Jewish and Arab lecturers teaching Jewish and Arab teachers how to teach in the ‘other’ society: Insights into the development of intercultural competence in a high-intensity conflict society

Abstract

This study focused on the Leadership in Cross-Cultural Teaching Program (Cross-Teach), which retrains academics to become teachers in the ‘other’ (Jewish vs. Arab) educational stream in Israel, a high-intensity conflict society. The research aimed to uncover lecturers' understanding of intercultural competence (henceforth, IC), investigating how they perceive it should be imparted to pre-service teachers operating across intercultural boundaries. Nine lecturers, representing diverse backgrounds and extensive experience, were interviewed and the transcripts were used as data for qualitative analysis. This research presents a novel perspective on IC among educators, emphasizing comprehensive skills ranging from cognitive and emotional dimensions to identity exploration. Diverging from existing literature, our study uniquely focuses on identity and conflict as an essential component of IC among teachers. The lecturers delve into the reciprocal learning environment, exposing participants to identity conflicts and fostering intercultural encounters. The inclusion of diverse Arab and Jewish lecturers further enriches our exploration of identity formation. Our findings illuminate the complex dynamics, challenges, and opportunities for IC within a society marked by high-intensity conflict.