Measuring Impact through Action Research
The Institute for Global Learning (formerly GEBG) continues to champion innovative, reflective, and impactful research through its Action Research Fellows Program. This program engages a dynamic group of educators on a yearlong research journey to explore a topic of deep curiosity within the field of global learning. Three Action Research Fellows shared the results of their work at the recent Global Educators Conference in Miami. Their projects, outlined below, highlight not only the diverse ways global competencies can be nurtured across age groups but also the power of teacher-led inquiry in transforming school culture and curriculum.
About the Institute for Global Learning Action Research Fellows Program
The Institute for Global Learning Action Research Fellows program brings together educators from member schools for a yearlong cycle of research. Fellows identify pressing questions in their classrooms or school communities and systematically investigate them through cycles of planning, action, data collection, analysis, and reflection. With monthly cohort meetings and the support of an Institute for Global Learning researcher, participants not only develop their own research capacity but contribute meaningfully to the evolving field of global education.
Project 1: Exploring Belonging for International Students
Researcher: Jessica Campbell, Saint Mary’s School (NC)
Jessica Campbell’s research tackled a timely and essential question: How do international students at Saint Mary’s School define and describe belonging—and how can the school better meet their expectations?
Using a mixed-methods approach including anonymous surveys and one-on-one interviews, Campbell worked closely with international student leaders to surface nuanced experiences of inclusion—and exclusion—on campus. One student expressed, “I wish people were more interested in learning about my culture,” capturing the emotional toll of navigating cultural disconnects.
Campbell’s data analysis identified that
- international boarding students have a lower sense of belonging than other boarding students,
- they reported higher levels of feeling isolated but lower rates of traditional homesickness when compared to non-international boarding students, and
- faculty self-rated higher levels of faculty intercultural sensitivity than students rated them.
The stories students shared highlighted challenges ranging from misunderstandings to a lack of representation in school traditions and classroom discussions. Campbell’s findings emphasized the importance of intentional, community-wide efforts to support cultural fluency, from staff training to onboarding practices for both students and faculty. The implications of her research findings, outlined in her action plan, offer replicable strategies for schools committed to fostering a truly inclusive international community.
Project 2: Mapping the World Through Stories in First Grade
Researcher: Patricia Muumba, Buckingham, Browne & Nichols School (MA)
Patricia Muumba brought global learning into the hands of her youngest learners by connecting storybook locations and guest speaker topics to a physical classroom map. Her project investigated whether this visual and narrative-based strategy could help first graders build global awareness and relate global issues to their local context.
Through observations, assessments, and parent surveys, she uncovered that
- students became more globally curious;
- they began drawing connections between global phenomena and their lives, such as food insecurity and immigration; and
- they developed a budding appreciation for cultural diversity through literature and classroom discussions.
This project also aligned naturally with social studies and social justice themes at her school, reinforcing the value of an integrated curriculum. Students learned to compare cultures and express those comparisons through various mediums, enhancing both communication skills and empathy. Muumba’s work suggests that global competencies can be cultivated early through concrete, student-centered activities that make the abstract idea of “the world” tangible.
Project 3: Cultivating Historical Empathy through Diverse Perspectives
Researcher: Berent LaBrecque, Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School (GA)
In his 8th-grade U.S. History classroom, Berent LaBrecque reimagined a traditional unit on American imperialism by introducing multiple international perspectives. His redesigned curriculum invited students to “step into someone else’s shoes,” moving beyond a single narrative to understand history as a multifaceted and often contested field.
Using a combination of surveys, reflective interviews, and the Asia Society’s Global Competencies framework, LaBrecque tracked substantial gains in students’ ability to
- express and analyze their own perspectives,
- summarize and explain others’ viewpoints, and
- recognize how historical context shapes interpretation.
Students engaged in collaborative presentations, compared case studies, and developed more nuanced arguments during class discussions. Many reported a shift in how they debated, listened, and acknowledged multiple ‘truths’ in historical events. By reframing the curriculum to include global voices, LaBrecque’s project demonstrated how history education can promote empathy, critical thinking, and intercultural understanding.
Final Thoughts
These three projects—rooted in different school settings and student age groups—illustrate the transformative power of educator-led research. Whether rethinking literature in a first-grade classroom or centering student voices in international programming, the Institute for Global Learning’s Action Research Fellows are making global education more relevant, inclusive, and impactful.
Want to learn more or connect with the fellows? The Institute for Global Learning encourages dialogue and collaboration across its network. Stay tuned for the 2026 cohort (applications open in June, 2025) and the continued evolution of action research in our community of schools around the world.
