Summary of Main Findings

had achieved in the process. They also used the space of the interview to continue their work on the process and frequently referred directly to the researcher to include her in their

concrete plans for their curriculum work.

6.3.1.2 Motivations to internationalise the curriculum. Motivation to

internationalise the Technological Marketing curriculum revolves around the need to present a ‘globalised curriculum’ and position the department as offering a unique, innovative and contemporary academic programme which will be recognised both nationally and

internationally. It is predominantly directed at establishing a competitive academic edge. At the same time, curriculum internationalisation is also a tool and process through which greater academic coherence, clarity and quality can be added to the programme. These kinds of understandings and motivations were generally established at the department level and then communicated to the team as a shared goal. It is essentially a top-down motivational factor, which was internalised by the academic team and expressed clearly in the analysis of the interviews.

Furthermore, the Technological Marketing curriculum is situated at the intersection of practice and theory, is interdisciplinary by nature, and is altogether a newly emerging

academic programme. The fact that this department offers a unique academic programme is at the same time an advantage and disadvantage. The obvious advantage is offering a programme no other institution offers, but the disadvantage is the confusion of current and prospective students about the exact nature of the curriculum. In this context, the motivation to internationalise the curriculum stems from the need to re-define and clarify general programme goals and align them with international curriculum standards and employability requirements.

Finally, another strong motivational force is to boost graduate employability and equip them with both the soft and hard skills they need in order to succeed and assume key positions in the local and global hi-tech industry.

6.3.1.3 Interpretations of internationalisation of the curriculum. Internationalisation of the curriculum is essentially interpreted in the department of Technological Marketing as a globalised curriculum. The curriculum is depicted as introducing knowledge with an inherent and natural global dimension, which corresponds with similar programmes or courses around the world. The process of internationalisation of the curriculum is meant to be instrumental in two directions: highlight the ‘natural’ international profile of the curriculum and at the same time, produce original content which can be accessed globally. It should ultimately reflect the Israeli spirit of a ‘Start-up nation’ and position at its core innovation, entrepreneurship, multi-disciplinarity, problem-solving, teamwork and ‘real world’ experiences as prominent values

Internationalisation of the curriculum is also embraced as a process which, in itself, represents innovation and modernity. ‘Keeping with the times’ is a central value and key identifier for the Technological Marketing team. It is regarded as part of their essential professional development and their natural modus operandi. In this framework, up-to-date student-centered pedagogies which were highlighted by the department throughout the process, such as formulating learning outcomes, are understood as both a means and an end of curriculum internationalisation.

Furthermore, English medium instruction plays a central role as part of this

department’s interpretation, as it is perceived not merely as an indicator or defining feature of internationalisation, but as a key employability need of the professional practice. It is

therefore grounded within a strong realistic rationale. The global curriculum of the

Technological Marketing department can be seen as an approach which values the blurring of boundaries: between languages (Hebrew and English), knowledge (academic disciplines),

profile of staff members (active both in academia and the industry), and source materials of research and practice (academia-industry).

6.3.1.4 Classroom enactment of internationalisation of the curriculum. The cultivation of teamwork, collaboration, and a ‘never-ending’ approach to curriculum development and improvement experienced by the academic team, are also reflected at the level their classroom environments, where students are generally expected to learn by modeling and by being exposed to a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation. In their approach to classroom enactment of curriculum internationalisation, the academic team in this case hopes to inspire students to increasingly become more like them.

This spirit of innovation, however, is at times experienced as too fast-paced and with the risk introducing change for the sake of change. When participants reflected on the realities of integrating English medium instruction for example, they highlighted the need to invest more time and reflection on the topic and re-evaluate its academic rationale and pedagogical integration. Similarly, interviewees pointed out that the need to address intercultural awareness at the level of the curriculum had not been given enough attention, and that it is important to make their students more conscious of how they carry their Israeli identity in a globalised environment.

6.3.2 Document analysis of syllabi. One of the central elements of implementing internationalisation of the curriculum in the department of Technological Marketing is the requirement that all staff members use a standard international syllabus template. The international syllabus template is a comprehensive format covering all aspects of teaching and learning for a given course. It is not a simple, technical document one can fill out easily, but rather the output of a careful thought and planning process. This kind of syllabus is meant to complement the extensive efforts on curriculum development invested in this department.

Lecturers in this department reported that using the new syllabus format has contributed significantly to the improvement of their curriculum.

Indeed, a close analysis of the syllabi documents reveals that a lot of thought and reflection around internationalisation of the curriculum had been carried out. Still, most course objectives which were subjected to analysis did not directly communicate a message around internationalisation, and in most cases, internationalised learning outcomes have not been formulated at all. The absence of internationalised intended learning outcomes stands in contrast to the carefully constructed intended learning outcomes. This may reflect the

participants’ view that in principle, they do not separate between the two, and that they consider their curriculum to be inherently global or international.

The syllabi documents offer a variety of assessment methods, which are mostly focused on active production of knowledge and experiential learning. It is clear from the syllabi documents, that the Technological Marketing team values the importance of providing multiple learning environments in addition to the traditional classroom setting. However, the source materials featuring in the syllabi do not offer the same degree of richness. They represent predominantly Western knowledge and offer minimal exposure to alternative approaches to thinking.

English medium instruction appears to be integrated to an advanced degree however, given the frustrations and many challenges participants reported, the department could greatly benefit at this point from professional English medium instruction facilitation by a language expert. Overall, the syllabi document analysis highlights curriculum areas that still require the team’s attention and which could advance their work to a more integrated level of curriculum internationalisation.

7 Case 3 – Through the Looking Glass: Internationalisation of the Social Work