Mixed methods research

This mixed methods study explored and measured the multi-dimensional
construct of global-mindedness as it applies to the study abroad professional and defines
the term study abroad professional. Hett’s (1993) Global-Mindedness Scale and the five
dimensions of responsibility, cultural pluralism, efficacy, globalcentrism, and
interconnectedness was utilized to determine the global-mindedness of study abroad
professionals. Additionally, open and closed-ended questions were used to identify
similarities across the study abroad professionals and to help define and give meaning to
the term study abroad professional.
Research findings lead to the identification of four themes. Theme one focused on
characteristics that lend themselves to defining the term study abroad professionals.
Theme two focused on the individual characteristics and their association with Hett’s five
dimensions of global-mindedness. Qualitative data were used to support the various
research questions whose answers became part of the working definition for a study abroad professional. Theme three focused on study abroad. And, theme four focused on
evolving job announcements.
International education, specifically study abroad, has become a specialized and
recognized profession. What has emerged are specific academic requirements,
professional training, and various professional and personal experiences being a
requirement for entry into the field. Individuals entering the study abroad profession
need to have an advanced degree, most likely in education or international/global studies
(although other majors are acceptable), they will have studied, interned, volunteered,
worked, or lived abroad, they will have good communication skills, be open-minded,
organized, flexible, patient, empathetic, culturally sensitive, interculturally competent,
and will have previous experience in the field. These findings have led to the definition of
a study abroad professional. a study abroad professional is a globally-minded
administrator or advisor with international and professional experiences, educational
credentials, and personal traits that help them to relate to, communicate with, and support
students, faculty, and staff, while fostering a safe study abroad environment that meets
the needs of the institution and diverse student populations.

This mixed-methods study was situated within one Florida county and investigated the impact of a newly initiated end-of-course Civics examination upon middle school teachers’ instruction and student learning. High-stakes testing is often a polarizing issue regarding the perceived benefits and challenges for both students and teachers. Participating teachers completed surveys comprised of Likert-type items and short-answer questions inquiring about their instructional choices and resulting student learning with and without the presence of the Civics EOC examination. A subset of department instructional leaders were interviewed providing additional qualitative data with a wider scope due to their dual positioning as teachers and as links between the social studies teachers at their school and the School District of Sunshine County. The analysis of the data reveals that while civics teachers value the increased prestige brought to the subject area with the introduction of the end-of-course examination, the heightened importance of standards has a resulted in a focus on breadth of content coverage rather than depth of learning, leading to content-centered rather than student-centered classroom environments and subsequent loss of voice and choice in curricular decisions for teachers and students. Teachers feel intense pressure to cover the curriculum, raise test scores and engage in test preparation; they question the soundness of the examination to adequately assess the learning of all students and to capture the essence of civics education: active engagement. Teachers’ perspectives on the effect of the examination on teacher practice and student learning were framed within contextual factors that emerged in the analysis: the abandonment of the policy to introduce foundational content at the elementary level; a lack of communication among stakeholders, but particularly between state-level decision makers and local educators; and an absence of the ongoing scaffolding required to create a strong foundation of knowledge and skills to foster continued growth. Consequently, the recommendations of this study of educators’ voices on the policies that impact their profession are directed primarily at state level policy makers and future researchers regarding the flow of communication, inclusion of teacher feedback, continued teacher development, addition of a participatory component, and curricular alignment.

This mixed-method study, grounded in critical pedagogy, explored teachers of the
International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) in Costa Rican public and private
schools and examined the growth of the IB there. It surveyed the global mindedness of
the teachers to understand their perceptions of the IB. The study also aimed to understand
the IB’s Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) as a form of global education.
Furthermore, neoliberalism was explored as a force driving the IB’s growth in Costa
Rica.
The study collected quantitative data from the Global Mindedness Scale (GMS)
(Hett, 1993) from teachers of the IB in Costa Rica, assessing their level of global
mindedness, factors that may have contributed to their score, and what differences, if any,
existed between public and private school teachers. In the qualitative phase, four teachers
were interviewed to explore how they perceived the IB in Costa Rica. It also critically analyzed the CAS requirement of the IB, as well as the neoliberal forces that have driven
the growth of the IB in Costa Rica.
The findings show that the type of school does not affect teachers’ global
mindedness. Participants’ age and whether they have lived outside their country had a
positive but weak relationship to teachers’ global mindedness. Teachers of STEM courses
had slightly lower GMS scores. The interviews showed that teachers had positive
perceptions of the IBDP and saw benefits for themselves, their students, and Costa Rica.
The teachers were mostly uncritical in their responses, but the highest GMS scoring
interviewee did express critical ideas. An analysis of the CAS requirement of the IB
concluded that it reflects both soft and critical approaches to global citizenship education.
Finally, the document analysis confirmed neoliberalism as a force behind the IB’s
expansion in Costa Rica.
Several recommendations were offered. First, an instrument is needed that can
measure global mindedness on an international scale. Second, teacher education should
incorporate issues related to global education. Third, implementation of the IBDP and
other global education curricula requires ongoing support from policymakers,
organizations, and schools. More research should examine the growth of the IB in other
countries.