A Qualitative Case Study of Teachers’ Perceptions on a Two-model System; Adhering to Chinese and International Baccalaureate Mandated Standards

Abstract

National curriculum standards for different countries mean some International Baccalaureate (IB) schools must often balance IB and national standards. Literature on how schools find this balance is limited. Using a qualitative case study design, we examined the perspectives of teachers of English in a Chinese IB school that recently employed a two-model system to address government mandates while still adhering to IB policies. A two-model system occurs when the two curricula are taught separately rather than in an integrated way. Our findings describe teachers’ understanding of a two-model system, identify challenges for teachers in its implementation, and suggest improvements. Results are confined to a single context of an English department in China and cannot therefore be generalized. Our findings reveal an overall theme of separateness identifying structural and conceptual factors affecting the relationship between the two models. The article discusses new ideas for curriculum structures that might inform school decisions for similar IB schools and schools with integrated curricula.