Abstract
This research project explored effective ways of developing international mindedness. International mindedness is a term that now appears in the mission statement of many international schools yet there is a need for a clearer account of ways in which to develop internationally minded students. Many teachers and researchers leave the development of international mindedness to fate. However, external and internal forces such as planning, school practices and rituals, each teacher’s own actions, attitudes and behaviours, can all work to inhibit or foster the development of international mindedness in students. This paper discusses some of the outcomes from this recent research project focusing in particular on the positive implications inquiry learning can have on the development of international mindedness in an International Baccalaureate school implementing the Primary Years Program. It is argued that through inquiry learning and other processes in the curriculum, assessment and pedagogy, international schools can achieve the goals of their mission statement in a way that allows each student to come to their own realisation of international mindedness.
Highlights
The main research question was to find out the extent in which the Primary Years Program (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) is effective in developing international mindedness in students
X How ideology influences the development of international mindedness; x The ways in which international mindedness can be modelled in a school community; x How international mindedness can be developed through pedagogy, assessment and the curriculum; x The 10 attributes of the IB learner profile which are claimed by the IBO to be fundamental in defining an internationally minded student; x Effective ways of developing international mindedness; x How the teacher’s own interpretation of international mindedness effects the development of international mindedness in students. All of these smaller questions served to unpack the main research question which was to understand the effectiveness of the IB PYP in developing internationally minded students
It would be difficult to argue against the belief that the well established IB PYP is successful in developing international mindedness in students
Summary
The main research question was to find out the extent in which the Primary Years Program (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) is effective in developing international mindedness in students. Researching the extent in which the PYP effectively develops internationally minded students involved examining:. X How the teacher’s own interpretation of international mindedness effects the development of international mindedness in students All of these smaller questions served to unpack the main research question which was to understand the effectiveness of the IB PYP in developing internationally minded students. To unpack the research question in the most informative way, looking at ways in which the curriculum, assessment and pedagogy of the IB school of research was arranged and implemented to try and develop international mindedness remained a focus of the study. To protect the identity of all participants the school of research, pseudonyms have been employed
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