Challenging the assumption that pedagogical innovation is culturally neutral, this study probes the extent to which teaching practices in Arab higher education align with or resist globally promoted student-centered approaches. Anchored in Hofstede’s theory of cultural dimensions, the research interrogates the cultural appropriateness of student-centered pedagogical paradigms by examining the instructional practices and cultural perceptions of Arab faculty. Employing a robust quantitative design, the study draws on data collected through a comprehensive three-part questionnaire completed by 105 Arab-speaking instructors. Advanced statistical analyses – including descriptive statistics, t-tests, and Pearson correlation coefficients – were used to illuminate patterns and relationships within the data. Findings revealed that while student-centric instructional approaches are perceived as moderately aligned with cultural expectations, culturally appropriate pedagogy is more strongly associated with traditional teacher-centered practices. Notably, all five of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions demonstrated positive correlations with teacher-centered instruction, raising critical questions about the cultural translatability of imported pedagogical models. The study concludes with a reflective discussion on the implications of these findings for policy, practice, and future research, advocating for a culturally responsive reimagining of pedagogical transformation in Arab higher education.
Abu-Tineh et al. (Fri,) studied this question.