IB DP Class
Core requirements
Extended essey
The extended essay of 4000 words offers the opportunity to investigate a topic of special interest and acquaints students with the independent research and writing skills expected at university.
TOK
The interdisciplinary course of theory of knowledge is designed to give a background for learning and understanding of the academic areas in the programme together with an appreciation of other cultural perspectives.
Creativity, Action, Service
CAS is a counterbalance to the world of scholarship, an invitation to participate in activities destined to develop attitudes and values, which transcend barriers of religion, race, class, gender or politics. The idea is to encourage young people to use their energies in cooperation with others and at the same time give service to the community whether local, national or international.
The Diploma Points Matrix
The following table shows how ToK and Extended Essay grades contribute to the final score.
| Theory of Knowledge | Not submitted |
Grade description: A - Excellent B - Good C - Satisfactory D - Mediocre E - Elementary |
||||||
| Extended Essey | A | B | C | D | E | N | ||
| A | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | N | ||
| B | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | N | ||
| C | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | N | ||
| D | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N | ||
| E | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N | ||
| Not submitted | N | N | N | N | N | N | ||
Group 1
The Language A1 programme is a pre-university course in literature. It is aimed at students who intend to pursue literature, or related studies, at university, as well as at students whose formal study of literature will not continue beyond this level. The course is designed to hone students, writing and oral communication skills through a study of diverse literary texts as well as encourage a personal appreciation of literature and develop an understanding of the techniques involved in literary criticism. One of the central objectives of the course is also to broaden the students’ global perspectives through the study of literary works from other cultures and languages. This approach reflects well the holistic vision and international philosophy of the whole Diploma Programme. (Morley, Beverley and Ruhil, 2004: 213) To fulfil the requirements for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, all students must study a Group 1 subject. This is normally the language of the environment to which the student has been exposed from an early age or for an extended period of time. Morley, Beverley and Ruhil (2004: 213) state, In line with a commitment to a truly first-class international education for students from all over the world, the IBO does its utmost to ensure that all students may study their literary and cultural heritage in their own native language. According to Handbook of Procedures for the Diploma Programme (2007) there are forty-four Languages A1 at both Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL) that are automatically available for study and examination in May 2009. However, if a diploma candidate requires a language A1 that is not prescribed for particular session, a special request must be submitted to IB Cardiff to arrive no later than eighteen months before the written examinations for which the language A1 examination is requested. On the other hand, at schools where there is no teacher available to teach student’s mother tongue, such a student may be allowed to study a particular Language A1, at SL only, as a school supported self-taught subject.
Group 2
Group 2 consists of a broad spectrum of modern languages. The main emphasis of the modern language courses is on language acquisition and usage. All language courses emphasize the development of the four interrelated skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. These four skills involve exchanging ideas and effective communication. Effective communication, in turn, involves the intellectual process of understanding how ideas can best be expressed to the audience concerned (Language B Guide, 2002c: 3). All group 2 courses are offered at three different levels: ab initio, language B and the near-native language A2 courses. There are 10, 19 and 13 languages available respectively in May session 2009. Each of the group 2 modern language courses is generally set in different interactive and communicative situation and in this way reflecting different expectations of language proficiency. At ab initio there is an emphasis on practical utility; the domains covered by language B range from the practical and social, to the expressive and intellectual; while at A2 the student explores the subtleties of the language in a wide variety of contexts, including literature (Language B Guide, 2002c: 3). For example, at the ab initio level the student should be able to give clear instructions to someone taking a mountain trip, and understand the information in a tourist guide. On the other hand, the A2 student, should be able to describe in detail the outstanding mountainous landscape, and critically analyse the form and content of the guide.
Group 3
There are nine subjects available in group 3. They are: history, geography, economics, philosophy, psychology, social and cultural anthropology, business and management, Islamic history, and information technology in a global society. All group 3 courses share a common aim, namely they take into consideration the development of a critical appreciation of human experience and behaviour (A Basis for Practice, 2002: 8) as well as the diverse range of physical, economic and social environments that are inhabited by humans. They also concentrate on social and cultural institutions that are an inseparable element of people’s history. All nine curricula are designed to develop students’ ability to identify, critically analyse and evaluate theories, arguments or concepts that are related to the nature and activities of individuals, societies and nations. It is important that students learn through those courses to appreciate the culture in which they live and also the culture of other societies. Additionally they are presented with widely diverse opinions and attitudes towards past and current issues what is necessary for development objectivity that a study of society requires.
Group 4
Five subjects: biology, chemistry, physics, environmental systems, and design technology that are part of group 4 have common aims and objectives. They all provide students with the opportunities to conduct scientific exploration in the field of their interests and at the same time stimulate and challenge them. It can be achieved by well developed and structured subject curriculum, appropriate scientific methods and techniques which students are required to study, learn and apply. Thus students develop an ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesize scientific information in parallel with their awareness of the need for, and the value of, effective collaboration during scientific activities. All five syllabuses highlight the moral, ethical, social and environmental implications of using science and technology pointing at the same time to their limitations. A compulsory group 4 project encourage students’ understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and the need for collaborative work due to the fact that it puts more emphasis on the process involved in investigation rather then the products of the investigation themselves.
Group 5
There are four different courses in mathematics available in group 5 due to the fact that although it is an obligatory subject, individual students may have different needs, interests or abilities. Further mathematics and mathematics HL are two subjects for those students who wish to study mathematics in depth, either as a subject in its own right or to pursue their interests in areas related to mathematics. These two courses cater for students with a good background knowledge and a high competence in a range of analytical and technical skills. On the contrary, mathematical studies is a course designed for all those students for whom mathematics is irrelevant to their future studies as well as in their daily lives. The course is tailored for students with varied backgrounds and abilities and is specifically designed to build students’ confidence in that field. One of the aims of the group 5 courses is to enable students to appreciate the multiplicity of cultural and historical perspectives of mathematics ( Mathematics SL Guide, 2006: 5) through showing its international dimension and practicality.
Group 6
Visual arts, music and theatre arts are three subjects that belong to the arts group. Being artistic courses they are fully interpretative in approach and thus allow for choice of content. This significant freedom comparing with courses from other groups is appreciated both by teachers and students. According to the Visual Arts Guide (2007) the emphasis in all the subjects is on creativity: the making of art, the making of music and the making of theatre in the context of disciplined, practical research into the relevant genres (A Basic for Practice 2002: 10). The general syllabus of the course has been developing very slowly due to the fact that a compromise between a western-orientated approach to art and non-western comprehension of the subject was needed. It was recognized that in the first case the emphasise was placed more on creative thinking and free expression, both in subject matter and technique. That put non-western students in disadvantage since historically and culturally the their assessment criteria lay stress on imitation the ideas and mastering technical skills. All forms of experimenting and risk-taking were discoursed until students had perfected their skills. Importantly, the syllabuses and assessments of the current arts subjects have removed much of this bias, and now reflect an eclectic attempt to combine contrasting aesthetics and forms of assessment from around the world (A Basic for Practice 2002: 10).