The International
Baccalaureate
Diploma Programme (IBDP)
and
Career-Related Certificate
(IBCC)
Rockville High School
Parent/Student Information Meeting
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History of the IB
 founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1968,
 designed to facilitate the international
mobility of students
 provided schools with a curriculum and
diploma recognized by universities around
the world
 Currently, the IB mission has expanded,
and it now seeks to make an IB education
available to students of all ages.
The IB Mission Statement
 The International Baccalaureate aims to develop
inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people
who help to create a better and more peaceful
world through intercultural understanding and
respect.
 To this end the organization works with schools,
governments and international organizations to
develop challenging programmes of international
education and rigorous assessment.
 These programmes encourage students across
the world to become active, compassionate and
lifelong learners who understand that other
people, with their differences, can also be right.
General Information about IB
 3485 schools in 143 countries offer the three IB programs
to approximately 1,062,000 students.
 The Primary Years Programme (PYP) for students aged 3-
12 started in 1997 - offered by 558 IB World Schools.
 The Middle Years Programme (MYP) for students aged
11-16 started in 1994 - offered by 468 B World Schools.
 The Diploma Programme for students aged 16 to 19
started in 1968 - offered by 1,811 IB World Schools
 IBCC for students aged 16-19 – 11 schools in the pilot
program (RHS authorized in September 2012)
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What makes the IB unique:
The IB …
 Offers a continuum of education
 H as a reputation for high-quality education
 Encourages international-mindedness by
developing an understanding of a student’s own
cultural and national identity.
 Encourages a positive attitude to learning by
encouraging students to ask challenging
questions, to critically reflect, to develop research
skills, to learn how to learn and to participate in
community service.
What is so special about IB
programmes?
 Recognition around the world
 International perspectives of learning and teaching
 Exhaustive authorization process
 Variety of professional development opportunities
 Enhancement of opportunities and recognition for students
at the university level
 Student participation in creative and service-oriented
activities
 Emphasis on the importance of reflection on a personal and
academic level
 IB publications for schools to inform and support them
The IB Diploma Programme
What is in the curriculum?
 SIX subject groups
 Three subjects studied at HIGHER LEVEL
 Three subjects studied at STANDARD
LEVEL
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CORE:
Extended Essay(EE)
Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
Creativity, Action, Service (CAS)
IBCC: What is in the
curriculum?
 PLTW classes (five for PLTW certification)
 Approaches to Learning (ATL)
 Reflective Project (RP)
 Community and Service (CS)
 2 Diploma Programmes classes (one must
be taken for two years)
 Language development (MCPS world
language study)
IB DP Subject Groups
Language A :Literature
Language A is the study of literature in a student’s first
language, including the study of selections of world
literature/RHS offers Language A HL (Literature)
In studying their first language, students are able to develop:
 a personal appreciation of the literature
 skills in literary criticism
 strong written and oral skills
 respect for the literary heritage of their first language
 an international perspective.
 The range of texts is broad and foster s an appreciation of
a language’s complexity, wealth and subtleties in a variety of
contexts , engenders a lifelong interest in literature and a
love for the elegance and richness of human expression.
Group 2Language B
It is a requirement of the programme that students
study at least one subject from group 2 The aim is
to promote an understanding of another culture
through the study of a second language / RHS
offers Spanish SL/HL and French HL/SL
 The main emphasis is on language acquisition and
use in a range of contexts and for different
purposes.
 Language B courses are intended for students
who have had some previous experience of
learning the language.
Group 3: individuals and societies
It is a requirement of the programme that students study at least one
subject from group 3.
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Nine subjects are available/ RHS offers the following
history of Europe /Mid-East/Communism (HL) - required
information technology in a global society (SL)
psychology (SL)
Studying any one of these subjects provides for the development of a
critical appreciation of:
 human experience and behavior
 the varieties of physical, economic and social environments that
people inhabit
 the history of social and cultural institutions.
 theories, concepts and arguments relating to the nature and
activities of individuals and societies.
Group 4: experimental sciences
It is a requirement of the programme that students study at least one
subject from group 4.
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Five subjects are available/RHS offers the following
biology SL / HL
physics SL
Chemistry SL
Environmental Systems SL
In their application of scientific methods, students develop an ability
to:
 analyze, evaluate, and synthesize scientific information.
 A compulsory project encourages students to appreciate the
environmental, social and ethical implications of science. Through
this collaborative and interdisciplinary project, students analyze a
topic or problem and explore scientific solutions to global
questions.
Group 5: mathematics and
computer science
It is a requirement of the programme that students study at least one
course in Mathematics
Four courses in mathematics are available:/RHS offers
 mathematical studies SL
 mathematics SL
 Mathematics HL
The aims of these courses are to enable students to:
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develop mathematical knowledge, concepts and principles
develop logical, critical and creative thinking
employ and refine their powers of abstraction and generalization.
appreciate the international dimensions of mathematics and the
multiplicity of its cultural and historical perspectives.
Group 6: the arts
The study of a subject from group 6 is optional/courses from
group 3 or 4 may be substituted
Five subjects are available/RHS offers
 visual arts HL/ SL
 Music SL
The subjects in group 6 allow a high degree of adaptability
to different cultural contexts. The emphasis is on creativity
in the context of disciplined, practical research into the
relevant genre
The assessment of these subjects reflects an approach to
combine contrasting aesthetics and forms of assessment
from around the world.
What are the three core
requirements for the IBDP?
Extended essay
The extended essay has a prescribed limit of
4,000 words. It offers the opportunity to
investigate a topic of individual interest, and
acquaints students with the independent research
and writing skills expected at university.
IBDP CORE Requirements
Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
The interdisciplinary
TOKcourse is designed to
provide coherence by exploring
the nature of knowledge across
disciplines, encouraging an
appreciation of other cultural
perspectives.
IBDP CORE Requirements
Creativity, action, service (CAS)
Participation in the school’s CAS
programme encourages students to be
involved in artistic pursuits, sports and
community service work, thus fostering
students’ awareness and appreciation of
life outside the academic arena.
What are the CORE
requirements for IBCC?
 Approaches to Learning (ATL)
Emphasizes the development of transferable skills needed
to perate successfully in society/ placed in the context of the
workforce with an emphasis on the students’ career-related
studies
IBCC Core: Reflective Project
 An extended piece of reflective work that can
be submitted in a variety of formats that
emphasizes the ethical dilemma associated
with a particular issue drawn from the students
career-related studies
 An opportunity for the student to draw together
the various strands of their study
IBCC core: Community and
Service
 Encourages service learning, emphasizes the
effective development of students and
concentrates on the concepts of partnership
and learning
 Activities undertaken by students should reflect
their focus on career-related studies
IBCC Core: Language
development
 Students are required to continue to improve
their language proficiency in a target language
other than their mother tongue/best language
What are the Diploma
Programme goals?
 a broad and balanced, yet academically
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demanding, programme of study
the development of critical-thinking and reflective
skills
the development of research skills
the development of independent learning skills
the development of intercultural understanding
a globally recognized university entrance
qualification.
What are the IBCC goals?
 Develop a range of broad work-related competencies and
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deepen understanding in general areas of knowledge
Develop flexible strategies for knowledge acquisition and
enhancement in varied contexts
Prepare for effective participation in the changing world of
work
Foster attitudes and habits of mind that allow students to
become true life-long learners willing to consider new
perspectives
Get involved in learning that develops the capacity and
will to make a positive difference
What are the Diploma Programme
assessment procedures?
Diploma Programme assessment procedures
measure the extent to which students have
mastered advanced academic skills :
 analyzing and presenting information
 evaluating and constructing arguments
 solving problems creatively.
Diploma Programme assessment
Philosophy: The International
Baccalaureate (IB) assesses student work
as direct evidence of achievement against
the stated goals of the Diploma
Programme courses.
What basic skills are assessed?
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retaining knowledge
understanding key concepts
applying standard methods.
fostering an international outlook and intercultural
skills where appropriate.
 designed to support and encourage good
classroom teaching and learning.
 determined by performance against set standards,
not by each student’s position in the overall rank
order.
The IB Learner Profile
IB learners strive to be:
 Inquirers
 Knowledgeable
 Thinkers
 Communicators
 Principled
 Open-minded
 Caring
 Risk-takers
 Balanced
 Reflective