| Our nation, if it is going to keep a competitive edge versus the rest of the world, must reform the current system of educating children. The purpose of this study is to provide evidence that implementation of one increasingly popular reform effort, the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP), changes teachers' perceptions of what is important about education, the need for international understanding for all students, and the future of education, in general. This dissertation helped answer those questions through an extensive study of relevant literature and the use of an on-line survey to analyze results. This research produced a number of key findings: teachers positively reported that implementation of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme impacted their philosophy, influenced their view for international education, influenced teachers' view of what a students' education will look like in future years, and impacted teacher efficacy. In particular, the survey found positive mean, median, and mode scores for the IBPYP's impact on teacher's philosophy of education. Further studies in different settings need to be conducted to determine whether implementation of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme positively impacts teachers. If American schools wish to better prepare their students for their world of the future, then studies need to continue to focus on the strategies, programs, and philosophies that will aide them in that quest. |
