What is International Baccalaureate?
“Challenging educational programs for a worldwide community of schools … creating a better world”
The International Baccalaureate (IB) is more than its three educational programs. What started as a single program for internationally mobile students has today grown to be three program for students aged 3-19, experienced by half a million students from state and private schools in over 120 countries. At our heart we are motivated by a mission to create a better world through education.
We value our hard-earned reputation for quality, for high standards and for pedagogical leadership. We achieve our goals by working with partners and by actively involving our stakeholders, particularly teachers.
We promote intercultural understanding and respect, not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and national identity, but as an essential part of life in the 21st century.
All of this is captured in our 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 program of international education and rigorous assessment.
These program encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
What is the IB Diploma Program?
The IB Diploma Program is designed as an academically challenging and balanced program of education with final examinations that prepares students, normally aged 16-19, for success at university and life beyond. The program is normally taught over two years and has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities.
Since the late 1960’s, the program has:
- provided a package of education that balances subject breadth and depth, and considers the nature of knowledge across disciplines through the unique theory of knowledge course
- encouraged international- mindedness in IB students, starting with a foundation in their own language and culture
- developed a positive attitude to learning that prepares students for university education
- gained a reputation for its rigorous external assessment with published global standards, making this a qualification welcomed by universities worldwide
- emphasized the development of the whole student-physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically.
The Curriculum
Students study six courses at higher level or standard level. They must choose one subject from each of groups 1-5, thus ensuring breadth of experience in languages, social studies, the experimental sciences and mathematics.
The Sixth subject may be an arts subject chosen from group 6, or the student may choose another subject from groups 1 -5. Not all IB courses are offered at every IB school.
In addition the program has three core requirements that are included to broaden the educational experience and challenge students to apply their knowledge and understanding.
- The extended essay is a requirement for students to engage in dependent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to one of the subjects they are studying.
- Theory of knowledge is a course designed to encourage each student to reflect on the nature of knowledge by critically examining different ways of knowing (perception, emotion, language and reason) and different kinds of knowledge (scientific, artistic, mathematical and historical).
- Creativity, action service requires that students actively learn from the experience of doing real tasks beyond the classroom. Students can combine all three components or do activities related to each one of them separately.
Assessment
Students take written examinations at the end of the program, which are marked by external IB examiners. Students also complete assessment tasks in the school which are either initially marked by teachers and then moderated by external moderators or sent directly to external examiners.
The marks awarded for each course range form 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). Students can also be awarded up to three additional points for their combined results on theory of knowledge and the extended essay. The diplomas is awarded to students who gain at least 24 points, subject to certain minimum levels of performance across the whole program. The highest total that a Diploma Program students can be awarded is 45 points.
Quality assurance and professional development
This is a challenging program that demands the best from both motivated students and teachers. IB teachers are challenged to constantly reflect upon and improve their practice. All teachers in IB World School have access to the online curriculum centre and participate in ongoing professional development through the IBO.
