Making the choice: International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

Transcription

1 Making the choice: International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

2 contents a word from dr collier 03 IB Q&A 04 IB learner profile 06 the science of IB 07 a parent s perspective 09 where are they now? 10

3 a word from dr collier head of school Shortly, Year 10 students and their parents will make a preliminary choice between the Higher School Certificate (HSC) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma as their course of study for Years 11 and 12. I have 18 years experience as a Head of two schools which have offered the IB Diploma, and believe strongly in its value, equally as I believe in the value of the HSC. The two credentials are quite different; some students will be best suited to the one, while other students are best equipped for, and served by, the other. My own opinion is that the HSC, being the strongest credential of the Australian states and territories, is world class, as is the IB. SACS does not advocate one over the other. The IB Diploma was founded in the late 1960 s to serve the interests of the children of mobile diplomatic personnel who needed a stable curriculum with continuity of learning, no matter which country they resided in at the time. It was set up by a consortium and available initially to English, French and Swiss citizens. Since that time it has grown rapidly; the IB, which consists of three programmes, the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the International Diploma, is taught in 141 countries world-wide. It is therefore the only truly international curriculum in the world, and is growing at around 20-25% per year both in Australia and worldwide. As an international course of study, the IB curriculum and examinations are the same everywhere in the world. It has three official languages in which instruction and examinations can be conducted: English, French and Spanish, with a strong possibility of shortly adding Mandarin Chinese. In making the decision, I have found that some students make their choice on the basis of the credentials themselves, ie HSC or IB Diploma, while others decide on the basis of which credential will give them the subjects they most wish to do. But either way, as you consider which course to pursue in Year 11 and 12, I encourage you to make use of all information and resources available to you. Please take advice from the staff before making the selection, but we will certainly leave you enough time. All the best as you consider the best choice for you, DR JOHN COLLIER Head of School 03

4 International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme For students in Years 11 & 12 The IBO is a non-profit educational foundation that was established in 1968 by a small group of international schools with geographically mobile students. They wanted a common curriculum and university entry credential. The IBO also had a vision for developing certain types of students for a more global world. Today IB programmes exist in internationally-minded schools for students 3 years to 19 years of age. At SACS we offer the Diploma Programme for Year 11 and 12 students. All students complete six subjects, each scored out of seven, plus the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge which earns up to three core points, and CAS. IB Q&A What are the aims of the IBO? The IBO Mission Statement 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 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. What is the IB Diploma Programme? The IB Diploma Programme is a pre-university course which leads to examinations. All students complete six subjects, each scored out of seven, plus the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge, which combined earns up to three core points, and CAS. (ie max of 45 points). How does the IB Curriculum work? The students who study the IB Diploma Programme must study 6 subjects. Students must study one subject from each of the Groups 1-5, and may choose to either study a Group 6 subject, or to choose a second subject from Group 2, 3, or 4. All students must also complete the requirements for TOK, CAS, and the Extended Essay. What are the required teaching hours for IB subjects? Higher Level subject (HL) 240 hours over 2 years Standard Level subjects (SL) 150 hours over 2 years Theory of Knowledge (TOK) 100 hours over 2 years Extended Essay (EE) hours over 2 years Creativity Action Service (CAS) consistent progress over 2 years NB. The EE is not timetabled, students have 1 cas period a fortnight. What is the difference between an HL subject and an SL subject? Firstly, HL and SL subjects have different requirements for teaching hours (240 hours over 2 years for HL and 150 hours over 2 years for SL). HL subjects cover more content, but also conceptually require deeper thinking and understanding. The depth of the IB comes through the study of the HL subjects. Greater higher order thinking and critical analysis would normally be required in these subjects. How do you qualify for an IB Diploma? Each subject awarded 7 points maximum 3 HL + 3 SL = 42 points maximum TOK + EE = 3 points maximum points maximum CAS completion required for award of the qualification 24 points minimum required, with certain conditions, for award of qualification. NB. not all students are awarded the Diploma IB Scores can be converted to a combined rank. The conversion table is on the page 6 of this document Are there any other requirements for qualification of the Diploma? Yes, students must satisfy all of the criteria, as listed below: All assessment components for each of the six subjects and the additional IB Diploma requirements must be completed in order to qualify for the award of the IB Diploma. The IB Diploma will be awarded to a candidate whose total score is 24, 25, 26 or 27 points, provided all the following requirements have been met: (a) numeric grades have been awarded in all six subjects registered for the diploma, (b) an approved programme of CAS has been completed, (c) grades A (highest) to E (lowest) have been awarded 04

5 for both Theory of Knowledge and an Extended Essay, with a grade of at least D in one of them, (d) there is no grade 1 in any subject, (e) there is no grade 2 at higher level, (f) there is no more than one grade 2 at standard level, (g) overall, there are no more than three grades 3 or below, (h) at least 12 points have been gained on higher level subjects (candidates who register for four higher level subjects must gain at least 16 points at higher level), (i) at least 9 points have been gained on standard level subjects (candidates who register for two standard level subjects must gain at least 6 points at standard level), (j) the final award committee has not judged the candidate to be guilty of malpractice. The IB Diploma will be awarded to a candidate whose total score is 28 points or above, provided all the following requirements have been met: (a) numeric grades have been awarded in all six subjects registered for the diploma, (b) an approved programme of CAS has been completed, (c) grades A to E have been awarded for both Theory of Knowledge and an Extended Essay, with a grade of at least D in one of them, (d) there is no grade 1 in any subject, (e) there is no more than one grade 2 at higher level, Which subjects are currently offered at St. Andrew s? Group 1: Literature (English) Group 2: French B, Spanish Ab initio (all SL) Group 3: Business and Management, Economics, History, Geography, Philosophy, Psychology Group 4: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Design Technology, Physics Group 5: Maths HL, Maths SL, Maths Studies Group 6: Film, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts St Andrew s also offers subjects out of the timetable in a joint partnership with Newington and MLC, which are offered on Monday afternoon from 4pm to 6pm. For Year 11 students in 2015, it is proposed that these subjects will be: SACS: Computer Science, Theatre MLC: Film Newington: DT, Philosophy In undertaking these courses, students also make a commitment to attend classes on nominated Saturdays and during school holidays throughout the year. Subjects will only run with a sufficient number of students, as deemed by the Deputy Head of School. What is the Assessment like in the Diploma Programme? Students are required to complete both Internal and External Assessments External Assessments are held in May and November (over 2500 examiners worldwide). External Assessments can be worth up to 80%, depending on the subject Both Internal and External use of established grading criteria Multiple methods of assessment for each course, including: o oral examinations in languages o projects o student portfolios o class presentations o practical lab work o mathematical investigations o artistic performances Varied skills tested across disciplines Balance between independent and teacher supervised tasks Are there additional charges to do the IB? Yes, the school charges an extra fee over the 2 year period. This charge covers the registration fee and the examination fees. University Recognition: The following table converts 2014 IB results for 2015 University admissions in New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. This table changes slightly from year to year. Diploma Score Combined Rank = ATAR For tertiary entrance purposes in all Australian States and Territories (except South Australia and the Northern Territory), this Combined Rank measure of overall achievement is comparable with the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR). This means that a Combined Rank of equals an ATAR of

6 IB learner profile What should a prospective IB learner look like? You should have some of the following characteristics or be willing to work towards developing these: average or above average ability (top half of the grade) good work ethic/time management skills ability to work across different subject areas enjoy collaborative work practices higher order thinkers interest in Internationalism want to keep career options open want success at University, not just get in want to impact positively on your world want to challenge yourself against world benchmarks see yourself as being life-long learners The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. IB learners strive to be: Inquirers They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives. Knowledgeable They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines. Thinkers They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions. Communicators They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others. Principled They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them. Open-minded They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience. Caring They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment. Risktakers They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs. Balanced They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others. Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development. 06

7 the science of IB: mr john kennedy It s 7.45am but in Mr John Kennedy s IB Physics room, you can barely tell it s an early class. His students, alert and excitable, are asking questions, probing for answers. A packet of croissants sits on the front table (a sporadic thank you to students for making the early trip) and the whole space is filled with that indelible buzz that comes from classrooms and lecture halls where minds are eagerly tuned-in. This is a place where students are thrilled to learn. As Head of Science at SACS and a teacher of both HSC and IB Physics, Mr John Kennedy is wellversed in the specifics of the IB programme. We caught up with the English ex pat to demystify the science of IB and find out how the programme s curriculum instils confidence, inquisitiveness and high-functioning cognitive qualities in young learners. We also find out how he is making the classes his own, tailoring lessons to his handson, what if? teaching style. Tell us a little about yourself professionally how did you come to be teaching in the sciences? Mr Kennedy: I studied in England and have a Master s Degree in Physics at the end of my degree I ended up doing a PGCE, which is the English equivalent of a Graduate Diploma in Education, hence I started teaching. I was teaching in high schools in the UK for four years getting involved in all sorts of weird and wonderful things like introducing archery as a sport but teaching physics mainly, with a bit of biology and chemistry. Every day is a new adventure. I ve been in Australia since 2009, teaching in Cranbrook, Newington and now St Andrew s Why am I teaching physics? I like to see how the universe has been stuck together. The more you teach, the more you learn. What first drew you to the IB as an alternative learning programme? The IB is a much nicer, rounder qualification than English A Levels [I used to teach]. It s a two year course, it builds on itself from one year to the next. It s mentally challenging and stimulating. I also teach HSC science at SACS it s a little bit more humanities biased than pure science and considers more about the effects, history and uses of science on society. The IB does do that too, but often more obliquely through the Theory of Knowledge content which appears in physics and through specific units that act as a sort of synthesis topic. 07

8 What kind of students flourish well in IB science? They would be students who are self-motivated, organised and independent learners. The sort of students who can tackle a problem from the bottom up and keep working on it even when it appears to be going nowhere! That said, the students who are going to do really well [academically] and get 95 ATARS and above would [flourish in] either course (HSC or IB). What s your own teaching philosophy? I don t think I am particularly unique I just enjoy the subject so much that it really comes across to my classes. Students will get annoyed when I put problems on the board that I don t know the answer to and we work it out together. Sometimes they even turn out to be impossible! Eventually they get used to it, they realise it s quite fun and see if they can get to the answer before me We often break from the topic someone might ask the question What if?, so we get the equipment out and find out. It s very hands on. My classes are very flexible the IB allows me to have a bit more time to do that as it s a little less prescriptive, though I still teach this way with my HSC classes. How do you actively engage your students in learning? I upload the information we will be discussing in class to a learning management system. It s available for students to see before and after class even during, as most of our IB students bring laptops. They ll write on power-point files, flick ahead; look back. We ll often connect to an ipad and use it as a camera, or connect computers up to data logging equipment so students can literally get data from their experiments immediately transcribed to their ipads, laptops, iphones or Android phones. It sounds more like a university style of learning I try to invoke that. I ll lecture; we ll do tutorials and labs. It s very much a university approach in my classes. How important is it for you to keep abreast of current scientific progressions? Obviously you need to keep your finger on the pulse that s why I m doing a PhD. One of the focus areas of my PhD is trying to understand why a smaller proportion of students are doing science in Year 11 and 12 than they were 20 years ago. It s important that students are picking up New Scientist, Cosmos, the SMH and seeing what s going on! It s important that students can see what they re learning and how it gets used in the real world. And that s important for any course, be it HSC or IB, in any subject area. 08

9 a parent s perspective: mrs liz hurley When asked to write about the IB from a parent s perspective I naturally went to the beginning of the process and tried to write a description of the journey but really it is probably outcomes that most parents are interested in. So I ll tell you a little about what the IB has given my son and then some of the things I think you need to know. I did a lot of reading before the decision was made for my son to do the IB I recommend you do the same. Having an adult education background the IB learner profile and the assessment policy really resonated with me in terms of pedagogy and good learning practice. For my son, the IB suited his learning style and his broad interests as he certainly wasn t a diehard humanities student when he began the IB. My advice for parents is to be as prepared as the students need to be. Yes, it is a lot of work, but not insurmountable if they get organised. Here is how I survived the IB: I had the latest assessment schedule I made contact with teachers if I had any concerns I constantly asked how the Creative, Action, Service portfolio was going (maybe I nagged) I tried to be actively interested when my son spoke about something he was learning I fed him lots of his favourite food! All in all, the IB is a great program. Whether you choose the IB or HSC, it is all going to be hard work! Preparation for the future: He is very busy and highly engaged at University; the IB prepared him to manage his time well! He is in his third year studying US Studies and philosophy, but what really excites me is that he is already on the SRC, executive of the Art Students Society, captain of the USYD Quidditch team, regularly campaigning for University Union and SRC elections along with working one and half days per week. 09

10 where are they now? Emma Jagot 2013 Graduate IB Dux. Now studying B.Arts/B.Law at Australia s National University. From the thought provoking subjects to the heated philosophical discussions in TOK and volunteering for absolutely every charity event for CAS, the IB was a rewarding and challenging experience. But, it was by no means easy. Perseverance, time management and a strong sense of independence are all characteristics we had to develop quickly to be successful graduates. Despite the large amounts homework and volunteering required for the IB, what really had set my year apart from all the rest is the support of my IB cohort. As we all moved closer towards our final IB exams, the relationships and bonds we had made during our final year were invaluable. Angus Nicholas Dux of 2010, graduating with an IB Diploma score of 44/45. Now studying B.Arts/B.Law at Sydney University. I am very glad I did the IB. I think that it has been a great experience and, for people who have broad interests and a willingness to learn about many different areas, it is very valuable. I think we have learnt to engage with the world more, not just accept it but to think about it, question it. We have received a broad and holistic education. The IB is a very tough programme, but it made the last two years of school the most interesting and the most challenging. Tom Woolley 2013 IB Graduate. Now studying BCom/Education at University of New South Wales. I chose the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme because it truly interested me. I was already learning a language (German) at the time and the subjects that I wanted to study fitted quite well with the IB criteria. I had heard that students generally did quite well and I was ready for a challenge and to try something new. I really like the IB teaching style. The classes are very small and our teachers are all incredible. I love how our teachers let us choose which option topics we want to learn. We are also given a lot of freedom to learn in the ways that suit us best. The content in each subject is extraordinary! The IB is over two years and this allows a deeper exploration of many more topics. There is such a variety it s hard not to develop an interest in what you are learning. Simply put, the workload is enormous. There is always something to do or revise. The key is to be organised and manage your time. If you are confident you can do this then I definitely recommend this awesome course. 10

11 Kate Sligo Dux of 2012 with an IB score of 44/45 and an ATAR of Currently studying at the University of Cambridge studying International Studies, focusing on the Middle East. I studied the IB for a few reasons: I wanted to study overseas, I liked the international perspective that the subjects had, and it offered me the best subject combination that I wouldn t have been able to do with the HSC. The IB has challenged me inside the classroom, but also outside of it. The Creativity Action Service programme made my final two years at SACS more incredible than I could have imagined. It got me running fun runs in a Santa costume, swimming 24 hours in a mega swim to raise funds for Multiple Sclerosis, arguing for my client s case in a Mock Trial and even DJ-ing a Junior School disco to raise money for children living in poverty in Cambodia. Further, Theory of Knowledge was an opportunity for me to challenge my own thinking and the Extended Essay allowed me to delve into a subject that I found particularly interesting, developing my knowledge with a significant degree of freedom and flexibility. Above all, I loved getting to know the other IB kids and forging lifelong friendships. There were sleepy mornings and panic attacks with approaching deadlines, but most of all, there was laughter and an excess of personal jokes. The multitudes of jokes that were made over the two years are moments that I will fondly remember from my days in the IB at SACS. Meredith Grey Dux of the Year in Now studying at the New School in New York. The IB challenged me to make myself my only competition, and not get complacent in my education. I found the lack of scaling and ranking a huge influence on my decision to do the IB. Getting a mark that is directly reflective of your work, and then seeing that mark and others you earned becoming your final score out of 45 is a really rewarding experience. One thing I didn t think of until I was nearing the end of the IB was the fact that the actual course content and structure engaged me in a way that made going to school enjoyable. The way I learnt in Year 11 and 12, the assessments I did and the stuff I learnt about was refreshingly new and interesting, and I understand they regularly update the syllabuses and assessments, ensuring an engaging two years. This was particularly true of English and Drama, where I felt the courses were so different to the HSC, and to anything I d done before. The unique assessment style and content kept us all on our toes. While there are many other reasons I chose and enjoyed the IB, one reason was that it planted a seed of curiosity in me about studying overseas. While for most of my high school life I was reasonably sure I would do Arts at Sydney deciding to do the IB made me at least look into studying overseas, if only to pay respect to the fact that I was able to so easily. From there, I applied for and got accepted into a college in New York (whose small class sizes, individual learning style and cross disciplinary education with an emphasis on turning theory into practice and changing things in the real world sound suspiciously like the mission statement of the IB). To apply for entry I used not only the actual diploma, but the experiences I have gained through doing the IB to display myself as a desirable student with breadth of knowledge, emphasis on service and a generally inquisitive and proactive nature. 11

12 St Andrew s: St Andrew s Cathedral School is an Anglican day school for boys and girls from Kindergarten to Year 12 located in the heart of Sydney. Get connected on our social media: Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Subscribe to us on YouTube St Andrew s Cathedral School Sydney Square, Sydney NSW 2000 ABN phone fax enquiries@sacs.nsw.edu.au CRICOS Registration: The Council of St Andrew s Cathedral School 02276M heart mind life