THE IB PROGRAMME
THE IB IN ACTION
The IB Values
• The International Baccalaureate Organization 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 IBO works … to develop challenging
programmes of international education and
rigorous assessment.
• These programmes encourage students across the
world to become active, compassionate and
lifelong learners ...
From IBO Mission Statement (www.ibo.org)
IB Learners Profile
IB STUDENTS STRIVE TO BE
Inquirers
Knowledgeable
Thinkers
Communicators
Principled
Open-minded
Caring
Risk-takers
Balanced
Reflective
What is the IB Diploma?
• A two-year programme, usually in grades 11 and 12
• Students study six subjects
• Tested by internal assessment, external assessment and
external exams
• Complemented by the theory of knowledge, an extended essay
and a commitment to creativity, action and service
• Leading to an internationally recognised qualification for
university entrance
THE IB DIPLOMA
PROGRAMME
ACS COBHAM
• ACS Cobham was authorised to offer
the IB Diploma Programme in October
1986.
• 2013 marked 25 years of ACS Cobham
IBDP graduates, with around 1,000 of
them so far.
• ACS Cobham was one of the first 30 IB
Diploma schools in the UK (now 150 in
UK).
SAMPLE IB PROGRAMMES
• Do you know what you plan to
read (study) at university?
CHOOSING IB SUBJECTS
• what do you like?
• what are you best at?
• what do you need?
ART/DRAMA/MUSIC
• FOR ART/ DRAMA/ MUSIC SCHOOL,
ACADEMY, CONSERVATORY - TAKE THE
IB SUBJECT - BUT PORTFOLIOS AND
AUDITIONS WILL BE CRUCIAL. (SOME
AVOID IB DIPLOMA TO GIVE MORE TIME)
• FOR ACADEMIC DEGREE COURSES,
TAKE THE IB SUBJECT, PLUS OTHER
RELATED - OR UNRELATED - SUBJECTS
HISTORY/ PHILOSOPHY/
LANGUAGES
•
•
•
•
These can be very flexible
Rarely have specific requirements, but check
Play to your strengths
Language courses can build on what you
know already, can be for complete beginners,
or combined with other subjects - such factors
may affect your choice of language courses
in the IB, or vice versa
SOCIAL SCIENCES/ LAW
BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT
•
•
•
•
These can be very flexible
Rarely have specific requirements
Play to your strengths
BUT look carefully at Maths! Some
require Math HL (Economics/ at times
Psychology)
MATHS/ ENGINEERING/
SCIENCES MEDICINE
• MATHEMATICS - HL MATHS, PHYSICS,
OTHER
• ENGINEERING - HL MATHS, 1 OR 2
SCIENCES - PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY,
BIOLOGY
• SCIENCES - HL SCIENCE, SCIENCE,
MATHS (SL MATHS OFTEN OK)
• MEDICINE - HL CHEMISTRY, HL SCIENCE,
OTHER (SL MATHS IS USUALLY OK)
The Core
• EE
Extended Essay
• ToK
Theory of
Knowledge
• CAS
Creativity, Action,
Service
Extended Essay
• An independent, supervised research
essay of around 4,000 words.
• Can be in any IB subject that we can
supervise. Many prefer to do it in one of
their own IB subjects. Others like to use
it to broaden their knowledge and skills.
• Sample EEs are available in the library,
where there is an extensive new EE
Centre, and faculty members can
advise.
Extended Essay
• Students start the Extended Essay in January and finish it by
November.
• There is a detailed calendar of deadlines, reminders, official
guidelines, tips, the IB assessment rubric and so forth.
• The EE Coordinator and Librarians provide extensive
orientation.
• Students meet regularly with their supervisor.
• There are three major check-off points, with a viva voce at the
end.
• Assessment is external (A, B…N), so we do not grade it.
• The EE Coordinator (Mrs Briggs)organises everything, tracks
deadlines - and will report on students’ progress on Report
Cards (S/U).
• We use ManageBac (online site) for deadlines and to track
progress on EEs, and turnitin.com to assess the use of sources.
Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
CHALLENGES PUPILS TO:
• Ask questions
• Appreciate uncertainty and difference
• Develop critical judgement
• Detect bias
• Reflect
TOK
• In the center - KNOWERS
• Next circle - Ways of Knowing
• Outer circle - Areas of Knowledge
TOK - Ways Of Knowing (4/8)
Sense perception
Emotion
Language
Reason
Imagination
Faith
Intuition
Memory
TOK - Areas of Knowledge
(6/8)
Mathematics
Natural Sciences
Human Sciences
History
Ethics
The Arts
Religious knowledge systems
Indigenous knowledge systems
TOK - Assessment
• Part 1 - External assessment (67%) Essay (1,200-1,600 words)
One essay on a title chosen from a short list
of titles prescribed by the IB for each exam
session.
• Part 2 - Internal assessment (33%) Presentation (+/- 10 mns pp)
One presentation - focused on a knowledge
issue.
Assessment of the Essay is external (A, B…N), so we
do not grade it.
TOK – 2014 Essay Questions
1. Ethical judgements limit the methods available in
the production of knowledge in both the arts and
the natural sciences. Discuss.
2. “When the only tool you have is a hammer, all
problems begin to resemble nails” (Abraham
Maslow). How might this apply to ways of knowing,
as tools, in the pursuit of knowledge?
3. “Knowledge is nothing more than the systematic
organisation of facts.” Discuss this statement in
relation to two areas of knowledge.
TOK ESSAY QUESTIONS, 46
4. “That which is accepted as knowledge today is
sometimes discarded tomorrow.” Consider
knowledge issues raised by this statement in two
areas of knowledge.
5. “The historian’s task is to understand the past;
the human scientist, by contrast, is looking to
change the future.” To what extent is this true in
these areas of knowledge?
6. “A skeptic is one who is willing to question any
knowledge claim, asking for clarity in definition,
consistency in logic and adequacy of evidence”
(adapted from Paul Kurtz, 1994). Evaluate this
TOK Presentations examples
• Values and perceptions in Western and
Japanese cultures.
• Is seeing a way of knowing?
• Ethical issues in stem cell research.
• Are monopolies good or bad?
EE/TOK ASSESSMENT
MATRIX
TOK - A
TOK - B
TOK - C
TOK - D
TOK - E
EE - A
+3
+3
+2
+2
+1/F*
EE - B
+3
+2
+1
+1
F*
EE - C
+2
+1
+1
0
F*
EE - D
+2
+1
0
0
F*
EE - E
+1/F*
F*
F*
F*
F
F* IN EE
or TOK:
NEED 28
POINTS
F IN
BOTH:
FAILURE
CAS (creativity/action/service)
• The IB encourages students to develop
knowledge, skill and attitudes outside the
classroom, as well as in it, during the two
years.
• These activities are generally ones that
energetic students would do anyway.
• Integration of IB elements (e.g. TOK/EE) is
valued.
• Reflection encouraged and required.
• CAS Coordinators assist students and keep
track.
The
DIPLOMA
3 Standard Level (SL)
subjects
3 Higher Level (HL)
subjects
+ the EE/TOK/CAS
Group 1
Studies in
Languages
and
Literature
Group 6 The
Arts
Literature
Group 2
Language
Lang & Lit
Acquisition
Music, Theatre
Languages B
Visual Arts
Languages AB
Group 5
Mathematics
Each subject 1-7 pts
EE/TOK 0-3 pts
(MATRIX: A/A or A/B = 3
pts)
45 pts is the maximum
score
Group 3
Individuals
& Societies
Maths HL/SL
Maths Studies SL
Individuals and
Societies
Group 4
Sciences
Sciences
IB ASSESSMENT
• The IB uses:
– Internal Assessment (course work)
• Orals, portfolios, lab practicals, projects, portfolios,
exhibitions, workbooks, etc.
– External Assessment
• Extended Essay, TOK Essay, Written work
(languages/literature), etc.
– External Examinations (in May of year 2)
HL Literature
External assessment (4 hours) - 70%
Paper 1: Literary commentary (2 hours) - 20%
Paper 2: Essay (2 hours) - 25%
Written assignment - a reflective statement and literary essa
on one work - 25%
Internal assessment - assessed by teache
then moderated by the IB - 30%
Individual oral commentary and discussion (20 minutes) - 1
Individual oral presentation (10–15 minutes) – 15%
HL Economics
• External assessment (3
hours) 80%
• Paper 1 (1 hour and 30 minutes) - 30%
• Paper 2 (1 hour and 30 minutes) - A data
response paper - 30%
• Paper 3 (1 hour) - HL extension paper - 20%
• Internal assessment –
portfolio of 3 commentaries –
Internal Assessment
• Internal assessment is done throughout
the course, depending on subject and
teacher.
• Both ongoing and final work, in most
cases.
• Due dates are spread out - we want
students at their “peak,” but not
everything at once.
• Final due dates usually occur in January
and February, followed by mocks and a
Internal Assessment
Examples:
• 1 orals / written work
• 2 orals / written work
• 3 coursework, portfolios
• 4 practicals (lab)
• 5 portfolios, projects
• 6 performances, analysis, exhibition,
sketchbooks, compositions
Weight varies, but generally 20-30%.
External Examinations (May)
• Spread over three weeks – usually start
on the Bank Holiday
• 2 or 3 “papers” per subject
• From 45 minutes to 2+ hours per paper
• In total, students can spend over 20
hours in the examinations
• Weight varies, but in the region of 7080% for each subject (see details on
Forum)
Academic Honesty
• IB students – all students – are taught on a
continuing basis the principles of academic
honesty, and are expected to follow them.
Students use turnitin.com extensively to
reinforce this. Plagiarism, collusion, cheating
in an exam room – are all grounds for not
being awarded the diploma. Students found
guilty of malpractice would usually be
permitted to re-sit in 6 or 12 months, and
usually get marks for unaffected aspects.
SEN (Students with Educational
Needs)/ Special Circumstances
• Students with documented learning
needs can apply for accommodations.
The most common is extra time (25%).
A few use laptops.
• Students who experience special
circumstances (e.g. accident or illness)
can be drawn to the attention of the IB.
RESULTS
• Students access their IB results online on
July 6th.
• Results are sent from IB directly to
universities (if students have asked me…).
• I am available in person for a day or so, then
by email or telephone to discuss them.
• Usually all is well, but re-marks (watch out!)or
re-sits (November or May) are possible.
THE IB ON FORUM:
Academic Programs
High School Program
IB Programme
•IB Overview
•IB Programme Details
•IB Assessment Outlines
•IB General Regulations
•IB Deadlines
•IB Extended Essay
•IB CAS
•IB Revision Courses
DISCUSSION?!