Howard Stevenson, Stephen Joseph, Lucy Bailey, Lucy Cooker, Stuart Fox and Alicia Bowman—The University of Nottingham
This study aimed to develop a better understanding of the role of “caring” across the continuum of IB programmes in nine schools located in South-east Asia, Europe and the Middle East/North Africa. The study had two broad objectives. First, it aimed to establish the extent to which students in IB World Schools are caring, and secondly, it sought to understand how IB World Schools attempt to develop a disposition of caring among their students. Research methods included student surveys, website analysis, focus groups with staff and students and interviews with various staff members in the case study schools. Survey data showed that students scored highly when rated on the extent to which they demonstrated perspective taking, empathic concern and a range of attitudes and behaviours linked to caring. Moreover, the vast majority of students agreed or strongly agreed that their school teaches them to be more caring. Additional findings indicated that: the IB curriculum offers opportunities to make caring a focus; a caring disposition among young people is best developed in schools where caring is woven into the fabric of the institution and leaders have a critical role in setting the tone within their institution.
