Havruta Goes to University: Havruta-style Text Study in a College Education Class

ABSTRACT

This article presents original qualitative research applying paired text study, havruta learning, to the secular college classroom. I adapted this method to a first-year seminar in a public university and found that students perceived that havruta improved their abilities to verbalize their understandings through reading text aloud and debating one another, opened their eyes to new perspectives, engaged them in argumentation, and empowered them to take charge of learning. Despite students’ overall resoundingly positive reflections upon their havruta experience, I also inquired as to perceived disadvantages, which included unbalanced participation, discomfort with disagreeing, and agreement leading to stagnation. Strategies I posit to address these challenges include planning for and evaluating future havruta learning and evaluating the balance and quality of work of partners.