BRIDGING THE NATIONAL DIVIDE: USING E-LEARNING IN CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION IN ISRAEL
Author(s):
Yaacov B Yablon,
Yaacov J Katz
Paper abstract: One of the major social problems facing Israeli society is the cleavage between the Jewish majority and
Arab minority regarding social attitudes towards each other. An Internet-based citizenship and peace
education project was implemented in two Israeli high schools in order to contend with this cleavage and
to enhance the development of positive attitudes of Jewish and Arab students toward each other. Based
on contact theory, a four month weekly e-learning citizenship and peace education project enabled
formal and informal interaction between students belonging to the two conflict groups. Results of the
study indicate improvement in attitudes of both Jewish and Arab students toward each other with more
significant improvement found for students belonging to the Jewish majority. The findings indicate the
potential of Internet-based communications to enhance citizenship and peace education as well as
positive social attitudes between members of conflict groups.
Keywords:
Citizenship education, Relationship, E-Learning, Jews and Arabs
