This dissertation is a study of the International Baccalaureate(IB) in the education systems of Canada and Australia. The IB has been described as a world movement. The number of global institutions and social movements are increasing greatly in the 1990s. The thesis looks at the historical development of the IB, recent developments of the IB in Canada and Australia and develops the claim that the IB has become a provider of global cultural capital. The theoretical paradigm adopted is that of Pierre Bourdieu. Conclusions of the study are: / 1. in Australia and Canada the IB is as important for the ‘symbolic imposition’ it bestows on holders of the IB as it is for the stated intentions of educating the whole person. / 2. the IB functions as an agent of ‘reproduction’ rather than as an international laboratory for experiment both in curriculum and examining methods as originally intended by the founders of the IB. 3 students participating in the IB increase their potential for advantage in the ‘global field’.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2007. Graduate Programme in Education. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 238-250). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR32071

Abstract The International Baccalaureate in Australia and Canada: 1980 - 1993 This dissertation is a study of the International Baccalaureate(IB) in the education systems of Canada and Australia. The IB has been described as a world movement. The number of global institutions and social movements are increasing greatly in the 1990s. The thesis looks at the historical development of the IB, recent developments of the IB in Canada and Australia and develops the claim that the IB has become a provider of global cultural capital. The theoretical paradigm adopted is that of Pierre Bourdieu. Conclusions of the study are: 1 in Australia and Canada the IB is as important for the 'symbolic imposition' it bestows on holders of the IB as it is for the stated intentions of educating the whole person. 2 the IB functions as an agent of 'reproduction' rather than as an international laboratory for experiment both in curriculum and examining methods as originally intended by the founders of the IB. 3 students participating in the IB increase their potential for advantage in the 'global field'.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

As the last few decades have seen a proliferation of debate concerning today’s international system referred to as “globalization,” education has seen an exponential rise in curriculum (such as that promoted by global education, international education, and the International Baccalaureate Organization) that instills students with “international understanding” and “global perspectives.” Through a two-site, interpretive study, this dissertation explored the nature of 15 students’ international understanding and their grasp of globalization. Qualitative techniques for data collection involved open-ended questionnaires and interviews, and emergent category designation was employed for qualitative data analysis. International Baccalaureate students from Estado de México and Texas revealed complex, yet well-developed, perceptions of globalization that spoke of a system which privileges the powerful and leaves the developing world behind. Both U.S. and Mexican students were skeptical of the United States’ position as the dominant player in world politics, economics, and global culture, and students from both sides of the border lamented local culture loss in globalization.

Abstract The International Baccalaureate in Australia and Canada: 1980 - 1993 This dissertation is a study of the International Baccalaureate(IB) in the education systems of Canada and Australia. The IB has been described as a world movement. The number of global institutions and social movements are increasing greatly in the 1990s. The thesis looks at the historical development of the IB, recent developments of the IB in Canada and Australia and develops the claim that the IB has become a provider of global cultural capital. The theoretical paradigm adopted is that of Pierre Bourdieu. Conclusions of the study are: 1 in Australia and Canada the IB is as important for the 'symbolic imposition' it bestows on holders of the IB as it is for the stated intentions of educating the whole person. 2 the IB functions as an agent of 'reproduction' rather than as an international laboratory for experiment both in curriculum and examining methods as originally intended by the founders of the IB. 3 students participating in the IB increase their potential for advantage in the 'global field'.

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Education

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, renowned for its academic rigor, is also committed to forwarding the larger organization’s mission of creating “a better and more peaceful world” through education. This qualitative case study explores the conceptions of peace education held by three IB Diploma English A1 teachers, the factors that shaped those conceptions, and possible obstacles to teaching for peace in an international school. A framework of peace education as distilled from an extensive literature review and Johan Galtung’s definitions of peace provide the study’s theoretical foundation. Using observations, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews, this study examines teachers’ concepts of peace, pedagogical practices, and approaches to peace education within the context of an A1 classroom and an IB World School. The findings conclude that teachers’ conceptions of peace education are shaped by personal factors such as prior experiences and pedagogical content knowledge, and not by official IB documents.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, renowned for its academic rigor, is also committed to forwarding the larger organization’s mission of creating “a better and more peaceful world” through education. This qualitative case study explores the conceptions of peace education held by three IB Diploma English A1 teachers, the factors that shaped those conceptions, and possible obstacles to teaching for peace in an international school. A framework of peace education as distilled from an extensive literature review and Johan Galtung’s definitions of peace provide the study’s theoretical foundation. Using observations, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews, this study examines teachers’ concepts of peace, pedagogical practices, and approaches to peace education within the context of an A1 classroom and an IB World School. The findings conclude that teachers’ conceptions of peace education are shaped by personal factors such as prior experiences and pedagogical content knowledge, and not by official IB documents.

The presence of stress is normative for individuals, and it is how one copes with stress that is important towards a person's well-being. In stressful situations, one's cognitive appraisal of and emotional reactions to a challenge are based on whether it is perceived as a threat to one's beliefs and goals. Mindfulness meditation training (MMT) is a set of coping strategies that has demonstrated beneficial effects for adults in reducing stress, enhancing wellbeing, and promoting cognitive efficiency. This procedure incorporates breathing techniques to regulate physiological responses and teaches the person to appraise moment to moment sensations, feelings and events as transitory, positive or neutral to assist in emotional regulation. In the past decade, research has suggested that MMT is appropriate and effective for children and adolescents, although most studies have been with clinical populations. The present study examined the relative effectiveness of MMT in stress reduction, and in promoting the mindfulness and well-being of adolescents enrolled in an International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Twelfth-grade students self-selected to participate in either an eight-week MMT course or to complete surveys as part of a no-treatment control group. Ratings for perceived stress, mindfulness, and well-being were collected from the MMT and the control groups at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at one week prior to admission of high stakes IB exams. A repeated measures 2 X 2 ANOVA was conducted for each of the three scales. Within the repeated measures ANOVA, the interaction between the factor of treatment/no treatment and the within-subjects variable "point in time" (before training, after training, and prior to the exam) was found to be statistically significant. Subsequent post hoc testing showed that the significant interaction effects occurred only at pre-test for the three measures of perceived stress, mindfulness and well-being, indicating that the groups were very different to begin with. These findings were discussed with respect to the current literature on MMT. Future directions for research in this area were also discussed, as were the limitations of the study.