The W.I.S. Heartbeat

THE EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE of Malaysia is changing. Various global and local factors have led to an unprecedented growth in the number of private and international schools established in Malaysia. As a result, international schools now have an increasingly important role in the provision of education to Malaysians and international students alike.

Westlake International School, based in Kampar, is part of the new wave of international schools mushrooming across the country. As Westlake finishes its fifth year of operations and looks to the future, the School commissioned me to conduct an in-depth study of its institutional character and culture. This book is a presentation of the study’s findings, which are then discussed in relation to wider research on education. An open-access e-version of this book is available here under the brochures tab.

Based on Habermas’ Lifeworld as a philosophical and theoretical framework, this study presents the analysis of qualitative data collected through systematic interviews with staff, school leaders and alumni. The research is meant to authentically tell the stories of the School’s people and provide reflective opportunities for all its readers, be they educators, parents or students.