Empowering Female Students From Traditional Societies: Heutagogy as a Pathway to Multicultural Competence in Higher Education

Abstract

This study explores the role of heutagogy in fostering cultural competence and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. By addressing both psychological and sociological dimensions of learning, heutagogy promotes self-determined education while challenging systemic power structures. Drawing on the self-reported experiences of 75 ultra-Orthodox and Bedouin students enrolled in heutagogically designed courses, the study highlights how self-efficacy, autonomy, relevance, reflective competence, and conflictual coping influence academic development. Findings reveal that self-efficacy was central to students’ motivation and persistence. Ultra-Orthodox students gained confidence by critically engaging with systemic inequalities, while Bedouin students developed agency through self-directed learning. Autonomy emerged as a defining feature, with flexible course structures enhancing intrinsic motivation. The integration of personally and professionally relevant content further increased student engagement, underscoring the importance of culturally responsive pedagogy. Reflective competence also played a key role, as students developed metacognitive awareness and the capacity to critically assess their learning. Additionally, students navigated tensions between academic content and personal beliefs, demonstrating heutagogy’s potential to foster resilience and adaptability. These findings contribute to the field of self-determined and culturally responsive learning by demonstrating its transformative potential for empowering marginalized student populations in higher education. Culturally responsive heutagogical frameworks promote active learning by centering learner autonomy and incorporating students’ cultural contexts—through strategies such as multilingual resources and co-constructed learning goals that validate diverse ways of knowing and empower marginalized learners. Such approaches help create inclusive higher education environments that support student agency, resilience, and meaningful engagement.