There’s only one pot of money it can come from - A Corpus-Based Analysis of the International Baccalaureate in Canada’s Provinces

Oct 15, 2026

A corpus-based study uses computer-assisted discourse analysis of a 1.5-million-word specialized corpus to uncover patterns in language use that reflect the beliefs and values of a social group. It also examines how the International Baccalaureate (IB) is represented across Canadian provinces. While keyword analysis highlights lexical differences by province, deeper contextual analysis shows shared concerns, especially regarding funding and the costs of IB programs, indicating both variation in wording and consistency in underlying policy-oriented issues.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages29

Reading Time1 h 13 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Purpose and approach

Research questions and representation across provinces

Key findings on funding and cost

“There’s only one pot of money it can come from”: A Corpus-Based Analysis of the International Baccalaureate in Canada’s Provinces Saira Fitzgerald Lancaster University Abstract This study has a dual purpose: (1) to show how computer-assisted discourse analysis of a 1.5-million-word specialized corpus can uncover patterns of language use that provide insights into the beliefs and values of a particular social group, making possible a “new way of looking at old puzzles”(Stubbs, 2010); and (2) to examine how the International Baccalaureate (IB) is represented in the Canadian provincial context. Although keywords reveal lexical differences in how the IB is represented in each province, in-depth contextual analysis indicates a similarity of concerns, particularly with regard to funding and cost of IB programs. Keywords: International Baccalaureate, corpus linguistics, discourse analysis, keyword analysis, education funding, policy, media Canadian Journal of Education / Revue canadienne de l’éducation 43:3 (2020)©2020 Canadian Society for the Study of Education/ Société canadienne pour l’étude de l’éducation [www.cje-rce.ca](www.cje-rce.ca) Résumé Cette étude a un double objectif : (1) montrer comment l’analyse linguistique assistée par ordinateur d’un corpus spécialisé de 1,5 million de mots peut révéler des schémas d’utilisation de la langue permettant de mieux comprendre les croyances et les attitudes d’un groupe social donné, permettant ainsi une « nouvelle façon de regarder de vieilles énigmes »(Stubbs, 2010) ; et (2) examiner la manière dont le Baccalauréat International (IB) estreprésenté dans le contexte provincial canadien. Bien que les mots-clés révèlent des différences lexicales dans la manière dont l’IB est représenté dans chaque province, une analyse contextuelle approfondie révèle une similitude des préoccupations, notamment en ce qui concerne le financement et le coût des programmes de l’IB. Mots-clés : Baccalauréat International, linguistique des corpus, analyse du discours, analyse des mots-clés, financement de l’éducation, politique, médias Canadian Journal of Education / Revue canadienne de l’éducation 43:3 (2020) [www.cje-rce.ca](www.cje-rce.ca) Introduction The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a series of educational programs for students aged 3 to 19 offered in schools around the world. It was originally created as a two-year highschool diploma for a mobile population in need of a portable and recognized curriculum. In 2018, the IB organization celebrated its 50-year anniversary with a widely publicized commemorative book that documented its history, from inception in seven schools, to its present-day global network of almost 5,000 schools across 153 different countries (IBO, 2017) . In a 2019 interview, the Director General of the IB organization claimed that an IB education is unique because the IB is a 4.0 education in a 1.0 world... The IB prepares the students to be the creators ofthe algorithm rather than the consumers ofthe algorithm, so not be subjects without thinking...research has shown that IB students feel better prepared in their first year at university, compared to students without an IB background. (IBO, 2019b, para. 02) Such comparative statements between the IB and other education systems are widely repeated on websites and social media platforms connected to the IB organization, constructing and perpetuating an image ofthe IB as not only different from, but better than, any other system of education. In addition, with headquarters in Geneva and regional offices in The Hague, Singapore, and the United States, the IB organization is typically described in terms of its global reach and international mission, more humanitarian than business (Fitzgerald, 2017a). This emphasis on the IB’s global influence masks the fact that almost half of all IB schools worldwide (48%) are in the United States and Canada. This “hugely disproportionate” North American presence (Bunn

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the study described in the abstract?

The study has a dual purpose: using computer-assisted discourse analysis to reveal language patterns that reflect beliefs and values, and examining how the International Baccalaureate is represented in Canada’s provincial context.

How does keyword analysis contribute to the study’s results?

Keyword analysis reveals lexical differences in how the IB is represented in each province, indicating variation in the specific language used.

What does the contextual analysis show about provinces’ concerns?

In-depth contextual analysis indicates a similarity of concerns across provinces, particularly around funding and the cost of IB programs.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Anna Hans