Findings (2): My encounters with
cultural diversity and social divisions
Hidden/Posing Internal Identity Conflicts
“They (Arab students) fear mixing with Jewish students as this can interfere with
their work on tasks; they do not know how to talk with the other.” (J.)
Direct/Contentious-Confrontational
There are some situations where my interactions with the students are not simple
because I am trying not to give high grades easily and on the other hand I try not
to pose a too heavy obstacle to give a passing grade […] Students come to me
and fight for points and here the cultural background is very salient […] There are
students who try at all costs to squeeze from me a few points […] Some
immediately consent to my opinion (Arab students) […] Those who try more are
the more civilized, coming from ‘cultured’ families. (I.)
Invisible/Avoiding
“I think that in my department there are no diverse learning patterns, when a
student has to do an assignment in statistics, math or micro-economics, it really
doesn’t matter to me how he learns.” (S.)
Initial Findings (3): My position in cultural
diversity and social divisions encounters
Ethico-Political Responsibility/Ethno-Relativism
“Students from marginalized groups have low self-efficacy; we should help
them to sound authentic voices […] She has difficulty to open her wings as
she does not feel it's her place, her language…She has to learn a new
language (academic) but also preserve her own. The question is from which
standpoint you learn the new language – at the equal level and then you have
curiosity and a sense of power with the new language or you learn it as
something strange for you which comes to you from above and you won't be
able to control it…” (Z.)
“My role as a lecturer in academia is to turn students into professionals , not
merely content-wise but first and foremost to empower, engage people, turn
them to intellectuals, create bonds; build relations […] The key is trust […]
Encourage expression of exceptional/unique, nonconformist opinions/ideas[…]
It is a component in my role definition – to expose the students to diverse
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ideas/cultures
etc.” (Y.)
Initial Findings (4): My position in cultural
diversity and social divisions encounters
Culturalist Cosmoplitanism
“The students represent all the tensions there are in the general population[…]
We need to market it…To encourage this type of collaboration to work in diverse
teams to connect…In my course on public health we go to Um- el- Fahem, to
Sahnin…This has become a tradition…” (J.)
Educational imperialism or liberal paternalism
“People who came from, I mean who have families where education was higher, they
read more books, for them to read a book is more important, they know how to listen
to classic music, not just folk music […] Western culture…in our times this is the
culture that sustained […] This is a more precise language, more eloquent […] The
students who come from the lower culture are trying new things but get frustrated
very fast, don’t persevere […] I give examples from my culture, this is more
convenient to me, Western Culture[...] I do try to explain in their language but not to
make it too simplistic…” (I.)
Initial Insights
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Variety of Encounters with Cultural Diversity and
Social Divisions in Teaching/Learning
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Direct, Hidden, Sneaking, Invisible
Approaching-Inclusive, Posing Internal Identity
Conflicts, Contentious-Confrontational, Avoiding.
Reflections of Different Perspectives on
Philosophy of International Education in Faculty
Members’ Positions
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Contingent upon personal, professional
background, personality and individual credo
(awareness and reflexivity of academic staff)
Future Directions
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Delving deeper into the nature of
faculty’s encounters and positions –
identifying enablers and blockers
(comparison with a technological college)
Examining students’ perspectives
Implementing action-promoting best
practices: faculty training, redesign of
curriculum and pedagogies, revisiting
college policies
Concluding Thought: A Query
“…glimpse of what we might be, of our best selves, and of an
impossible world in which you give everything you have to
others, but lose nothing of yourself.“ (Ian McEwan,
“Saturday”)
Where are educational institutions on a journey towards
accomplishing the formidable mission (ethico-political
responsibility):
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creating safe and enriching learning spaces?
promoting dialogue among diverse students?
enhancing meaningful expression of different voices?