Open World Schools pilotextending access to an IB education

What is an IB education?

The IB continuum of international education, for students aged 3 to 19, is unique because of its academic and personal rigour, challenging students to excel not only in their studies but also in their personal growth. The IB aims to inspire a lifelong quest for learning hallmarked by enthusiasm and empathy.

The IB aspires to help schools develop well-rounded students with character who respond to challenges with optimism and an open mind, who are confident in their own identities, who make ethical decisions, join with others in celebrating our common humanity and are prepared to apply what they learn in real-world, complex and unpredictable situations.

The IB offers four high-quality and challenging educational programmes for a worldwide community of schools, aiming to create a better, more peaceful world. Informed by the values described in the learner profile, an IB education:

• focuses on learners—the IB’s student-centred programmes promote healthy relationships, ethical responsibility and personal challenge

• develops effective approaches to teaching and learning—IB programmes help students to develop the attitudes and skills they need for both academic and personal success

• works within global contexts—IB programmes increase understanding of languages and cultures, and explore globally significant ideas and issues

• explores significant content—IB programmes offer a curriculum that is broad and balanced, conceptual and connected.

IB learners strive to become inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective. These attributes represent a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond intellectual development and academic success.

What is the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Diploma Programme, for students aged 16 to 19, is an academically challenging and balanced programme of education with internal assessment and final examinations that prepares students for success at university and life beyond. It has been designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being of students. The programme has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities.

The Diploma Programme prepares students for effective participation in a rapidly evolving and increasingly global society as they:

• develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically

• acquire breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, studying courses from six subject groups

• develop the skills and a positive attitude towards learning that will prepare them for higher education

• study at least two languages and increase understanding of cultures, including their own

• make connections across traditional academic disciplines and explore the nature of knowledge through the programme’s unique theory of knowledge course

• undertake in-depth research into an area of interest through the lens of one or more academic disciplines in the extended essay

• enhance their personal and interpersonal development through creativity, action and service.

The Diploma Programme prepares students for success in higher education and to be active participants in a global society

IB Open World Schools pilot

The Open World Schools pilot project from the International Baccalaureate (IB) is exploring how an authentic IB Diploma Programme experience can be extended to students who would otherwise be unable to access an IB education.

By digitally linking with an IB World School, students have the opportunity to undertake a two-year Diploma Programme course online that meets the challenging academic standards and rigorous assessment for which the IB is renowned. Students collaborate worldwide with their peers while developing essential skills and expanding their global perspectives in a secure, teacher-facilitated environment.

Opening doors and minds

The IB Open World School pilot marks an exciting new phase for IB World Schools to broaden access to quality education. Students aged 16 to 19 who are not currently enrolled at an IB World School now have the opportunity to become part of the IB:

• Students undertake a two-year Diploma Programme course online that adheres to the same rigorous IB standards as face-to-face courses.

• Students attend weekly online classes via computer and are taught by experienced IB teachers, who are specially trained in online pedagogy.

• Students are encouraged to take part in greater IB activities, such as community service and IB student conferences.

• At the end of the course, students take the written examination offline at an approved IB World School.

The Open World School maintains a close relationship with each student’s school, ensuring that all the needs of the student are met and that expectations are clearly defined. Students are supported every step of the way to ensure the best possible learning experience. A local Link Mentor regularly monitors the student’s progress assuring students are keeping pace within the course and communicates any issues with teachers and parents if needed.

Students have an unprecedented opportunity to experience highly interactive student–teacher activities and virtual collaboration, both synchronously and asynchronously, with fellow IB students worldwide. The classes feature and make use of the most important web 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds and more. Students truly develop interactive, virtual learning skills that are essential in their future academic and professional success.

Assessment

Students take written examinations at the end of the course at an IB World School, 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.

Assessment is criterion-related, which means student performance is measured against pre-specified assessment criteria based on the aims and objectives of each subject curriculum, rather than the performance of other students taking the same examinations.

The marks awarded for each course range from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). The range of scores that students have attained remains statistically stable, and universities value the rigour and consistency of Diploma Programme assessment practice.

Open World Schools pilot extending access to an IB education

Open World Schools pilotextending access to an IB education

The Open World Schools pilot project from the International Baccalaureate (IB) is exploring how an authentic IB Diploma Programme experience can be extended to students who would otherwise be unable to access an IB education.

By digitally linking with an IB World School, students have the opportunity to undertake a two-year Diploma Programme course online that meets the challenging academic standards and rigorous assessment for which the IB is renowned. Students collaborate worldwide with their peers while developing essential skills and expanding their global perspectives in a secure, teacher-facilitated environment.

The IB mission

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.

©International Baccalaureate Organization 2013International Baccalaureate® | Baccalauréat International® | Bachillerato Internacional®

Open World Schools pilotextending access to an IB education

“Joining the IB Open World Schools pilot was a natural progression for us in making our Diploma Programme more accessible and more equitable for all learners.”

Dr Paul Gallagher, IB Coordinator/Assistant Principal, Riverview High School, Sarasota, Florida, USA

To learn more, please visit the IB website at www.ibo.org or email: dp.online@ibo.org