Contextual Interpretations of International Mindedness in International Baccalaureate Diploma Students

The purpose of this study was to examine contextual interpretations of international mindedness by International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma students in a national and an international school in the Czech Republic. Three research questions were addressed in the study: • How is international mindedness actualized by IB Diploma students? • What is the experience of education for international mindedness for IB Diploma students? • What is the role of context in developing international mindedness in IB Diploma students? The conceptual framework was based on Wilber’s (2006) comprehensive integral theory, a novel application in the study of international mindedness. Through integral methodological pluralism, a form of mixed methods research, quantitative and qualitative data was collected and analyzed. Using an empirical methodology, the Global Perspectives Inventory (Braskamp, Braskamp & Engberg, 2014) was administered to IB Diploma students. Descriptive statistical analysis of the results revealed no significant difference between participants from the two schools. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology, interviews were conducted with IB Diploma students and experienced IB Diploma teachers. Findings revealed the experience of international mindedness can be characterized by the development of an intercultural identity, the ability to take alternate perspectives and the capacity to resolve disconnection from important others. Contextual factors of privilege, parent influence and exposure to diversity also characterized the experience of student international mindedness. Implications for improving the education for international mindedness at the level of the school and IB organization are discussed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Research

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Graduate Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Beek, Avis

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Davis, Brent

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Bohac-Clarke, Veronika
• Tarc, Paul

• Education--Curriculum and Instruction

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/25439

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:11023/3107