Jessica Nina Lester and Chad R Lochmiller—Indiana University
This mixed-methods case study aimed to explore the perceptions of teachers, students and administrators as well as ways of working and learning within four PYP schools in Colombia. The research team conducted individual interviews and focus groups with administrators, teachers and students; observed classrooms and school facilities; collected documents; and administered a survey to a sample of students aged 10 to 12 years. Administrators noted that it was challenging to find teachers qualified to teach effectively in a bilingual, transdisciplinary and inquiry-based programme. Administrators therefore perceived teacher supervision and ongoing professional development to be essential to successful implementation. Teachers echoed this need for sustained support and resources, particularly with regard to bilingual instruction within the PYP framework. Students spoke about their teachers as the primary driver behind their positive schooling experiences, positioning the teachers’ pedagogical practices and ways of being inside and outside of the classroom as central to what made their schools unique.
