Browsing by Subject "international schools"

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    Factors Associated with the Quality of International High Schools in the EARCOS Region
    (2019-05) Naro Heather
    The purpose of this study was to determine school administrators and teacher views on factors influencing the quality of international high schools in the East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS) region. The following research questions guided this study: 1. In what ways do administrators and teachers define school quality? 2. What factors do administrators and teachers view as influencing school quality? International high school administrators and teachers were asked to complete a survey designed to determine participants views regarding school quality in international high schools. A total of 375 participants, both school administrators and teachers completed the survey, and 20 individual interviews were conducted. Through this exploratory sequential mixed methods study, findings emerged pertaining to international high school quality. These findings were synthesized into six school quality characteristics from the administrator and teacher perspective. They are supportive school climate, collaborative school culture, quality teachers, multiple student learning opportunities, effective and competent school leaders, and credentialed school administrators and teachers. The key implication for practice focuses on the need for effective leadership in schools. In order for school quality to be achieved, effective leadership needs to be at the forefront. Further research on the types of leadership, individualized personalized student learning, and the use of collaboration in schools is also recommended.
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    An investigation of international mindedness at two IB World Schools
    (2021-01) Condon, David
    The purpose of this study was to investigate how international mindedness is conceptualized and enacted at two International Baccalaureate World Schools, one in Hawaii and one in Japan. This study begins with the assumption that our educational systems, particularly those in preK-12 international schools, must prepare students to understand and appreciate different cultural perspectives, to assume a responsibility for the health of the planet, and to be able to interact and collaborate with people from diverse cultures in order to function as internationally minded responsible global citizens. Though international mindedness is a core concept in IB philosophy and a central aim of international education, its meaning remains complex, ambiguous and elusive. Equally unclear is how international mindedness manifests in different preK-12 school settings, i.e. what schools do that promote or hinder its development in students. By better understanding what is meant by international mindedness and identifying promising practices related to its promotion, schools may be better positioned to help develop this construct within their students and their educational programs.This qualitative study takes a social constructivist, interpretive approach to investigate the range of meanings of the term international mindedness and how it is enacted according to the perspectives of those experiencing them. Drawing on an IB-sponsored study from the University of Bath (Hacking et al., 2016), data from focus group interviews, lesson observations, school tours, and document and artifact analysis were collected. These data were then analyzed using a comparative case study approach informed by Bartlett and Vavrus’s (2017) process-oriented approach. Two broad categories of inquiry were pursued: the conceptualization of international mindedness and the enactment of international mindedness. Horizontal comparisons between stakeholders at each school were made, as well as between the two schools. Vertical comparisons of stakeholder conceptualizations with official IB definitions were also made. There are two major implications of this study. First, as stakeholder conceptualizations of international mindedness were largely similar, rather than attempting to establish precise meanings, preK-12 schools interested in developing international mindedness in their students should engage in community discussions of how the term manifests in their particular settings. Second, this study shows that the significant differences between the two schools came from their enactment of IM. The development of international mindedness is largely seen to result from direct experience with people and cultures different from one’s own. Interested schools should therefore carefully consider the kinds of experiences they are able to provide their students to develop their international mindedness.
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    Music Experience and Achievement of Students in Thai Public, Private, and International Schools
    (2020-08) Yungyuen, Pimpa
    For decades, music education in Thailand has been neglected. Music is often perceived as a form of entertainment rather than an important subject for students to learn in school, because parents do not believe that music can provide their children with vast career opportunities or financial security. Therefore, schools in Thailand tend to prioritize core subjects, such as math, science, and languages over music. As a consequence of this belief, music education in Thailand is still underdeveloped in many areas. Disparities in quality and access are major problems in Thai music education. Students’ music opportunity varies greatly depending on individual backgrounds, schools, and family socioeconomic status causing great differences in student music achievement. The issue has been recognized by Thai music educators and music teachers. Nevertheless, minimal research attempts have been made in order to better understand this situation. The purpose of this study was to assess student music achievement, understand students’ music experience relative to the level of music achievement, and explore relationships between student music achievement and possible influential factors, such as teachers, schools, curricula, students’ background characteristics, and students’ life experience. An explanatory-sequential method was chosen in order to acquire both empirical and in-depth data. In the first phase, the quantitative phase, the Middle School Musical Achievement Test (MMAT) and High School Musical Achievement Test (HMAT) were administered to participants (N = 310) from seven schools in the Bangkok area. One-way between-group ANOVA and Welch ANOVA revealed significant differences in the mean total scores between public school, private school, and international school participants. Post hoc comparisons revealed that public middle school participants scored the highest and differed statistically from international school participants who scored the lowest in this level. International high school participants scored the highest and differed statistically from participants in private high schools who scored the lowest in this level. Aside from the mean total scores, MANOVA revealed significant differences in mean subset scores – music theory, general knowledge of music, and music in social context. Post hoc comparisons determined that, for music theory, public school participants scored the highest in both middle school and high school levels and differed statistically from the lowest groups – international middle school and private high schools. For general knowledge of music, public school participants also scored the highest in both levels and differed statistically from the lowest groups – international middle school and high school. For music in social context, international school participants scored the highest in both levels and differed statistically from the lowest groups, which were public middle and public high school The second phase, the qualitative phase of the study, was informed by a case study of multiple bounded systems. Interview participants (N = 11) included six students and five teachers representing five schools recruited during the quantitative phase. Three themes emerged from the integrated results. First, students begin their own musical pathways. Second, families bring assets and support. Finally, schools provide opportunities that can fill in the gap of what students lack. Recommendations for future research included expanding the research scope to rural schools and concentrating on one particular school music program for in-depth and thorough investigations.