http://www.ibo.org

  1. The IBO and the “continuum”
  • Not for profit foundation based in Geneva established in 1968 when the DP was launched
  • Today 2,830 schools offer at least one of the three programs to almost 800,000 students in 138 countries
  • 2,000 schools offer the DP
  1. The IBO 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 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.
  1. The IB Learner Profile
  2. inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, reflective
  3. Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
  4. Challenges students to:
  • Question the bases of knowledge
  • Be aware of subjective and ideological biases
  • To develop the ability to analyse evidence
  • Appreciate other  cultural perspectives
  • Critical thinking
  • Interdisciplinary “par excellence”
  1. TOK Assessment
  2. Major essay of 1200 to 1600 words:
  • Can literature ‘tell the truth’ better than other Arts or Areas of Knowledge?
  • “A historian must combine the rigour of the scientist with the imagination of the artist”.  To what extent, then, can the historian be confident about his or her conclusions?
  1. Class presentation of 10 minutes:
  • Do school reports accurately reflect a student’s progress?
  • Are the portraits in the hall ‘Art’?
  • How do we know what to eat?
  • Who owns the holocaust?
  • Is polygamy ethical?
  1. Extended Essay (EE) (4000 words)
  • Gives an opportunity for independent research
  • Allows choice of focus and the development of a particular passion
  • Requires the development of tertiary level research skills
  • Allows choice of supervisor

*IB materials

 

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