Letting Go of the Middle Years Programme: Three Schools’ Rationales for Discontinuing an International Baccalaureate Program

Dickson, Anisah; Perry, Laura B.; Ledger, Susan

doi:10.1177/1932202x19869006

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…There is also limited research available within the Australian context that examines students' learning challenges within the MYP. This paper addresses these research gaps and builds on a previous publication (Dickson, Perry & Ledger, 2020) that considered the reasons why a group of Australian schools discontinued the MYP. In this paper, we focus exclusively on stakeholder insights about the impact of the MYP on student learning.…”

Section: Aims and Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The research reported in this paper is part of a larger study that examined the reasons why some schools in Australia chose to discontinue the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP). The study found that schools discontinued the MYP due to challenges with assessment, pedagogy, and alignment with the national curriculum (Dickson, 2019; Dickson, Perry & Ledger, 2020). When explaining why their school chose to discontinue the MYP, participants noted both benefits and challenges for student learning and their own teaching practice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Challenges impacting student learning in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme

Dickson

Perry

Ledger

2020

Jnl of Research in Internatl Education

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While the International Baccalaureate’s Middle Years Programme (MYP) is growing in popularity in Australia and across the globe, few studies have examined the benefits and challenges of this IB programme for supporting student learning. Using a qualitative case study design of three Australian schools that formerly offered the MYP, we investigated teacher and school leader perceptions of the MYP for promoting student learning. Perceived benefits included high achievement and skill development through the MYP’s emphasis on inquiry-based learning and real-world relevance; criterion-referenced assessments; and a healthy balance between core and elective learning areas. Challenges for students stemmed primarily from operational difficulties and possible systems-level constraints impacting teachers, including integration of the Australian Curriculum with the MYP; ability to meet the MYP’s demands; confusion about MYP terminology and grading systems; and understanding interdisciplinary units. The findings suggest that MYP Coordinators and school leaders play a critical role in ensuring that schools realise the benefits of the MYP for student learning by providing systems-level support to optimise its benefits.

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Section: Aims and Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges impacting student learning in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme

Dickson

Perry

Ledger

2020

Jnl of Research in Internatl Education

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“…At the same time, however, a small but increasing number of schools are discontinuing IB programmes, including in the UK (Bunnell, 2015) and Australia (Dickson et al, 2020). To date, the reasons why school leaders discontinue an IB programme on behalf of their school have not been examined.…”

Section: Challenges Of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme: Insights For School Leaders And Policy Makersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme: Insights for school leaders and policy makers

Dickson

Perry

Ledger³

2021

EPAA

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Policy makers in the US and several other countries are recommending that more schools offer an International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. However, little is known about the challenges that IB programmes present for teaching and learning particularly those meeting national curriculum. In this study, we examined the challenges of the IB’s Middle Years Programme (MYP), the least understood and researched of the IB programmes. Using a qualitative case study design, we conducted in-depth and semi-structured interviews with school leaders (n=7) and teachers (n=10) from three schools in Australia that previously offered the MYP. We used thematic analysis to generate the findings and the IB’s Standards and Practice framework to organize the reporting of findings. Participants shared perceived challenges related to philosophical factors, organizational dilemmas and complexities with integrating the MYP with Australia’s national curriculum. Understanding the organizational and leadership challenges that schools may face when offering the MYP can help policy makers promote the necessary conditions for successful program implementation.

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“…Intuitively, parental choice and its concomitant cost must be weighed against the programmes' perceived elitist/prestigious benefits. Further, while the IB programme may be considered prestigious because they proffer benefits such as the greater probability of university entrance as Caspary et al (2015) argue, many schools in Australia and elsewhere are abandoning the programme due to leadership, teacher and organisational problems that render them costly to administer (Dickson et al, 2019). Another study by the same authors (Perrry et al, 2018) finds the financial cost of the IB programme outweigh its benefits.…”

Section: Tuition Fee Comparison As a Marker Of Elitismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are Australian Islamic schools elitist?

Nathie¹

2021

JME

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Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine whether Australian Islamic schools, by dint of their unique status within Australian private schooling, may be construed as elitist or exclusivist premised on markers such as religious affiliation, school age, history, location, reputation and non-curricular excellences such as affluence and alumni. This issue has not been examined empirically hitherto. This study addresses this absence, as these markers, when used selectively, may make student entry restrictive by virtue of enrolment criteria that is either hyper selective or exclusivist that is often administered through costly tuition fees. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative analysis is used to examine four distinct elitist markers associated with Islamic schools, as they appeal to a market prescribed by faith, preference and demand. Data is sourced from selected government and independent school databases including the index of community socio-educational advantage (ICSEA) database. Findings The findings indicate that Islamic schools do not fit any of these markers partly because these schools are positioned predominantly in middle to lower socio-economic communities and areas where the measure of educationally advantaged backgrounds is only marginally above the ICSEA threshold of 1,000. Further, their enrolment criteria are not premised on high fee-based structures nor on exclusivist selection and enrolment practices that would tag them as elitist. Research limitations/implications It is quite possible that parental and community perceptions of Islamic schools using qualitative measures may identify some schools as elitist. This, however, has yet to be tested empirically in further studies relying on surveys, interviews and focus group sessions. Practical implications Islamic schools should not market nor portray themselves as elitist or exclusivist for that may undermine the very purpose of their function as faith-based institutions. Social implications Perceptions of elitism levelled against some Islamic schools must be weighed against a number of distinct social markers. The examination of four markers in this study does not support such perceptions. Elitist perceptions may abound within communities and amongst parents when vying for student placements in these schools. The basis for such observations, however, is at best anecdotal or outright conjectural in the absence of empirical evidence. Originality/value This is the first and only study that examines the issue of elitism amongst Islamic schools in Australia and elsewhere.

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Letting Go of the Middle Years Programme: Three Schools’ Rationales for Discontinuing an International Baccalaureate Program

Cited by 8 publications

References 18 publications

Challenges impacting student learning in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme

Challenges impacting student learning in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme

Challenges of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme: Insights for school leaders and policy makers

Are Australian Islamic schools elitist?

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