Characteristics that Define an Exceptional International School According to Stakeholder Perspectives. A Thai Case Study

Research in international schools has lagged behind the growth of such schools (Lee et al, 2012). This paper offers support to international school leaders by identifying the ten most important characteristics of international schools as reported by three significant stakeholder groups (administrators/teachers, parents and students) in one case study international school. An initial phase utilised a Delphi framework whereby interviews led to the identification of 68 separate items, ranging from school ethos to teachers’ credentials, which formed the basis of a follow-up questionnaire which was implemented following piloting. It was found that for 46 of the 68 items the three stakeholder groups were not statistically independent, sharing a common perspective on these items’ relative importance. Similarly, four items appeared in all three stakeholder groups’ top ten, while six items appeared in two out of three stakeholder groups’ top ten.

The role of British Schools Overseas in promoting and upholding British values: using transmission context in policy analysis

With their central position in society as facilitators of information, schools and teachers play a key role in the articulation and embedding of government-driven policy targeted at school-age children; under the British government, this key role extends beyond the borders, to British Schools Overseas. In the last decade, this has been especially prevalent in the dissemination of anti-terrorism rhetoric and policy, created to prevent the radicalisation of students; most recently, this has involved the inclusion of ‘fundamental British values’ (FBV) in policy and curriculum. Using the work of Basil Bernstein and, in particular, the model of transmission context which sits within his theories on pedagogic discourse, this paper analyses the discourse embedded in multiple FBV policies. Through a focus on classification and framing of the discourses embedded in the policies, this paper highlights the transmission of power in these policies, with a focus on language used to convey this power; and conveys an understanding of the positioning, role and ‘responsibilisation’ of British schools, located outside of the United Kingdom, as central to FBV education as well as the solution to terrorism in Britain.

Multilingualism and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP): An Analysis of Language Learning in the IBDP in Light of the ‘Multilingual Turn’

This article analyses various International Baccalaureate policy documents to establish whether the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme has undergone what is described as a multilingual turn. After defining multilingualism and the multilingual turn, it outlines three main implications of what might be considered this paradigm shift for educational policies related to curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment. These implications are used as a framework for the policy analysis to follow, which argues that International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme approaches to language learning are underpinned by a monolingual bias that might delegitimate the knowledge and experience of multilingual learners.

Being and becoming internationally minded: Snapshots of novice Canadian teachers in international schools

This paper examines the experiences of three Canadian teachers beginning their formal careers in international schools. International mindedness is taken up as a sensitivity that international schoolteachers both bring to their international teaching assignments and further develop in the transnational spaces of international schools. As such, the internationally minded teacher is able to respond and learn from the intercultural complexities of teaching and living overseas. Findings suggest some elements of international mindedness are more readily appreciated and practiced by these novice teachers while others require greater awareness and effort to attain. The findings also suggest that ‘cosmopolitan learning’ (Rizvi, 2009), foregrounding the importance of critically reflecting upon one’s ‘locatedness’ in the world, represents a generative orientation for teachers wanting to deepen their international mindedness.

Investigating inclusive practice in international schooling: a case study of two schools

Although the underlying principles and the founding history of international schools supposedly advocate the notions of providing equal opportunities, catering for diversity, and promoting global citizenship, the dimensions of inclusive education might not be self-evident. Findings from this qualitative case study show that the understanding of inclusion in the context of international schools goes beyond disabilities and special education needs. Several approaches to evolving inclusive practice are highlighted. However, there are tensions between different stakeholders of international schools in defining inclusion; between the rhetoric of inclusion found in school documents and the reality, and between the original philosophy of international education and schools’ admission policies.

Educational Leadership and the Impact of Societal Culture on Effective Practices

Research into what is effective leadership in different cultures provides guidance for leaders moving from one culture to another (House et al, 2014). There is a paucity of empirical research into how culture impacts effective educational leadership in culturally diverse communities, which provides the direction and focus for this study. The cultural backgrounds of staff can impact what they expect about i) how leaders communicate, ii) what actions help build trust and collaboration and iii) how decisions can or should be made (Hofstede, 1991; Meyer, 2014). This study analyses the extent to which school leaders adapt their behaviours in response to the cultures of their staff. Findings suggest that leaders in schools do adapt their actions, most often using different communication styles but also methods of building collaboration and trust, and decision-making structures. Culture impacts what are effective leadership practices (Dorfman et al, 2012) and educational leaders need to understand these potential impacts if they work in culturally diverse communities. This is important to consider for school leaders and leadership preparation programmes.

Adapting and Enduring: Lessons Learned from International School Educators During COVID-19

With the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, school buildings across the globe closed, leading educators, students and families to transition rapidly to online education. It is clear that schools will in the future continue to employ online learning, even as students and educators return to school buildings. While the education community has over a number of years generated a range of practical tips and guidance about online education—especially since the onset of COVID-19—many are not supported by research (DiPietro et al., 2010) and neglect international school settings (Barbour, 2014). This study investigates the experiences of sixty-one K-12 international educators via nineteen focus groups, contributing to the literature base on pedagogical, leadership and practical strategies needed to support effective online learning. Four lessons learned emerged from the data: technological challenges are exacerbated during a crisis; educators adapted to revise pedagogical strategies when under pressure; student and parent experiences were inconsistent and complex; and school leaders play an important role during a transition to online education. Although COVID-19 posed challenges, educators are resilient, adaptable, and deeply committed to student learning. School leaders now have an opportunity to reconstruct a model of education which offers students the best of face-to-face learning augmented by the most effective use of virtual technologies. This is more than planning for potential crises; this is reimagining the future of education.

Moving from Feedback to Feedforward in IBDP classrooms

There is widespread acceptance of the positive impact of constructive feedback on students’ learning progress. However, few studies investigate the role of feedforward in high-stakes learning environments. This research explores feedback and feedforward practices in International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme classrooms in Hong Kong and Australia. The article analyses 18 teachers’ practices and perceptions about feedback and feedforward. The teachers’ perceptions on feedforward were analysed using a survey and semi-structured interviews, while their teaching practices were evaluated using a lesson observation instrument. Results indicated that participants were aware of the importance of providing feedforward techniques and tools in the classroom to support students in closing the gaps between their current performance and desired performance. Not all teachers, however, incorporated feedforward in all their lessons as a learning tool or differentiation strategy to enhance students’ learning experience and assessment outcomes.

Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice and the OECD PISA Global Competence Framework

Globalisation has become increasingly important in education, and national systems are no longer defined only by the nation-state. The role of intergovernmental organisations such as the OECD has also become increasingly important, particularly through the development of the PISA tests and the publication of international comparison tables. With a growing recognition of educating for an international and globalised future, the OECD assessed global competence for the first time in 2018, with results released in October 2020. The power that the OECD exerts over its member states, and indeed further, in the field of education through the global competence assessment demonstrates social reproduction. This article examines the OECD’s 2018 Global Competence Framework from a Bourdieusian perspective. An analysis is undertaken of the framework using Bourdieu’s thinking tools of habitus, field and capital, and the mechanisms of pedagogic authority, pedagogic action and pedagogic work, demonstrating an unconsciously agreed power differential between social groups. The OECD, as well as policy-makers at a national level, must consider such implications in anticipating future policy developments in order to enable systemic injustices to be overcome and educational equality to be achieved.

Understanding EAL: International Secondary School Teachers’ Experiences and Attitudes in Ukraine and Eastern Europe

This article highlights the need to understand mainstream international secondary school teachers’ attitudes to and experiences of accommodating English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners, and what current collaborative relationships there are between mainstream and EAL teachers in terms of co-teaching and co-planning. The article draws on data collected from a questionnaire sent to secondary teachers at an international school in a major city in Ukraine and to other international schools that offer International Baccalaureate programmes in Eastern Europe. The questionnaire investigated English language training in education, attitudes to EAL in mainstream subjects and participants’ collaboration with EAL teachers. Further follow-up qualitative data collected from a focus group in the school in Ukraine investigated the topics of competencies, responsibilities and collaboration with respect to EAL in the mainstream classroom. Building on this data, the discussion ultimately focuses on the challenges for mainstream teachers and how collaboration with EAL teachers is often confused and lacks definition in terms of current practice and ways forward. Recommendations for next steps of research are made.