Online Learning and Ultra-Orthodox teacher education students – do they align?
Abstract: A growing number of ultra-orthodox students are participating in Israeli higher education institutes. However, they are unfamiliar with novel aspects of online learning, as students as well as teachers in the education system. notwithstanding, online learning is considered a lever for empowering this marginalized population. The aim of our study was to explore ultra-orthodox students’ perceptions of online courses. They experienced these courses while studying in a unique women’s B.Ed. program within a secular college of education. Data was comprised of transcriptions from 44 interview narratives which were analyzed using mixed quantitative and qualitative methods; this study focuses on the former. Results exhibited the underlying difficulties and challenges of ultra-orthodox students and also the complexity of learning online for them, in a twofold manner: personally and in terms of their community. The study may advance our understanding regarding online learning for traditional marginal communities which may benefit from online learning.