| dc.description.abstract | Ever since the opening of the Chinese market in the late 20th century, international
educational programs started to blossom. British Columbia Offshore Schools (BCOS) started to
emerge in the mid-90s with their first opening from Maple Leaf Educational Systems in Dalian.
Their student population continued to see growth in many educational companies; however, in
recent years, its population started to decline, and the program has been criticized for being
culturally based on the curriculum in the West and not taking the perspectives of Chinese culture.
This qualitative research study explored the citizenship perspectives of five students in
Grades 11 and 12 enrolled in BCOS in Mainland China. The data were collected using semi-structured Zoom interviews. Guided questions were prepared and adjusted during the interview
based on participants’ English language comprehension.
The results of this research suggest participants believed in Personally-responsible,
Participatory, or Patriotic citizenship with Chinese core values guiding their perspectives and
the emergence of Justice-oriented citizens. Their inner circle and outer circle impacted their
citizenship engagement and perception. Each participant expressed different benefits and
challenges to engage in citizenship, including financial resources, family contributions,
curriculum implementation, and personal interests. Overall, Chinese BCOS students are keen and
eager to engage in citizenship development opportunities, and further support is needed by the
student body, school community, and BC Ministry of Education to shape their citizenship. | en_US |
