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 ProfileIB STUDENTS STRIVE TO BE

InquirersKnowledgeableThinkersCommunicatorsPrincipledOpen-mindedCaringRisk-takers BalancedReflective

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).

• ACS Cobham was the 431st IB Diploma school in the world (there are now 2,462).

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

• ToK

• CAS

Theory of Knowledge

Extended Essay

Creativity, Action,Service

• 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

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 perceptionEmotionLanguageReasonImaginationFaithIntuitionMemory

TOK - Areas of Knowledge (6/8)

MathematicsNatural SciencesHuman SciencesHistoryEthics The ArtsReligious knowledge systemsIndigenous 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, 4-6

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 approach in two areas of knowledge

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* IN EE or TOK: NEED 28POINTS

F* F* F* F

F IN BOTH:FAILURE

• 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.• We use ManageBac (online site) to administer

CAS.

CAS (creativity/action/service)

The DIPLOMA3 Standard Level (SL)

subjects3 Higher Level (HL) subjects+ the EE/TOK/CAS

Each subject 1-7 ptsEE/TOK 0-3 pts(MATRIX: A/A or A/B = 3 pts)

45 pts is the maximum score(24 to pass, BUT…the fine

print)

Literature

Lang & Lit

Group 1 Studies in Languages

and Literature

Group 6 The Arts

Group 4 Sciences

Group 2 Language

Acquisition

Group 3Individuals& Societies

Group 5Mathematics

Music, Theatre

Visual Arts

Individuals and Societies

Maths HL/SLMaths Studies SL

Sciences

Languages B Languages AB

Env-systems & Societies SL

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 essay on one work - 25%

Internal assessment - assessed by teacher, then moderated by the IB - 30%Individual oral commentary and discussion (20 minutes) - 15%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 – 20%

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 lot of review/revision.

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, compositionsWeight 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 70-

80% 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?!