The Value Structure of Student at the Palestinian Universities

The goal of this study is to be acquainted with the value structure of students at the Palestinian universities. This study also tried to investigate the effect of the students’ gender, college, home residence, educational level, parents’ educational level, income, grade point average (GPA), and travel abroad on the value structure of the student. A random sample consisting of 700 students was selected from several Palestinian universities: An-Najah National University, Bier-Zeit University and Arabs American University. The instrument used during this study was Rokeach value. The collected data was analyzed by computer program (SPSS) and the following results were obtained: Palestinian students gave importance to the terminal values such as religiousness, family security, and self-esteem, and to instrumental values such as ambitious, open minded and honesty. On the other hand, they showed less importance to the terminal values such as, social recognition, beautiful world, happiness and interest, And to instrumental values such as reliable, obedient, bless and happiness. 1. There is no significant mean difference between the value structure and the demographic of (gender, college, home residence, income, grade point average, student’s educational level, parents’ educational level, and travels abroad. In the scope of the results of this study, we can classify the terminal and the instrumental values regarding to the preference of Palestinian university students into two major categories: a) Strongly preferred values b) Weakly preferred values Based on the study findings the researcher recommended: 1. While supporting the terminal and the instrumental values of type(a) mentioned above one should strengthen type (b) until it approaches the preference level of type (a). 2. Some obligatory courses about values should be included in university programs. 3. In order to emphasize the importance of the different values, implant them in the souls of students, and to apply them in their daily lives, leaflets and booklets concerning the different educational values have to be published and distributed among school and university students either through voluntary activities or through regular studying programs. 4. A comparison research program dealing with the educational values in Arab countries on one side and the European countries on the other have to be established. Future Studies: For future work, I recommend to make a preference value study dealing with samples of higher educational level. Such samples can be picked-up from the university employees, engineers and medical doctors