While the International Baccalaureate’s Middle Years Programme (MYP) is growing in popularity in Australia and across the globe, few studies have examined the benefits and challenges of this IB programme for supporting student learning. Using a qualitative case study design of three Australian schools that formerly offered the MYP, we investigated teacher and school leader perceptions of the MYP for promoting student learning. Perceived benefits included high achievement and skill development through the MYP’s emphasis on inquiry-based learning and real-world relevance; criterion-referenced assessments; and a healthy balance between core and elective learning areas. Challenges for students stemmed primarily from operational difficulties and possible systems-level constraints impacting teachers, including integration of the Australian Curriculum with the MYP; ability to meet the MYP’s demands; confusion about MYP terminology and grading systems; and understanding interdisciplinary units. The findings suggest that MYP Coordinators and school leaders play a critical role in ensuring that schools realise the benefits of the MYP for student learning by providing systems-level support to optimise its benefits.

中文翻译：

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国际文凭中学项目中影响学生学习的挑战

虽然国际文凭课程的中学项目 (MYP) 在澳大利亚和全球越来越受欢迎，但很少有研究研究该 IB 课程在支持学生学习方面的好处和挑战。使用以前提供 MYP 的三所澳大利亚学校的定性案例研究设计，我们调查了教师和学校领导对 MYP 促进学生学习的看法。认识到的好处包括通过中学项目强调探究式学习和现实世界的相关性而获得的高成就和技能发展；标准参考评估；以及核心和选修学习领域之间的健康平衡。学生面临的挑战主要源于操作困难和可能影响教师的系统级限制，包括澳大利亚课程与中学项目的整合；满足MYP要求的能力；对MYP术语和评分系统的混淆；并了解跨学科单元。调查结果表明，中学项目协调员和学校领导通过提供系统级支持来优化中学项目的好处，在确保学校实现中学项目对学生学习的好处方面发挥着关键作用。