Moral Reasoning and Student Perceptions of the Middle East: Observations on Student Learning from an Internet Dialog

ABSTRACT

This article explores the relationship between the religious based moral reasoning of Judaism and Islam and college student subjects' attitudes toward political entities involved in Middle East conflict, Israel and Arab states. Subjects learn about the moral positions by observing parts of an interactive, Internet dialog among Christian, Jewish, and Muslim scholars who discuss issues of terrorism, resistance, the United States's role in the Middle East, and the prospects for peace. After surveying an extensive literature on student attitude change, the author presents the study's methodology as well its quantitative and qualitative findings. These suggest that students' views of political entities are influenced by faith based moral reasoning in explanation of political actions.

One group of subjects reported changed attitudes and more favorable viewpoints toward Israel after observing Jewish moral reasoning; and another group made similar positive attitude change toward Arab countries when presented with Muslim positions. Confronted with both Jewish and Muslim arguments, however, the subjects in a third group were more divided in the number of students who changed their attitudes and in the direction of change. The study also presents anecdotal evidence involving students' own evaluation of the use of information technology and the Internet in their learning experience. More research in this area would help assess the role this technology plays in opening students' minds to unfamiliar values and changing their attitudes toward political entities.

Keywords:

• values
• attitudes
• religion
• politics
• World Wide Web

Notes

n = 15.

t = 6.406.

df = 14.

p < .001.

n = 14.

t = 3.137.

df = 13.

p < .05.

n = 14.

t = 2.421.

df = 13.

p < .05.

n = 14.

t = −1.470.

df = 13.

p = .165.