Miri Yemini

The controlled fabrication of nanopores by focused electron-beam-induced etching

The fabrication of nanometric holes within thin silicon-based membranes is of great importance for various nanotechnology applications. The preparation of such holes with accurate control over their size and shape is, thus, gaining a lot of interest. In this work we demonstrate the use of a focused electron-beam-induced etching (FEBIE) process as a promising tool for the fabrication of such nanopores in silicon nitride membranes and study the process parameters. The reduction of silicon nitride by the electron beam followed by chemical etching of the residual elemental silicon results in a linear dependence of pore diameter on electron beam exposure time, enabling accurate control of nanopore size in the range of 17-200 nm in diameter. An optimal pressure of 5.3 x 10(-6) Torr for the production of smaller pores with faster process rates, as a result of mass transport effects, was found. The pore formation process is also shown to be dependent on the details of the pulsed process cycle, which control the rate of the pore extension, and its minimal and maximal size. Our results suggest that the FEBIE process may play a key role in the fabrication of nanopores for future devices both in sensing and nano-electronics applications.

Internationalisation discourse hits the tipping point

The discourse on internationalisation has undergone a transformation in recent years, particularly in the sphere of education, where the terms centrality has long been undeniable. This discourse has evolved from a focus on internationalisations increasing importance in education to a mounting critique regarding the processs utility and incorrect interpretation of its meaning by countries and higher education institutions. This critique attributes to internationalisation many negative implications linked to neoliberalism within the socio-economic discourse and thus raising the need for novel theoretical conceptualisation of the term that will allow further development of empirical research and academic discourse. The present article discusses the need to redefine the concept of internationalisation, and proposes a new definition for internationalisation. The article argues that negative by-products should not be a reason to dismiss a concept that has significance for learners and the education system.

Internationalisation Discourse What Remains to Be Said

Globalisation has affected many aspects of daily life, including education. In the last decade, ‘internationalisation’ has become one of most popular terms in the education arena. A wide discourse exists, including the definition of internationalisation, its purpose, strategies, policies and practices, its assessment methods, and the motivation of different stakeholders to engage in it. Internationalisation is not a constant phenomenon, but rather a process undergoing continuous change, influenced by external and internal social, economic, political and academic factors. Much has been written about its current and future dimensions and directions. This paper aims to add more insights to the existing literature by presenting emerging directions in the field of internationalisation in education on global, national, organisational and individual levels. Specifically, I discuss the convergence and unification of two processes heretofore addressed independently – internationalisation in schools and in higher education. I also present the connection of national and organisational processes into individual internationalised (cosmopolitan) competencies and discuss the secondary value of internationalisation in reconciliation and peace processes.

Cosmopolitanism versus Nationalism in Israeli Education

Education systems worldwide have served as a nation-building apparatus and national consciousness facilitators since the appearance of the modern nation-state. With the emergence of globalization in recent decades, however, a growing presence of cosmopolitanism and internationalization can be traced in education policy and school curricula. Schools currently face contradicting pressures for internationalization on one hand and nationalism on another. The major aim of this work is to inquire when and why those pressures occur in one public school system and to analytically trace these processes over time. We analyze a test case of the transformations in the Israeli education system, focusing on history curricula, and on the rationale for such transformations during the last 20 years. We undertake a comprehensive analysis that combines qualitative and quantitative data at policy and curriculum levels to provide insight into the ways by which global and local processes influence national curriculum.

Global citizenship education in context: teacher perceptions at an international school and a local Israeli school

We apply semi-structured interviews to conceptualise perceptions of global citizenship among teachers at an international school and teachers at a local public school in Israel, revealing discrepancies between theory and practice in global citizenship education (GCE). We find that teachers perceive global citizenship differently along three major axes: boundaries of global citizenship, practical aspects of GCE, and through the effect of Israel’s context. This study offers a comparative perspective that discerns the differing impacts of school context and student background on teacher perceptions at different kinds of schools and highlights the importance of teacher agency in GCE.

Internationalization of Secondary Education—Lessons From Israeli Palestinian-Arab Schools in Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Cosmopolitan capital became an integral ingredient in the set of competencies considered to provide a competitive edge for effective citizenship in the 21st century. Recently, internationalization of education became a more common phenomenon in secondary schools, serving as a tool to provide youth with cosmopolitan capital and relevant capabilities for the future. This research investigates the internationalization processes taking place in Palestinian-Arab secondary schools in Israel. Drawing on semistructured interviews with school principals and teachers, it identifies and characterizes the phenomenon of internationalization in schools. The findings reveal a complex, multidimensional behavior of school principals with regard to this process. Generally, principals support internationalization, although the scope, nature, and intensity of the international activities largely depend on schools’ contextual variables. The international dimension in Israeli Palestinian-Arabs schools was found to be closely related to political and national circumstances. The importance of this dimension in secondary education is depicted through the school principals’ and teachers’ views and opinions.

Web-Based Analysis of Internationalization in Israeli Teaching Colleges:

The international activities of academic institutions dramatically expanded in volume, scope, and complexity during the past three decades. This expansion raised the need to monitor and assess the process at various levels and ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of internationalization. This study has two main aims: first, to present a model large-scale feasibility test for internationalization assessment through institutions’ websites; and second, to assess internationalization using the proposed methodology in teachers’ colleges in Israel. A website-based analysis was combined with in-depth interviews with colleges’ leadership. The use of the proposed methodology is demonstrated through systematic assessment of 21 teachers’ colleges in Israel. The effect of contextual variables such as colleges’ size, location (national periphery vs. center), and educational stream (Jewish-Secular, Palestinian-Arab, and Jewish-Religious) on internationalization expression and intensity are presented and discussed in detail. Internationalization levels were found to positively relate to the size of each institution and its proximity to Israel’s geographic center. In addition, Jewish-Religious and Palestinian-Arab colleges were found to possess lower general levels of internationalization in comparison to the Jewish-Secular stream. This article presents discussion and policy implications of the findings.

School–Nongovernmental Organization Engagement as an Entrepreneurial Venture A Case Study of Sunlight’s Engagement With Israeli Schools

Purpose: This study examines the objectives, nature, and perceived outcomes of school–nongovernmental organization (school-NGO) engagements in the Israeli education system, focusing on a single case study of a school-NGO interaction. We aim to characterize the conflicting motivations of each stakeholder involved in the creation and formulation of such engagement and to capture the process of interaction—from its initiation through the decision to continue, expand, or abolish these relations. Research Design: We employ a case study approach based on in-depth interviews with school principals, the NGO’s CEO, representatives of the local education authority and Ministry of Education, and the Israeli parliament’s Education Committee director, in addition to publication analysis, to provide a comprehensive view of the interaction from the stakeholders’ perspectives. Findings: We find that school-NGO interaction results from multidimensional relations, wherein each involved entity holds a set of aims and motivations that intermingle with those of other entities to create and form the engagement. School-NGO interaction can be considered a form of entrepreneurship within the education system, with each stakeholder acting entrepreneurially to gain value, attain resources, and mitigate risks in a proactive and innovative matter. All stakeholders employ this initiative to address their own, sometimes conflicting, goals and to benefit according to their own agendas. Conclusions: We conclude by discussing possible theoretical and practical implications involving school principals’ agency and NGO-school engagements in the local and global context.

Mobility as a Continuum: European Commission Mobility Policies for Schools and Higher Education

Abstract This study explores the rationale and aims of European Commission (EC) mobility programmes for schools and higher education systems, namely the Comenius and the European Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students (ERASMUS) funding schemes. Our findings indicate that the aims, rationales and means of mobility programmes for the school and higher education levels are nearly identical in terms of formal policies and prescriptions. Moreover, regarding both schools and higher education, mobility funding schemes focus on students’ skill acquisition and individual agency attained through internationalisation as part of the quest to tackle macro-economic challenges at national and regional levels. Differences were found in the respective policies’ approach to macro-level issues: internationalisation of higher education addresses the European Union’s need to compete in the global sphere, forging ‘global citizenry’, and pragmatic rationales, whereas internationalisation at the school level aims to strengthen European institutions and ‘European citizenry’ mentioning also ideological rationales. Based on these findings, we conclude that research into the internationalisation of schools and higher education institutions will benefit from a unified outlook at these levels of education within a joint field of study.

International Baccalaureate as a litmus test revealing conflicting values and power relations in the Israeli education system

This study comprises a comprehensive attempt to reveal the power relations and conflicting interests within the local–global nexus of the Israeli public education system. The perceptions of different stakeholders were explored, in regard to the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program as an example of a globally oriented curriculum. Vignette scenarios and mixed methods were utilized in order to survey various stakeholders including parents, school principals, Education Ministry officials, academics, and educational entrepreneurs. Findings indicate that the Israeli education system is somewhat trapped between different and opposing pressures that force transformations in conflicting directions. The Israeli case may serve as a reference point for future research, advancing the study of power relations and tensions between different values and diverse stakeholders in modern education systems, especially within societies engaged in active conflict.