Proceedings of the 15th International Academic Conference, Rome

21ST CENTURY, TRANS-DISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM IN THE ARAB WORLD

MARY GENE SAUDELLI

Abstract:

This is an ethnnographic case study of curriculum design and implementation at Dubai Women’s College (DWC) by a team of international educators from across the globe. It explores the question of: what can be learned for 21st century education from educators who choose to traverse the globe, teaching and learning in their third spaces (Bhabha, 1994)? These educators shed light on the complex interplay of global, local, social, cultural, and religious factors affecting curriculum design and educational practices for indigenous female higher education students in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Discussions explore the role of contemporary educational curricular theories such as constructivist learning theory, transformative curriculum theory, and sociological theories and situates these theories in a global and local curricular space. Presented will be a 3-fold model to embrace the global and the local through curriculum design and implementation, international standards of English proficiency, task-based assessment, globalization and affiliation among educational institutions, teaching for relevance in higher education, and concludes with a discussion of implications for a globalized and interconnected educational future. Ultimately, this study captures a discussion from this unique group of educators who understand 21st century curriculum design and implementation as a “contextualized” construct that incorporates global and local emphases. They envision a globalized educational landscape with theory and practice understood embracing an international perceptual lens.

Keywords: internationalization, interdisciplinary studies, curriculum, teaching and learning, learning theories

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2015.015.162

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