Research says students in International Baccalaureate MYP show better world understanding and higher participation in advanced academics; MYP students also more likely to engage in service learning projects in school and to participate in volunteer activities outside of school
Global-mindedness, according to IB, refers to ”a worldview in which one sees oneself as connected to the global community and feels a sense of responsibility to its members.” Notre Dame adopted the IB-MYP in 2009 and the IB Diploma Program in 2007. The school’s lower division earned IB authorization in 2010.
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, the only Catholic school in the country with all three levels of the IB curriculum, has a number of representatives attending the conference this week.
The new study, which is a continuation of an earlier study of the MYP, was commissioned to extend the findings of, “Student Performance and Student Engagement in the International Baccalaureate Middle Year Program.” It examines whether previous enrollment in an MYP middle school impacts high school performance and enrollment and also investigates the influence of the MYP on global-mindedness. The MYP bridges primary school and middle-years instruction to secondary school studies.
“The MYP provides a unique approach relevant for today’s global society,” said Judith Fabian, chief academic officer for the IB. “At the core of the MYP are contexts for learning that provide powerful opportunities to engage in issues that affect students today. MYP students develop skills they will apply during and beyond their MYP experience. Student learning focuses,” Fabian says, “on taking one’s place in communities and acting in new contexts, on making informed choices about one’s own welfare, on how to interact with the world at large in virtual, natural, and built environments, and on considering the consequences of human thought and action.”
A large socioeconomically diverse school district composed of rural, urban and suburban communities provided the IB teachers and students from which the MYP continuation study was drawn. In Phase 1, the researchers analyzed secondary high school math and science enrollment and performance of students previously enrolled in five district MYP middle schools in relation to students from five non-MYP middle schools in the district. They found that students who attended an MYP school in eighth grade were more likely to enroll in an advanced level science and math course in secondary school than their non-MYP peers. Nearly 70% of MYP students enrolled in an advanced level science course in grade nine. MYP students consistently opted into advanced science and math courses in grades nine and ten at higher rates than their non-MYP peers.
In the study’s second phase, the researchers examined student perception of their MYP experience, with emphasis on global-mindedness, a key aspect of an IB education. Global-mindedness, according to IB, refers to “a worldview in which one sees oneself as connected to the global community and feels a sense of responsibility to its members.” This attribute was scored in five dimensions: responsibility, cultural pluralism, efficacy, global centrism and interconnectedness. Overall, MYP students surveyed scored more positively on global-mindedness than their non-MYP peers. MYP enrollment had a statistically significant effect on cultural pluralism, which referred to “an appreciation of the diversity of cultures in the world and a belief that all have something of value to offer.”
The data also suggests that MYP students were more likely to engage in student service learning projects in school and to participate in volunteer activities outside of school. Eight percent more MYP students were involved in service learning projects and 13.7 percent more MYP students were involved in service projects outside of school, with family, friends or other groups, compared to their non-MYP peers. When asked about their most significant learning experience, 11 percent of MYP students identified community service and learning how to help others.
MYP students, when asked ‘what are the benefits of being an MYP student?’ responded with an array of answers that frequently mentioned having a better understanding of the world, learning something new, participating in a more rigorous and challenging curriculum, and learning about other cultures. Many students surveyed declared they felt ‘proud’ to be an MYP student.
The majority opinion of MYP teachers who participated in the study agreed that the training they received from the IB supported their learning needs and provided helpful information, especially in developing lesson plans and assessments, collaborating with others and learning about critical thinking and IB Learner Profile attributes. The majority of teachers surveyed reported that they involve their students in critical thinking and connection with real-life issues. They incorporate current events and teaching about different cultures into their classrooms.
“The MYP provides a holistic education foundational to a life of purpose and meaning,” said Drew Deutsch, IB director of the Americas.
Find the full study, “Continuation study of student performance and engagement in the Middle Years Programme” online here.
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About the IB
Founded in 1968, the International Baccalaureate (IB) is a not-for profit foundation, which offers four high quality and challenging educational programs for a worldwide community of schools. For 45 years, IB programs have gained a reputation for rigour and high academic standards, for preparing students for life in a globalized 21st century, and for helping to develop citizens who will create a better, more peaceful world. Currently, more than 1 million IB students attend nearly 3,500 schools in 144 countries.
About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.