A core purpose of education is the policy of inclusion and equality, which is implemented in almost all educational systems and institutions responsible for teacher training in Israel, Europe, and beyond. The education system fosters inclusion by modifying curriculum content, teaching practices, structures, strategies, and effective technology use. This ensures that no child is left behind, integrates children into society, and prepares them to be active citizens (UNESCO, 2020).

Teachers, especially pre-service teachers, report uncertainty about creating pedagogical responses adapted to cultural, ethnic, social, and linguistic heterogeneity and integrating children with special needs in classrooms (Flynn et al., 2023; Kakos & Teklemariam, 2021). They also emphasize that they are unprepared to implement inclusive pedagogy, do not dare to create appropriate responses to prevent discrimination, and act to integrate children vulnerable to exclusion and marginalization (Reinwald & Kunze, 2020). Therefore, pre-service teachers must develop abilities beyond subject-matter teaching and strengthen resilience to overcome obstacles and achieve their learning goals. They need to demonstrate a holistic human sensitivity out of a social and moral commitment and responsibility to implement teaching practices that strengthen personal ability and innovation, expand their field of activity, and adapt to children's needs (Dubayová & Hafičová, 2023; Griffin et al., 2015).

To respond to an educational challenge and develop educational practices already in the teacher training process, I chose to teach the course "Classroom and Inclusion" using the Heutagogy approach. This approach allows us to learn, research, and act from a transdisciplinary and holistic perspective while respecting diversity, promoting social justice, and educating for equality. The course offered an open, inclusive, and tolerant learning environment that encourages autonomous, self-determined learning based on choice, interest, and curiosity. The pre-service teachers examined their role as learners and future teachers who can cope with inclusion issues, not only from the traditional perspective of a teacher "transferring knowledge" to students. They respond by focusing on their context and each child in the class to strengthen engagement in learning while taking responsibility and commitment. The Heutagogy approach emphasizes self-assessment by learners while establishing goals and criteria in collaboration with their peers and through dialogue with the instructor. It highlights the benefits of collaborative learning within a learning community (Deci & Ryan, 2000; Glassner & Back, 2020).

The students' experience with the Heutagogy approach allows them to view the teacher's new role as a facilitator, guide, and advisor rather than simply a transmitter of knowledge and a responder to disciplinary issues. This approach also aims to foster a new educational dialogue that encourages open and collaborative communication between students and the teacher, enabling learning as a lifelong pursuit (Fox et al., 2015; Kurczewska et al., 2020). Within the Heutagogy approach, changing traditional assumptions can be challenged, including the teacher's role in evaluating and assigning grades. This creates an environment where learners are encouraged to reflect on their thinking patterns and pursue integrity, justice, and deeper understanding more than grading (Hase & Blaschke, 2021).

The study explored the actions, challenges, and implications of developing personal ability in learning, teaching, and assessment among pre-service teachers based on the Heutagogy approach. The aim was to enhance skills in inclusion and understanding others within a heterogeneous classroom. The research questions:

(1) What challenges do students and one lecturer encounter in an academic course to develop personal competence and inclusion skills through the Heutagogy approach?

(2) What strategies can be employed to address these challenges?

(3) What implications does the Heutagogy approach have for teaching and learning in an academic course?

The study is qualitative-interpretive and conducted as Action Research in the academic year 2024. Action research is a holistic and democratic process based on learning-by-doing, whose primary goal is to improve practice through solving specific problems and issues that participants face. This research is driven by a mutual connection between theory and practice, leading to the creation of new knowledge by the researcher during the experience (Herr & Anderson, 2005; Jacobs, 2018). The study was conducted in the course "Classroom and Inclusion." This course aimed to enhance students' personal and pedagogical skills for including and understanding others in a diverse classroom. It challenged and encouraged them to advocate for pedagogical change. Twenty-six students experimented with the Heutagogy approach to develop self-directed learning and encourage learner engagement. The course was taught from a pluralistic perspective without distinguishing between the student’s fields of study. The limitations of validity and reliability in action research allow a large amount of data collected from different sources: Non-participant observations were conducted by a teaching assistant during the academic year. Documenting written conversations between the students and me took place in several spaces: (1) reflective journaling of students in a personal blog in the course’s digital space; (2) personal messages on WhatsApp; (3) telephone conversations; (4) recording and transcription of meetings held on the Zoom app. Plenary meetings were held with all students and group and individual meetings. A researcher's travel journal, in which I wrote a reflection on the teaching, the thoughts, feelings, concerns, and dilemmas I faced throughout the course. The accompanying documents include the teaching materials I formulated and presented in class, the writing by all participants in a collaborative file on their issue, and students' lesson plans and summaries. The data processing involved a detailed and comprehensive reading to identify central themes and subthemes. The data were processed using inductive data-driven analysis of the students' and researcher's written data and deductive theory-driven analysis of the research literature in the field (Francisco et al., 2024; Salo et al., 2024). Combining the two analytical approaches helped to describe the data and draw valid conclusions for their broader context. I was assisted by a critical friend, who read the findings and added additional perspectives. Inter-judge reliability stems from the steps taken to determine the suitability of the sections for the various circuits and sections. The ethical rules were carefully observed.

Tomorrow's world is unknown, and the present period is complex, filled with crises, tensions, and wars faced by educational institutions in Israel and worldwide. Therefore, it is essential to integrate the Heutagogy approach to enhance the ability of both learners and teachers to ask questions, challenge and create new ideas, generate insights, and integrate knowledge through personal involvement and community engagement belonging. The Heutagogy approach can chart the way forward and cultivate a democratic way of life of solidarity, choice, commitment, and responsibility. It develops skills and strategies guided by content knowledge and personal, intuitive, authentic, and creative knowledge. These personal resources will be developed through familiar, routine traditional learning actions and opportunities for self-directed, proactive, innovative, and critical reflection. To implement effective change processes in teacher training, pre-service teachers must take responsibility and commit to changing teaching practices, content, and the learning environment. They must also be part of a collaborative learning community with a shared interest in operating in a safe space that allows continuous, orderly, regular personal observation and critical thinking. This study enriches academic knowledge that change cannot occur through force or top-down guidance but through the students' experiences, engagement, and challenges. Moreover, the dramatic change in the role of the Heutagogy educator, who is required to create diverse learning activities from authentic, personal, and original experience, how to develop eye-level communication with learners, and serve as a model for tolerance, building trust, love of the profession, enjoyment of teaching and investment out of interest and curiosity. The educator must create a collaborative learning community in the classroom, where open, inclusive, and safe discourse encourages natural learner engagement regardless of the grade or teachers' response. Thus, the Heutagogy educator changes from a knowledgeable person who transfers knowledge to a guide, advisor, and instructor.

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