Integration of Higher Order Thinking Skills into the Arab Education System in Israel: a General Perspective

This qualitative literature review represents the first attempt to show the history of the Arab public education system in Israel from the angle of the development of higher order thinking skills (further: HOTS). A brief outline is provided of the Education Ministry’s policies and public activities considered to influence the quality of education in the Arab education sector. The review highlights the main perspectives of Israeli Arab and Jewish authors on Arab education. Data were analyzed through the use of the thematic framework developed on the basis of the previous Israeli research on HOTS. Findings show the challenges that the Arab education system faces in creating the HOTS-based learning environment. These include cultural/traditional differences between Arab and Jewish sectors, political factors, economic discrimination against the Arab education sector, and the failure of some of the local authorities to improve the level of school education. As a result of government policies and insufficient amount of research data, the conditions are not created for developing the HOTS of Arab students through studying civics and humanities, including the issues of Palestinian Arab history and heritage. Recommendations are provided regarding the implementation of the HOT-based educational strategies in the Arab education system.