Exploring and Empowering Transition Stories

A recent literature review (Kaur, McLoughlin, & Grimes, 2022) highlighted the limited research surrounding the transition into secondary school mathematics from outside of the UK. This study added an international perspective. Set in an International Baccalaureate (IB) school in Hong Kong, the experiences of 15 students beginning the Middle Years Programme (MYP) mathematics course were explored through a combined case study and narrative inquiry approach. Stage-Environment Fit Theory and Self-Determination Theory provided a dual lens for analysing student needs and the responsiveness of the school environment to those needs. Thematic analysis constructed the key themes of: (1) students expect change; (2) students value progress; (3) students value comfort; (4) students value purposeful and interesting learning experiences; (5) students value transparency; and (6) other people play a role in the transition. The study found that although students shared similar values, the specific form and extent of these values were diverse. These differences were attributed to factors such as primary schooling, prior attainment, mindset, and motivations for learning. These findings informed recommendations that leveraged existing components of the IB curriculum: the Approaches to Teaching component of differentiation, the Approaches to Learning skill of self-management, the addition of clarity to MYP components, and the utilisation of the Service as Action for a buddy system. In addition, the appreciation of the distinct school contexts existing globally, and the valuable insights gleaned from the narrative inquiry approach in this study, inspired a recommendation for individual schools to prioritise student voice and agency when designing transition interventions.