Education Commons^™

A Qualitative Exploration Of Food Literacy In International Schools In Egypt, Amy Pugsley

Theses and Dissertations

Food literacy is an essential part of good physical and psychological health, however, food literacy is not a mandatory part of K-12 education in all schools. Many factors can influence food literacy levels including familial culture, socioeconomic status, and education levels. This research seeks to examine perceptions of food literacy in high school students and educators at two private American international schools located in Cairo, Egypt. Through the use of observations and interviews, the researcher used a qualitative approach to understand the self-perceptions of food literacy in students studying the American curriculum. The study revealed that students from high-socio-economic backgrounds …

Perceptions Of Leadership Styles In International Special And General Education Schools In The United Arab Emirates, Kaitlin M. Jackson

Journal of Global Education and Research

Given that school leadership styles are linked to educational outcomes, this study attempted to identify perceived leadership styles of school leaders in two types of schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE): (a) international special education schools, which serve exclusively students with disabilities and (b) international general education schools, which serve primarily typically developing students. By utilizing primarily quantitative methods with supplementary qualitative analysis, this study also explored the influence of teacher demographic variables on perceptions of leadership styles. Results indicated a difference in perceptions of transformational and transactional leadership by school type based on teacher education level, as well …

The Meta-Leadership Inventory: Developing A Valid And Reliable Instrument For International School Leaders, Matthew D. Wilkens

Theses and Dissertations

International school leaders must be prepared to steer their schools through ongoing crises and changes, regardless of the factors creating the crises and the need for swift change. To achieve the best possible outcomes from these dynamic situations, international school leaders must strategically deploy skills and abilities delineated by the Meta-leadership framework developed by Marcus et al.(2015). This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable instrument that measures the Meta-leadership competencies of international school leaders: the Meta-leadership Inventory for International School Leaders (MLI-ISL). This instrument development study involved a three-phase design. An initial set of items based on a …

Policy Evaluation Of The Role Of Extracurricular Activities On Students' Character Building And Academic Excellence: A Case Study Of Cairo's Schools, Nanis Yousry

Theses and Dissertations

The Education policies have usually been given the highest priority globally. This research reflects that the Egyptian educational system currently faces a bottleneck in applying its policies due to significant budgetary constraints. This is seen in public schools, unlike international ones. The research compares and contrasts three educational systems (public, community and international) with the purpose of examining the impact of policy processes on education. This thesis aims to explore how far the existence of extracurricular activities, as a component that complements academic education, is capable of supporting students to acquire the 21st century life skills and fulfill some of …

Transformation Through Trust And Authenticity: Improving And Aligning Service Learning In An International Baccalaureate School, Christopher Wallace

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The International Baccalaureate’s Middle Years Programme places service learning at the core of its curriculum. Yet, challenges with implementing it successfully are omnipresent in international schools. This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) aims to support teachers with the implementation of service learning projects at a private, non-profit international school in Western Europe. It is guided and framed by a Problem of Practice (POP) that addresses the current state of service learning at Mountain Range School (MRS) where curriculum and independent service projects are inconsistently designed, implemented and supported. It includes an evaluation of school policies, curriculum, teacher capacity, resources and systems. …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Impact Of Principal Leadership Style On Teacher Transfers In International Schools In South Korea, Caleb Philip Coleman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study determined the perceptions of international school teachers regarding leadership and how these perceptions influenced their turnover decisions. Research completed largely in the United States shows that principals are a major factor in teachers’ decisions to stay or leave their schools, primarily due to teachers rating their principals highly in communication and support. Over the last 25 years, international schools have experienced a boom in growth, yet research into international schools has lagged. This study sought to build on previous research to find if teacher perceptions in international schools in South Korea mirror those of teachers in previous …

International Baccalaureate: Meanings, Uses And Tensions In A Globalizing World, Paul Tarc

Education Publications

Based on mission and programmatic steering, International Baccalaureate (IB) seeks to ‘create a better world’ via progressive educational curricula aimed at fostering ‘international mindedness.’ Across its fifty-plus year history, IB’s enduring progressive visions confront the pragmatic demands of viability and sustainability. Evident is the ‘malleability’ of IB, which allows for the distinctive uses of IB across the many diverse sites of its adoption; also evident is a set of dynamic tensions produced as the progressive visions entangle with instrumental realities. IB is emblematic of the growing prominence of international education, and the transnationalizing of schooling, under wider globalization processes.

The (De)Territorialised Appeal Of International Schools In China: Forging Brands, Boundaries And Inter-Belonging In Segregated Urban Space, Lily Kong, Orlando Woods, Hong Zhu

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This paper considers how the (de)territorialised appeal of international schools in China can reflect, enforce and expand pre-existing patterns of urban segregation. Whilst exploration of the effects of educational marketplaces on urban environments has become a focus of scholarly research, the recent expansion in the supply of, and demand for, international education has caused these effects to become more nuanced. As (de)territorialised entities, international schools can cause multiple forms of spatial and psycho-social distinction and (dis)association to become intertwined, the effects of which start from the school and radiate out from there. International schools can therefore cause segregation to become …

Teacher Self-Efficacy And Teacher Work Engagement For Expatriate Teachers At International K12 Schools In China, Jennifer L. Johnson

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this non-experimental, descriptive quantitative survey study was to evaluate if teacher self-efficacy predicts teacher work engagement for expatriate teachers in international schools in China. The purposive sample was composed of 103 expatriate, international school teachers who have worked in China during the past 10 years at an international K12 school and are personally known to the researcher or the researcher’s contacts. The Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) and the Engaged Teachers Scale (ETS) measured teacher self-efficacy and teacher work engagement. Results from simple linear regression indicated a statistically significant predictive relationship between teacher self-efficacy and teacher …

Performance Comparison Between Ib And Non-Ib School Students On The International Schools’ Assessment, Ling Tan

Monitoring Learning

This report examines the performance of students enrolled in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) on the ACER International Schools’ Assessment (ISA) compared with non-IB students from the same ISA cohorts. The ISA is an assessment created especially for students in international schools in Grades 3 to 10. The assessment asks both multiple-choice and open-ended questions in the areas of writing, reading, mathematics and science, and provides international normative information about student performance. The ISA scales for Reading, Mathematical Literacy and Scientific Literacy are based on those developed for the internationally endorsed frameworks …

Exploring Teachers’ Use Of The Inquiry-Based Framework In Teaching English Language In The International Baccalaureate Programme: A Case Of A Private Primary School, In Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania., Shazma Mehboob Jaffer

Theses & Dissertations

Inquiry-based learning is a lauded approach in the teaching of English language. However, studies based on some IB PYP Schools indicate that teachers still face challenges in the teaching of English, using the inquiry approach, whereas learners face difficulties in reading, writing and problem solving. This case study, therefore, explored how English teachers used the inquiry-based framework in the teaching of English language at the IB PYP School, in Tanzania. Six teachers from Grade one to six along with the former PYP Coordinator participated in this study. The data collection methods used included interviews, observations and document analysis. Data from …

Alternative Education Spaces And Pathways: Insights From An International Christian School In China, Menusha De Silva, Orlando Woods, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The nascent scholarship on geographies of alternative education focuses on alternative education spaces, most located in the UK, that resist and/or negotiate neoliberal restructuring of education, some of which cater to socially marginalised groups. In contrast, through an ethnographic focus on an underground Christian international school in China, we examine an alternative education space that responds to parents’ aspirations for their children to be inculcated with global cultural capital, Chinese values and Christian beliefs. These aspirations are not fulfilled in mainstream state schools or international schools in China, but are demanded by parents looking for a “superior” set of skills …

Perceptions Of Literacy Coaching Program Indicators Of Success By Key Stakeholders At International Schools, Stephanie Lott

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Literacy coaching is widely regarded as an effective form of job-embedded professional development. The majority of the current literature on literacy coaching has focused on factors contributing to the effectiveness of such programs in public schools in the United States. However, relatively little attention has been given to the transfer of these factors as facilitating the success of coaching programs in the understudied context of international schools. This qualitative study originally sought to explore coaching specifically directed literacy, but evolved to examine instructional coaching more broadly from data collected in two international school settings in the European Union. Data from …

Re-Imagining The Collegiate Ideal: An Exploration Of The Higher Education Motivations And Self-Formation Of Students From International Schools, Natalie Cruz, Chris R. Glass

College of Education & Professional Studies (Darden) Posters

There has been a substantial growth in global student mobility in the last twenty years, with almost five million students choosing to study outside their home country for tertiary education. Likewise, P12 international schools have experienced tremendous growth, with over five million students enrolled worldwide. Students from international schools often find themselves at a crossroads when choosing a university. To unpack the college choice process and understand how students viewed their transnational identities as important factors in their self-formation, researchers interviewed 19 graduating students from international schools and countries across the world. This longitudinal phenomenological study used self-formation (Marginson, 2018) …

Improving International Teacher Retention In São Paulo International Schools: What Can Leaders Do?, Christiaan Rombaut

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The exponential growth of international schools worldwide has created a high demand for native English-speaking teachers around the world. São Paulo international schools are not exempt from this increase in demand for these expatriate teachers. As international schools typically offer short-term contracts of two years to expatriate teachers that are often not renewed, international teacher retention becomes a significant factor in improving teaching and learning in international schools. High teacher turnover is even more a concern in South American international schools, where teachers tend to stay at their schools for less time than in international schools in other regions and …

Exploring The Leadership Preparation Needs Of Middle Leaders In International Schools: Case Studies From Vietnam, Mark Atkinson

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This research aims to explore the perceived leadership preparation needs of middle leaders in international schools in Vietnam. Research and scholarship into the many dispositions and articulations of educational leadership in an international context has developed rapidly due to the expansion of international organizations worldwide. Nevertheless, research surrounding the leadership preparation needs of middle leaders continues to be relatively scarce.

Data was obtained using a two part data collection process. Firstly, an open-ended survey questionnaire was used as a preliminary method; followed by semi-structured focus groups, allowing for deeper exploration into the experiences of participants. Findings explored teacher perceptions that …

Factors That Affect Language And Literacy Development In International School Contexts, Jessica Cardoza

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Kindergarten students attending English-immersion, international school programs in Spanish-speaking countries may be at risk for learning difficulties. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the relationship and comparisons between factors of duration of program enrollment, home language spoken by parents and caregivers, and children’s gender (independent variables), and the English language proficiency (dependent variable) of dual language learners attending an international school where the instruction was primarily in English and the dominant language of the country was Spanish. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Dworin’s theory of bidirectionality in bilingual language development formed the theoretical foundation for this study. Research …

A Comparative Study Of Leadership Styles In International Special And General Education Schools In The United Arab Emirates, Kaitlin M. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

This study attempted to identify leadership styles of school leaders in international special and general education schools in the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, this study sought to explore the influence of various demographic factors on perceived leadership styles. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (Avolio & Bass, 2004) was given to teachers across eight schools for the purpose of obtaining their perceived rating for leadership behaviors of school leaders at equivalent levels. Descriptive statistics were examined to identify prevalent leadership styles and trends in the demographics of survey respondents. Hierarchical linear models were conducted to determine the statistical significance of leadership style …

The Effectiveness Of Biblical Worldview Integration With Early Adolescents In Thailand, Lisa B. Deprey

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Christian educators and institutions may make use of an instructional pedagogy known as biblical worldview integration. This pedagogical instrument intentionally connects every aspect of the curriculum to at least one element of a biblical worldview to inculcate that worldview in students. This research study was conducted over the course of the second semester at a Christian international school in Thailand that implements biblical worldview integration across the curriculum. Focusing on Thai Buddhist middle-school students, research was conducted in three parts: pre- and post-surveys with students to determine change in worldview, parent interviews, and teacher interviews. While an analysis of the …

Teacher Engagement In Central European International Schools, Joseph Leonetti

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Employee engagement is a growing area of interest that organizational leaders are increasingly recognizing as central to organizational success. In an increasingly competitive market, international schools must also consider the importance of employee engagement. Current research on international schools include studies which focus on retention and turnover issues, yet research on teacher engagement in international schools is nonexistent, leaving a gap in the literature. This study followed an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach to investigate teacher engagement in Central Europe. A qualitative design utilized semistructured interviews to understand the lived experiences of 11 international school teachers and develop an understanding of …

Aligning International Curriculum Standards And Practices With National Quality Assurance Frameworks, Tina Annette Stephenson

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Organizational Improvement Plan proposal will consider how the directors of our group of international schools can begin the work of aligning values, standards and practices to meet the needs of both the individual international schools and the nationalized quality assurance frameworks -- working with individual school principals in our home nation. The international school system provides alternatives to local and expatriate parents in an ever-increasing number of schools across the globe. As this number of international school increases, so too does the number of those schools which are required to align their international curriculum standards and practices with nationalized …

Inclusion In International Schools: Achieving Academic Excellence And Education For All, Marla Starr Hall

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inclusion of students with diverse learning profiles is a rapidly growing trend, yet no research exists on the implementation of inclusive programming in international schools. As diversity becomes more important in the globalized world and it becomes more important to equip all students with job skills for the modern age, international schools will need to provide effective and efficient programming for a wide variety of learning profiles. At the same time, international schools must provide students with a high-quality academic education that yields top measurable results in order to ensure that their students remain competitive in an ever more competitive …

Teacher Preparation For Home-School Partnerships In An International School Community, Sharon Canadine

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This study at a single, international school in Mozambique with a diverse parent student population from 40 different nationalities and educators from 9 different nationalities used an ethnographic research methodology to investigate teacher perceptions of their preparation to foster the home-school partnership in an international school community. A sample of 21 teachers from nine different countries of origin represented the demographic breakdown of the school, including gender, nationality, years of teaching, years at site, and whether the participant was a parent of a school aged child. Open-ended interviews gathered participants’ lived experiences on practices for teacher preparation programs around identifying …

Experiences Of North American Teachers Working Overseas Who Broke Their Contracts Within One Year, Stephanie L. Kattera

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain insight into the experiences of North American teachers working in international schools and why they chose to leave within the first year. The findings offer insights into the following questions; (1) How do these teachers experience relationships with leadership and students? (2) What role, if any, did their recruitment and induction have on these teachers’ decision to leave? (3) What role, if any, did the culture of the host country play in these teachers’ decision to leave? The struggles experienced from these conditions led teachers to abruptly leave their contracted international …

Job Embeddedness: The Pulls Of Staying For Teachers In The International School Setting, Ann M. Jurewicz

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influence retention of teachers in the international school setting using the construct of job embeddedness. As the largest global study of its kind to date, 975 respondents hired for the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years were surveyed through the four main recruitment agencies: Search Associates, International School Services, Council of International Schools, and the Association of America Schools in South America. Applying a quantitative research method, the study first assessed the influence of any demographic factors significant in teacher retention regarding region, age, tenure status, number of overseas contracts, …

Teachers' Perceptions In Developing Robust Vocabulary Instruction At An American International School, Cathleen S. M. Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At an international school in Taiwan, English learners have struggled to meet the U.S. national average in vocabulary on standardized testing instruments. This problem has become more significant since 2009. The purpose of this research was to conduct a case study on successful vocabulary teachers to determine their perceptions of effective teaching. Knowles' andragogy, Brookfield's self-directed, experiential learning, and Vygotsky's social constructivist framework provided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on teachers' perceptions of why they were successful in teaching vocabulary in English. The study site had access to quantitative data regarding previous standardized testing results; …

An Examination Of Educators' Perceptions Of Host Country Cultural Dynamics In International Schools Abroad, Sharlene M. Fedorowicz

Educational Studies Dissertations

This research examines dynamics and challenges of relationships between international schools (IS) and host country cultures as perceived by educators. Cultural impacts that influence the capacity of educators to manage, lead, and navigate IS are investigated. A sample of 133 educators (administrators and teachers) employed in IS responded to the survey and 13 of those participants were interviewed using a Mixed Method Sequential Explanatory Design (Creswell, 2009). IS promote international-mindedness where adverse contact zones are minimized by providing opportunities for students of different races, genders, and nationalities to integrate and work together. Although IS provide a strong basis for cultural …

Examination Of The Psychometric Properties Of An International School Survey Of Parent Experience, Angela D. Patterson

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Given the stakes regarding parent involvement, satisfaction, and choice in international schools, information regarding the measurement of parent perception and experience is highly desirable. Though International Schools of China (ISC) collected data from parents annually, little was known about the survey instrument. Therefore, this study examined the psychometric properties—the underlying latent structure and internal reliability—of the ISC Parent Survey. Using existing data obtained from the 2014 collection cycle (N=309), an exploratory factor analysis was conducted on 72 likert-scale items. Results from this study identified 13 (including 11 well-defined and internally consistent) factors that measure various concepts of parent experience in …

Isa : International Schools' Assessment, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Monitoring Learning

This is a booklet describing the International Schools' Assessment (ISA), a set of tests used by international schools and schools with an international focus, to monitor student performance over time and to confirm that their internal assessments are aligned with international expectations of performance. The tests are designed and developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). The tests address: mathematical literacy, reading, writing and scientific literacy. The booklet outlines: the history of the ISA; the benefits to schools; marking; test validity and reliability; and the schools in each country who are using the tests.

Understanding The Relationship Between Teacher And Organizational Intercultural Competency In International Schools: A Mixed Methods Study, Sally Emily Hirsch

Doctoral Dissertations

The number of international schools and their student populations are increasing around the world. These schools are culturally diverse educational spaces, providing opportunities for cultural understanding but also cultural conflicts. Teachers working in international schools need to be able to provide culturally relevant and responsive curriculum as well as be able to communicate effectively and appropriately with students, other teachers, administrators and parents. Research shows that students do best academically when taught by teachers who are interculturally competent yet there is a gap in current research on how this skill is developed in international teachers, and identified by school leaders. …