Diversity in Cultural Values amongst Expatriate Palestinian University Students رسالة ماجستير

Abstract

This study measured the level of cultural diversity of the Palestinian university students studying abroad. As a theoretical framework, the researcher adapted Milton J. Bennett's theory (1986); the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) to give answers for the questions of the study The researcher used both quantitative and qualitative approach to address the research questions. An online questionnaire was used as an instrument during the second schooling year of 2020-2021, as well as, conducting interviews for more in-depth data. The researcher used the descriptive statistics method to analyze the outcome data. The convenience sample was one hundred twenty-three respondents of expatriate Palestinian university students who are enrolled in a variety of major and higher educational institutions outside the country mainly from the United States of America and the European countries. The results were calculated using SPSS program. To summarize the most important points of the results, there was low level of the sample responses characterized by the first three ethnocentric stages of the (DMIS) scale. Whereas, there was high level of the sample about Ethnorelative dimension that consists of the most advanced stages these are: acceptance, adaptation, and integration. The highest stage was acceptance, while the second ranked stage is integration. That reflects good indications that expatriate Palestinian students are possessing high level of Intercultural communicative competence (ICC) skills, and multicultural worldviews. Based on the study’s results, the researcher recommended the Palestinian Ministry of Education, universities administrations, pedagogical experts, educators and teachers to recognize the importance of enhancing and measuring the (ICC) level of their students.