International School Research Articles

Teacher and student interpretations of global citizenship education in international schools

This study explores conceptualisations of global citizenship education expressed by teachers and students in international schools. Using qualitative research, three schools were investigated in the Netherlands, Finland, and Australia. Data for this study was drawn from phenomenological interviews with secondary school students, teachers, and school leaders. The study’s findings show that young people experience global citizenship through feelings of a global community, by participating in curriculum-based community service, within charity frameworks, but also in student activism. Teachers and school leaders displayed conceptual uncertainty of global citizenship education and tended to stay within their comfort zones. The article concludes that international schools could benefit from more social justice oriented approaches to global citizenship education.

To What Extent Does Social Media Usage Impact the Ability to Delay Gratification and Attention Span of Teenagers in Mumbai?

The aim of the study is to investigate how social media usage affects the ability of Mumbai teenagers to delay gratification and their attention span. The research predicts that participants with high social media usage will show lower scores on delayed gratification compared to those with low social media usage. In addition, the performance of participants on the Stroop task will differ between those with low and high social media usage. The study uses a combination of meta-analysis and primary data collection, where 41 students from JBCN International School were sampled. The results indicate that high social media usage is associated with a reduced ability to delay gratification, which supports previous studies. The results also show that there is a correlation between the time taken to complete a task and the willingness to defer rewards for greater benefits in the future.

Pedagogika inżynierska jako podstawa teoretyczna kształcenia inżynierów

The origin and development of engineering pedagogy as a subdiscipline of pedagogy in Ukraine and in foreign countries is analyzed. The outstanding role of the founder of IGIP Professor Adolf Melecinek in the processes of formation of an international scientific school of engineering pedagogy and creation of conditions for professional-pedagogical and psychological training of teachers of technical disciplines as a factor in training competitive engineers is discussed. The essence, content and structure of professional training of future engineers with the aim of forming professional competences are highlighted. The features of the cognitive and practical activities of future engineers are revealed. The components and conditions for increasing the efficiency of the formation of the engineer’s professional competence and his readiness have been determined. Particular attention is given to the quality of academic teaching is decisively determined by the qualifications and competencies of the teaching staff, which also include university pedagogical capabilities. Therefore, it has been substantiated that with the growing environment and consciousness of “outcome-based education”, the importance of engineering pedagogy has increased manifold.

Comparative Study of International School Education and Public School Education in China

Comparative Study of International School Education and Public School Education in China

A Narrative Exploration of One Teacher’s Storied Experiences of Online Learning during COVID-19

The hubbub of teaching lives is enriched by the relationships between students, colleagues, parents and the larger schooling community. When these relationships are disharmonious, attending to the dissonance within these relationships may offer insight into teachers’ relational work. This autoethnographic article focuses on one international elementary school teacher’s experience of teaching online in West Africa during COVID-19. Teaching online in a developing country with political and physical instabilities compounded the chaotic experience of living and working during the pandemic. Guided by this research question, “How did online learning impact my relationship with students?”, the author utilized writing as an inquiry approach to make sense of the challenging aspects of her online teaching experiences. By delving into narrated moments, the author engaged in reflexive analysis of storied experiences. This process illuminated the meaning-making steps that she took to appreciate the nuances contained within specific moments that she had with a student and his father. Through storying and re-storying these moments, the author wondered and metaphorically wandered to unearth potential emotions, assumptions and motivations that permeated her experiences. Such an explorative focus on teachers’ subjective meaning-making process augments the wider body of work on online education and, in particular, this study’s inquiry into the complexity of educational relationships through a narrative lens offers insights into the inner workings of teacher emotions and feelings. This paper reveals how teachers may benefit from adopting a reflective and reflexive sense-making approach towards understanding their emotions, feelings, responsibilities and relationships with students and parents, especially during a time of crisis. This article contributes to the ongoing discussions about the complexities of teachers’ relational work and it enriches the extant literature on online education by shedding light on the individualistic ways that teachers cope with the uncertainties of teaching during a time of crisis. Deeping our collective understanding of how teachers cope can help us to provide better support for teachers and students during crises such as COVID-19.

‘Difficulties when learning, easiness when fighting’: Why do families in Latvia choose (pre)schools with a language of instruction other than their L1?

Aims and objectives: Language debates in Latvia often focus on the role of Latvian as official and main societal language. Yet, Latvian society is highly multilingual, and families with home languages other than Latvian have to choose between different educational trajectories for their children. In this context, this paper discusses the results of two studies which addressed the question of why families with Russian as a home language choose (pre)schools with languages other than Russian as medium of instruction (MOI). The first study analyses family narratives which provide insight into attitudes and practices which lead to the decision to send children to Latvian-MOI institutions. The second study investigates language attitudes and practices by families in the international community of Riga German School. Methodology: The paper discusses data gathered during two studies: for the first, semi-structed interviews were conducted with Russian-speaking families who choose Latvian-medium schools for their children. For the second study, a survey was carried out in the community of an international school in Riga, sided by ethnographic observations and interviews with teachers and the school leadership. Data and analysis: Interviews and ethnographic observations were subjected to a discourse analysis with a focus on critical events and structures of life trajectory narratives. Survey data were processed following simple statistical analysis and qualitative content analysis. Findings/conclusions: Our data reveal that families highly embrace multilingualism and see the development of individual plurilingualism as important for integration into Latvian society as well as for educational and professional opportunities in the multilingual societies of Latvia and Europe. At the same time, multilingualism and multiculturalism, including Russian, are seen as a value in itself. In addition, our studies reflect the bidirectionality of family language policies in interplay with practices ineducational institutions: family decisions influence children’s language acquisition at school, but the school also has an impact on the families’ language practices at home. In sum, we argue that educational policies should therefore pay justice to the wishes of families in Latvia to incorporate different language aspects into individual educational trajectories. Originality: Language policy is a frequent topic of investigation in the Baltic states. However, there has been a lack in research on family language policy and school choices. In this vein, our paper adds to the understanding of educational choices and language policy processes among Russian-speaking families and the international community in Latvia.

Indonesian Teachers' Beliefs and Competencies in Implementing the Indonesian Prototype Curriculum to Promote SDG Goal 4

This qualitative study explores how Indonesian teachers align their beliefs and competencies with curriculum reform, specifically Kurikulum Merdeka and Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) - Quality Education. Semi-structured interviews with teachers from elite private and international schools reveal key themes, such as holistic student development, innovative teaching, and curriculum flexibility. ATLAS.ti aids thematic analysis. The study emphasizes the crucial role of external professional support in addressing teachers' mental health challenges and promoting overall well-being. The research provides insights into the complex relationship between teacher beliefs, competencies, and curriculum implementation. It offers valuable perspectives for policymakers, curriculum developers, and educators striving for quality education. The research recognizes potential limitations, including its focus on specific Indonesian teachers and the qualitative nature of the study. Future studies could diversify participants and further explore the impact of teacher well-being on educational practices.

Arabic Learning Methods in Saudi Arabia

There are twenty-two countries that use Arabic as their mother tongue, and there are many non-Arab countries that learn the language, one of which is our country Indonesia. In schools in Saudi Arabia, the way they teach Arabic is different from the way they teach in Islamic boarding schools and schools in Indonesia, because of different methods in teaching. The focus of this research study is on the method of teaching Arabic spoken in Saudi Arabia. The research method used is a literature study approach (Libarary Reaseach). The results of the study concluded that in Saudi Arabia there are two types of schools, namely, International and Ahliyah schools whose teaching methods use slightly different Arabic teaching methods, where International schools use six methods, while Ahliyah schools use five Arabic learning methods.

Children’s and parents’ perspectives of their multiple and multi-dimensional international transitions: Longitudinal study across four time points

Existing literature presents a fragmented and negative account of international family transitions. This longitudinal study focuses on the contemporaneous experiences of internationally mobile families during their transitions to a new country and international school, drawing on Multiple and Multi-dimensional Transitions (MMT) Theory. The study adopted a small-scale, multiple case study design and focused on the experiences of primary aged children and their parents over the period of one year from July 2019 to July 2020. The findings, presented here as a cross-section, revealed that participants navigated multiple, complex transitions across several domains and contexts on a daily basis and that their transition experiences were largely positive. This study challenges previous chronological models of international transitions and demonstrates that through the application of MMT theory, international family transitions are best understood as ongoing, complex, and multi-dimensional processes.

Virtual School: Learning to Teach Physics in a Virtual Community of Practice

This research explores the impact a Virtual Community of Practice (VCoP) within the international Virtual School pilot project aimed at providing future secondary-school physics teachers with authentic teaching experiences. The Virtual School serves as a platform to connect future teachers with real schools and pupils, creating a unique educational environment to develop professional identity and competencies. This paper reports on part of the project engaging eight preservice or early-career teachers, two mentors, three researchers, and forty-eight secondary school pupils. Pre and post semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data, exploring the participants' experiences and perceptions. The findings reveal significant impacts of the VCoP on the understanding of professional identity and the disciplinary teacher practices of participants. By participating in this digital community, they have developed expertise, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-classroom dynamics. This study highlights the potential of VCoPs to shape the training of secondary-school physics teachers, offering new avenues for teacher education in the digital age.

Developing the Communication Competencies of Non-Arabic Speakers Using Interactive Kagan Strategies

This research aims to verify the effectiveness of Kagan Strategies in developing communicative competence for non-Arabic speakers. To achieve these goals, the researchers prepared three electronic instruments: a questionnaire, interviews, and a pre- and post-test. The researchers used a descriptive survey method and a quasi-experimental method. They took the sample from 50 secondary school students (Vision International School). Students were divided into two groups. The researchers taught the experimental group of students using Kagan's strategies and the control group of students were taught using traditional methods. Their progress was measured using an achievement test. The researchers used sets of statistical ways to arrive at her conclusions. After completing the experiment, the researchers found statistically significant differences between the average achievement of the control set and the experimental set in the achievement test of Arabic skills, grammar, and communicative competence. Using Kagan Strategies was proven more effective than the traditional way in Vision International School in Qatar.

Instructional Communication in International High School in DKI Jakarta: A Case Study

Instructional communication is an important element in educational communication between teachers and students. The high school international school environment is different from the national school. This study aims to find out the influence and results of analysis on international school standards and teacher competence in high schools located in DKI Jakarta on instructional communication and communication behaviour. The methodology used is a mixed sequential explanatory method, conducting a survey of high school level students at an international school in DKI Jakarta and processed through semi-structural interviews and literature. The results shown that international school standards directly influence communication behaviour but not directly affect instructional communication. While teacher competence directly influences instructional communication, not directly affect communication behaviour. However, instructional communication as an intervening variable increases influence on international school standards and teacher competence on communication behaviour. Hence, the environment and the teacher's competence influence how the teacher teaches and acts as a model through verbal and nonverbal instructional communication. However, cultural and experiential also influence how Indonesian and foreign teachers apply instructional communication and react to students. The reactions of the two communities are sometimes different and have an impact on the profile of students who study abroad.

Differentiated Instruction - Motivation and Academic Achievement Across Distinct Disciplines

Differentiated instruction (DI) is gaining popularity as a pedagogical method/method of teaching, with the move towards inclusion. Research indicates that DI’s effects on student performance and engagement are significant and positive, though there are some inconsistencies when it comes to specific findings. This study sought to investigate the extent of the effects of DI on student academic performance and motivation across two courses from distinct disciplines - English and Chemistry - in a chosen international school in Beijing, China. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design using a sample of 32 high school students. Anonymized data on motivation were collected using a validated researcher-developed Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), while academic achievement was measured by standardized testing scores. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used in analyzing and presenting data collected for the study. Results indicated that the differentiation was effective at increasing motivation to a statistically significant extent, in line with the literature. However, student academic performance as measured by test scores was not shown to have been significantly influenced by DI. It was also found that the effects of DI did not significantly differ between the two chosen courses. The results imply that in this study, DI’s superiority in one particular subject/discipline has not yet been established, but future studies can be conducted in a more substantial time frame which may potentially lead to more significant results.

Investigating the Effect of Cultural Diversity Management and Employee Engagement on Work Performances: Mediating Role of Cross-Cultural Leadership

Sampoerna Academy Medan is one of the international schools that contributes to the number of foreign workers (expatriates). Cultural diversity at Sampoerna Academy Medan becomes an opportunity and challenge for this organization to achieve optimal employee performance. This study has identified and classified three large categories, namely a mismatch in cultural diversity management leading to a high level of staff and leader turnover, employee disengagement in optimizing their performance, and the phenomenon of self-adjustment to changes in leaders in three consecutive years. This study uses the transformational leadership theory, cross-cultural leadership styles, cultural diversity management, and employee engagement concepts. This study applies triangulation through in-depth interviews, observation, and with employees at Sampoerna Academy Medan. By using qualitative methods and involving 12 respondents consisting of one local manager, one Filipino manager, one Indian manager, two local staff, two Indian staff, 2 Philippine staff, 1 Malaysian staff, 1 Chinese staff, and 1 England staff. The study found several short-term and long-term recommendations that can support performance optimization at Sampoerna Academy Medan, Indonesia.

How International School Administrators Build Trust

This single-site case study focuses on how administrators in a Vietnamese international school build trust among expatriate teachers to foster informal teacher leadership. A theoretical framework based on Bourdieu’s (1986) social capital theory was used to design the research instruments and analyze the data. Participants took part in semi-structured interviews. Findings suggest that when administrators trust teachers as professionals and listen to their perspective, teachers reciprocate trust back to administrators. Findings also suggest that administrators’ handling of crises generates trust, but constant communication and transparency of information are key. The study highlights the importance of crisis management skills for administrators in international schools as these types of schools tend to be relatively isolated from the host country. The study also highlights the importance of trust for informal teacher leadership as trust was a prerequisite for collaboration. The findings also suggest that administrators play a critical role in building trust. However, administrators’ role is indirect rather than direct. In addition to building trusting cultures, findings suggest that administrators have other means for fostering informal teacher leadership, which should be explored in future research.

Research on the Social Causes Behind the Phenomenon of Studying Abroad in Mainland China - Taking High School Students as an Example

With the rapid development of Chinas economy, the exchanges between China and the outside world are becoming increasingly close, and the exchanges in education are no exception. More and more Chinese families choose to send their children to study abroad, and China has become the largest source of international students in the world. However, for a long time, the difficulty of applying for prestigious universities has increased year by year, and the problems such as the increase in living costs still exist objectively. In order to fully understand the real reasons why high school students choose to study abroad, as well as the fundamental reasons why the number of Chinese students choose to study abroad is not decreasing but increasing during the epidemic period, this study is based on Otterbachs push-pull theory, and adopts literature analysis and interview method to conduct case analysis. The research objects are overseas undergraduate students and international high school students in mainland China. Through the research, it is found that the social causes of Chinese high school students choosing to study abroad mainly stem from two factors: different education systems and students surrounding environment.

Mental Health And Test Availability Amid Covid-19 Among International School Teachers In Klang Valley

Mental Health And Test Availability Amid Covid-19 Among International School Teachers In Klang Valley

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF DESIRE FOR AND ANXIETY IN LEARNING CHINESE AMONG GRADES 3-5 STUDENTS AT AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL IN BANGKOK, THAILAND

This study was conducted to determine whether there were significant differences in desire for and anxiety in learning Chinese among students in Grades 3-5 at an international school in Bangkok, Thailand. A sample of 74 students enrolled in the target international school participated in this study. After performing descriptive statistics on the collected data, it was determined that the overall level of desire to learn Chinese was slightly high for Grade 3 students, high for Grade 4 students, and slightly high for Grade 5 students at the target school. The overall level of anxiety in Chinese classes was interpreted as slightly high for Grade 3 students, slightly low for Grade 4 students, and slightly high for Grade 5 students at the target school. Through quantitative comparative analysis, a statistically significant difference in desire for learning Chinese was found between Grade 4 and Grade 5 students at the target international school. Additionally, there was a statistically significant difference in anxiety in learning Chinese between Grade 4 and Grade 5 students at the international school in Bangkok. Based on the research findings, recommendations are provided for students, teachers, school administrators, and future researchers.

International Education in Asia: The Changing Market

Given the rapid rise in recent years of British international education for local, rather than expatriate, students in Asia, this paper considers this fast-growing sector in the context of the history of British-style and English language education in Asia. Specifically using a post-colonialist framework as a means of critique of the notion of a British-style ‘international education’, it considers the challenges this new wave of international schools faces in terms of ensuring their curriculum and values are embedded in a local context. Using Asia alongside the West, as a reference point for curriculum planning and intercultural understanding, this paper then considers ways in which this new wave of schools can engage meaningfully with local as well as western contexts, reframing notions of ‘global citizenship’ in the process.

Working together: why language policies of international schools must evolve to incorporate collaborative strategies between EAL and the mainstream

This article arises from a research study that aimed to contribute to a better understanding of the essential nature of collaborative relationships between English as an Additional Language (EAL) and mainstream subject teachers at an international secondary school in Ukraine. The research focuses on how EAL teachers support EAL learners in the mainstream classroom through collaborative practices. The article draws on qualitative data from interviews and field notes with Language & Literature, Science and EAL teachers. The interviews investigated how EAL and mainstream collaboration help support EAL learners in the mainstream classroom, and which co-planning strategies most effectively encourage collaboration, as well as EAL and mainstream teachers’ views and experiences about co-planning and working collaboratively. Arising from these data, discussion focuses on the disconnect between collaboration in theory and in practice. The article concludes that although effective collaborative strategies often exist, school language policies need to include scheduled collaborative planning time between EAL and the mainstream, and that professional development for mainstream teachers should be led by EAL teachers in order to foster more balanced content and language classroom teaching.