International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Handbook

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Mission Statements

GWA Mission Statement

GEMS World Academy-Dubai develops inquiring, reflective and caring learners who, through the rigour of the IB programs, have the knowledge, skills and character to take action and create a better, more peaceful world. Supported by highly qualified staff in world-class facilities, our diverse international community is encouraged to develop intercultural understanding and respect.

International Baccalaureate 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.

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The Diploma Programme

The IB Diploma Programme (DP) is an academically challenging and balanced programme of education with final examinations that prepares students, aged 16 to 19, 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 programme is designed for highly motivated students looking for a rigourous educational experience The Diploma Programme started in 1968 with first examinations in 19701 and is now offered by more than 2900 IB World Schools in over 150 countries. There are currently 38 IB schools in the UAE, 35 of which offer the Diploma Programme. For more information or statistics on the IB in general and the DP in particular, please click here. Students and their parents are required to read the IB’s Diploma Programme General Regulations located here.

1 For a detailed history of the development of the IBDP see the excerpt from Ian Hill’s article in the appendix.

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The Two Programme Routes

“The Diploma Programme is academically demanding and it may not be the best educational choice for all students in a school. However, success is possible for a much wider range of students than is often perceived” (“The Diploma Programme: From Principles into Practice”, p. 20). Entrance Requirements for the Full Diploma Programme Grade 10 students are encouraged to attempt the Full Diploma programme if their average MYP grade of

courses that lead into their Diploma Programme is 5 or above and all of their MYP grades are 3 or above.

should consider the Diploma Courses programme if their average MYP grade of courses that lead into their Diploma Programme is between 4 and 5 and all their MYP grades are 3 or above. However, students may elect to take the Full Diploma after discussing it with their counselor and the DP Coordinator.

may not enroll in the Full Diploma programme and must enroll in the Diploma Courses programme if their average MYP grade of courses that lead into their Diploma Programme is below a 4 or they have a grade of 2 or less in any subject area. Grade 10 Language Acquisition courses are not considered when calculating a student’s MYP average.

Further Regulations Students are encouraged to enroll in an HL class only if they have an MYP grade of 5 or

higher in the subject area. Students may not enroll in a Higher Level class with an MYP grade of less than 4 in the subject area.

Students in Grade 10 Extended Math should have an MYP score of 6 or 7 if they are to register in Math Higher Level. Students with a grade of 5 are recommended to take Math SL but can still register for HL. Any student with a grade of 4 or lower in Extended Math must register for Math SL or Mathematical Studies.

Students in Standard Grade 10 Math with an MYP score of 5 or above should register for Math SL. However, students with a 6 or 7 in Standard Math and a teacher recommendation may register for Math HL, though they are likely find the step to a higher level math course challenging. Students with a Grade 10 Standard Math grade of 4 should take Mathematical Studies but can register for Math SL with a teacher recommendation.

Any student with a Standard Math Grade 10 MYP score of 3 or less must register for Mathematical Studies.

Students are registered in Language Acquisition courses based on their performance in Grade 10 and at the discretion of the Language B Team Leader and the Diploma Programme Coordinator. Alternatively, students can register for a beginner Ab Initio course for which they have no previous experience.

MYP to DP Course Pathways: o Individuals and Societies leads into all Group 3 courses o Science leads into all Group 4 courses with the exception of Design Technology o Both Design courses lead into SL Design Technology while only MYP Product Design

is a prerequisite for HL Design Technology o Standard Math leads into Math SL or Math Studies o Extended Math leads into Math HL or Math SL o Visual Arts leads to Visual Arts, Drama leads to Theatre and Music leads to Music

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Full Diploma Programme: Students are required to take three Higher Level (HL) courses and three Standard Level

(SL) courses. For more information on the difference between the two levels, click here One course must be taken from each of groups 1-5. The sixth course can be taken from

group 6 or a second course may be taken from groups 1-4 (several restrictions may apply).

Students must complete all aspects of the Diploma Programme core: the Extended Essay, CAS and the Theory of Knowledge course

Students must complete the above requirements and score at least 24 points when DP results are released in July at the end of the second year of the programme. See “article 13” in the General Regulations: Diploma Programme for a detailed explanation of the requirements that must be met in addition to achieving 24 points.

Requirements to Continue in the Full Diploma Programme: Following Year 1 of the Diploma Programme all students will have their progress reviewed to determine their whether or not their academic progress is a fit for continuing in the Full Diploma Programme. The following are required to continue in year 2 of the Full Diploma Programme: Students cannot have more than three grades lower than a 4 Students cannot have more than one subject at a level 2 Students cannot not have any subject at a level 1 Students must have completed the Extended Essay by the end of Year 1 Students CAS progress must be designated as being “on-track”

Diploma Courses Route: Students are not required to take any Higher Level (HL) courses unless their Language

B placement makes it a requirement. All students must take a full schedule of six courses in each of groups 1-5 with the sixth coming from Group 6 or Groups 1-4 (in addition to two years of TOK.

Students complete a 1500-2000 word research paper which will be assessed using a modified Extended Essay/research paper marking rubric. All students must score a minimum of a “D” on the research paper mark scheme.

Students must complete the TOK programme by scoring a minimum of a “D” on the modified assessment mark schemes.

The CAS requirements for students taking the Diploma Courses route are as follows: o Students must participate in one substantial creativity, activity and service

experience in each year of the programme. o As part of these CAS experiences, students must meet each of the seven learning

outcomes at least once o Students complete a quality reflection for each CAS experience o Like the Extended Essay/Research Paper, the Diploma Courses CAS

requirements are a graduation requirement.

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Course Candidate Scores/Not Achieving The Diploma If at the end of the two year Programme a student was not able to meet the requirements for the Diploma they will still receive a record of their results from the IB with their individual subject scores. Those students studying as a Diploma Course candidate will receive the same document of their individual scores for each of their subjects. Further information regarding options for DP students who do not achieve the Diploma are outlined on the school website within the “DP Examinations” link in a document called “Introduction to DP World Exams and Results”.

The Two Programmes At-A-Glance

Course Offerings

IB Diploma Programme students must choose one subject from each of groups 1 to 5; students may choose either an arts subject from group 6, or a second subject from groups 1 to 4. All course offerings are dependent upon availability. All courses are offered at the Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) unless specified

Group 1: Studies in

Language and Literature

Group 2: Language

Acquisition

Group 3: Individuals

and Societies

Group 4: Sciences

Group 5: Mathematics

Group 6: The Arts

English Literature

Arabic B (HL only)

Business Management

Biology Mathematical Studies SL

Music

English Language and Literature

French B (ab initio SL, SL & HL)

Economics Chemistry Mathematics SL

Theatre

Self-Taught Literature (SL only)

Spanish B (ab initio SL, SL & HL)

Global Politics Design Technology

Mathematics HL

Visual Arts

History Nature of Science (SL only)

Psychology Physics

Full Diploma Diploma Courses 3 HLs & 3 SLs 6 SLs, unless language placement requires an HL

Theory of Knowledge A modified Theory of Knowledge programme Extended Essay 1500-word research paper

Creativity, Activity, Service Programme Modified CAS Programme

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Cancelation of Course Offerings and Scheduling Conflicts

All courses listed in the Programme of Studies and the Course Preference Form are subject to enrollment. If registration numbers are not high enough to offer the class students will be required to choose another option. As well, not all courses will be available to all students, depending on the combination of courses selected, some students may find that their selections are offered at the same time. In this case, students will be required to choose and alternative course.

Grade 11 and 12 GWA Graduation Requirements

Both Full Diploma and Diploma Course candidates will qualify for a GWA-Dubai high school diploma accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) as long as the following graduation requirements are met.

To be awarded a GWA high school diploma a student must score 3 or higher in his/her DP courses, obtain a D or higher in Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay /research paper and complete all Community, Activity and Service requirements. Knowledge and Human Development Agency’s Guidelines for Granting of Equivalency Status for Diploma Programme Courses What follows are excerpts from KHDA’s guidelines; the full document is available upon request. The purpose of this guideline is to explain the requirements for granting equivalency status to Diploma Programme Courses as a high School Certificate against the UAE Secondary School Qualification Tawjahiya. Equivalency criteria for Diploma Courses Students who are not registered for the full Diploma may register for individual Diploma Programme courses. As well, students who are candidates for an IB Diploma but have not achieved all of the requirements will receive a record of results indicating the grade obtained in individual courses. In order to obtain “equivalency” status the original attested IB documents, issued by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) are required as well, academic performance must meet the following conditions:

The list of subjects should include any the following: o 5 subjects * SL (standard level) o 3 subject* HL (higher level) and 1 subject* SL (standard level) o 3 subjects * SL (standard level) and 1 subject* HL (higher level) o 2 subjects* SL (standard level) and 2 subjects* HL (higher level)

All these subjects should have pass grades of 4, 5, 6, or 7 except for one subject with a grade of 3.

The list of subjects should include English and Math, at any level.

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The school’s progress report for Grades/Years 10, 11, & 12 for the subject of Arabic (for students from designated countries only)

The school’s progress report for Grades/Years 10, 11, & 12 for the Islamic Education (for Muslims only)

Special Required Attachments The original IB Diploma The original attested school certificates for Grades 10, 11 and 12, including the

subjects of Arabic and Islamic Education (if applicable). * Only allowed subjects will be considered for equivalency

Diploma Programme Awards and Recognition

Diploma Programme Honour Roll Awarded quarterly in Grade 11 and 12, students who achieve a 5 or higher in all of their classes, a “B” or higher in TOK and have a CAS portfolio that is fully updated and on-track will be on the honour roll. Grade 11 Awards The Grade 11 awards ceremony will take place during the first quarter of Grade 12 so final Grade 11 grades (which include the Grade 11 Final Exams) can be included. Awards will consist of the following:

Top student: Grade 11 grades, CAS portfolio, completion and quality of Extended Essay and embodiment of the Learner Profile will all be considered

CAS award: the top CAS student will have a portfolio that is above expectations with a balance of creativity, activity and service experiences as well as high quality reflections and evidence that fully address the seven learning outcomes.

Learner Profile Award: this award will go to the Grade 11 male and female students that best embody the ten Learner Profile characteristics.

All students who finished Grade 11 on the Diploma Programme Honour Roll will be awarded a certificate

Valedictorian and Salutatorian Selection Process The word valedictorian comes from the Latin root “valedicere” which means to “bid farewell”. A committee that includes the Secondary School Principal, Diploma Programme Coordinator and the High School Counseling Department will decide who will represent the graduating class as valedictorian and salutatorian based on the criteria described below. The valedictorian will be responsible for giving the commencement speech and will be selected based on the following criteria:

Academics: o Must have attended GWA for both Grades 11 and 12

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o Final overall GWA DP score of 38 points or above With input from CAS advisors and the CAS coordinator, the committee will

determine which student has the most exceptional CAS portfolio. Some elements that will be considered will be:

o Number, quality and depth of reflections and evidence o Quality, depth and breadth of the CAS project o A balanced portfolio of creativity, activity and service experiences o The extent to which each of the CAS learning outcomes have been met

As part of a consultation process with DP teachers, the committee will assess the extent to which the student embodies the IB Learner Profile in and out of school

The salutatorian selection will be based on the same criteria as the valedictorian. The student who finishes second in the valedictorian selection process will be responsible for providing brief graduation remarks and introducing the guest speaker.

The Diploma Programme: Core Requirements

The core of the curriculum model consists of the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and Creativity, Action, Service (CAS). The following descriptions come directly from the IB. Theory of Knowledge is the only aspect of the three components where students will participate in a class. However, the teacher of this class will also be the CAS advisor for their TOK students as well as help students get started on their Extended Essay, though they will not be students’ Extended Essay advisor. Theory of Knowledge class will also be a time where students will reflect on personal academic goals and the Learner Profile.

Extended Essay The extended essay offers the opportunity for IB students to investigate a topic of special interest, usually one of the student's six DP subjects, and acquaints them with the independent research and writing skills expected at university. It is intended to promote high-level research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity - resulting in approximately 40 hours of work. It provides students with an opportunity to engage in

personal research on a topic of their choice, under the guidance of a supervisor. This leads to a major piece of formally presented, structured writing of no more than 4,000 words, in which ideas and findings are communicated in a reasoned and coherent manner, appropriate to the subject.

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Theory of Knowledge (TOK) The interdisciplinary TOK course is designed to develop a coherent approach to learning that transcends and unifies the academic areas and encourages appreciation of other cultural perspectives. The Theory of Knowledge course is in part intended to encourage students to reflect on the huge cultural shifts worldwide around the digital revolution and the information economy. The extent and impact of the changes vary greatly in

different parts of the world, but everywhere their implications for knowledge are profound. Theory of Knowledge encourages critical thinking about knowledge itself and aims to help young people make sense of that they encounter. Its core content focuses on questions such as the following: What counts as knowledge? How does it grow? What are its limits? Who owns know ledge? What is the value of knowledge? What are the implications of having, or not having, knowledge? TOK activities and discussions aim to help students discover and express their views on knowledge questions. The course encourages students to share ideas with others and to listen and learn from what others think. In this process students' thinking and their understanding of knowledge as a human construction are shaped, enriched and deepened. Connections may be made between knowledge encountered in different Diploma Programme subjects, in CAS experiences or in extended essay research; distinctions between different kinds of knowledge may be clarified.

Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) Creativity, action, service is at the heart of the Diploma programme, involving students in a range of activities that take place alongside their academic studies throughout the IB Diploma Programme. The component's three strands, often interwoven with particular activities, are characterized as follows:

Creativity - exploring and extending ideas leading to an original or interpretive product or performance

Activity - physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle Service - collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the community in response to

an authentic need Creativity, activity, service (CAS) encourages students to be involved in activities as individuals and as part of a team that take place in local, national and international contexts. Creativity, activity, service enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development as well as their social and civic development, through experiential learning, lending an important counterbalance to the academic pressures of the rest of the IB Diploma Programme. It should be both challenging and enjoyable - a personal journey of self-discovery that recognizes each student's individual starting point.

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The CAS programme aims to develop students who: • enjoy and find significance in a range of CAS experiences • purposefully reflect upon their experiences • identify goals, develop strategies and determine further actions for personal growth • explore new possibilities, embrace new challenges and adapt to new roles • actively participate in planned, sustained, and collaborative CAS projects • understand they are members of local and global communities with responsibilities towards each other and the environment As students engage in various activities, reflection plays a key component and is the ultimate indication that students have undertaken and completed their CAS requirements as part of the Diploma Programme. Student CAS goals and reflection must be directly connected to the following seven CAS learning outcomes: • Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth • Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process • Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience • Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences • Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively • Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance • Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions

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Assessment in the Diploma Programme

The full GWA Assessment Policy is available here, however, some key excerpts and procedures are available below. Late Assessment Policy When assessing students at GWA it is important for teachers to be able to provide students and their parents with a grade that, as much as possible, reflects their ability in a course. It is also important for students to meet reasonably established timelines to complete their assessments. In order to achieve this goal, the following procedures for the submission of summative assessments has been established: Teachers will post the due date on ManageBac with at least one (calendar) week lead

time for students to complete the assessment. Submission of the assessment by students on the due date. If a deadline cannot be met,

in order for the work to be evaluated, students must: provide a doctor’s note, or provide a note from a parent explaining special family circumstances, or have established an extension with the teacher at least two days in advance. Such extensions will be given at the teacher’s discretion.

DP students must adhere to published DP deadlines. Students who do not meet IB Diploma Programme deadlines will follow these steps:

Detention(s) until the assessment is completed Parent meeting to discuss behavior concern serve an in-school suspension until the

assessment is completed. Parents will be contacted. Students must make up all worked missed during the suspension.

Repeated failure to meet deadlines will result in narrative comments addressing these concerns in report cards and letters of recommendation to other schools, colleges, and universities.

In order to implement the late assessment policy noted above, the following protocol will be followed. Late assessments are a disciplinary issue and zeros/no grade should will not be included in student’s progress unless first discussed with the Diploma Programme Coordinator. Should a student not complete a summative assessment on time (this includes summative drafts) teachers will: Speak with the student to find out why the assessment has not been submitted. If the assessment is pending, once received, log the infraction in the “reward and

conduct” tab in iSAMS regarding the tardiness of the assessment. o Note: in the case of pending assessments, any arrangements with students will

not exceed 24 hours.

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If the assessment is not pending or is not received as promised, teachers will explain to students an email will be sent to parents and that the student will be required to remain at school until 3:45 each day until such time as the assessment has been completed. This will also be recorded in iSAMS.

If a student fails to come after school for the assessment, teachers will check with the student to see if there was a miscommunication or another legitimate reason as to why they did not show. In cases where there is not a legitimate excuse, the incident will be escalated to the Grade Leader. The Grade Leader will discuss the situation with the student to see if support is required or consequences need to be imposed. The Grade Leader will subsequently record the incident in iSAMS.

If there is a second incident of a late submission of an assessment, the Grade Leader may contact parents for a meeting.

Further incidents of late assessments will be reported to Grade Leaders who will forward the incident(s) to the Secondary School administration who, if warranted, will initiate in-school suspension.

Teachers Assessment Commitments All teachers will: Mark (grade and or provide narrative feedback) all formative assessments within one

calendar week of receipt. ManageBac will be updated in the same timeframe. Post on ManageBac (shaded in purple) any formative assessment (including

homework) no later than 5:00PM the day it is assigned. If the formative assessment is not posted by this time there is no expectation that the assessment will be completed for the next day.

Discuss with students prior to posting summative assessments and provide at least one calendar week lead time for students to prepare. Summative assessments will be posted on ManageBac at least one week in advance of the due date (shaded in blue).

Work collaboratively with their teacher colleagues and coordinator to work toward the goal of students having no more than two (2) summative assessments on a given day.

Return summative assessments to students with feedback no later than three calendar weeks after the due date.

Update ManageBac immediately upon completion of marking/feedback. Communicate, in a timely fashion, with colleagues and administration about students

who are turning in late formative and summative tasks in order to implement late assessment procedures, as outlined in the Assessment Policy. Late assessment procedures are outlined below.

Communicate with parents when assignments/assessments are not turned in on the due date and clearly articulate the next steps for the student.

IB Internal and External Assessments All IB Internal and External Assessments have been scheduled prior to the start of the

school year. There is little room for alteration in these dates. Teachers will make this clear to students as well. Assessments have been spaced out to ensure students are not overwhelmed by IAs (or EE and EAs) at a particular point in the year.

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Examinations There are three types of exams at GWA: Grade 11 Final Exams held during the final weeks of Grade 11, Grade 12 Final Exams largely held during the two weeks prior to Spring Break and the World Exams at the end of the two-year programme which take place during the month of May. Grade 11 Final Exams The purpose of the Grade 11 Final Exams is to assist students in getting used to the

examination process including the instructions, exam booklets and the exam rules. Exams are usually two hours in length, though sometimes it is more appropriate to have

a 1 hour and 30 minute exam. Exams are expected to simulate a World Exam though being exactly the same as a Paper

1 or 2 may not be possible at this stage. These exams are cumulative of all of the Grade 11 content as this is reflective of IB

guidelines for school assessment policies. Students will not be given a specific indication as to what is on the exam but rather

guidance in general terms. Teachers of the same course will have the same exam and review packages. Students that are absent the day of the exam or have a conflict with another exam will

write an alternate exam.

Grade 12 Final Exams The purpose of Final Exams is to do a “mock” or trial run of all of the exams that

students will see in May during the World Exams, though they will contribute to students’ final GWA grade.

Many of the Papers will be completed during the two week Final Exam schedule, however, several will also be completed during class in the weeks leading up to the Final Exams.

As much as possible, Grade 12 Final Exams will be administered exactly as they will be in May.

Grade 12 Final Exams will be graded and returned to students as quickly as possible so they may be used by students for World Exam revision purposes.

Teachers will wait until the exam session has concluded before posting grades on ManageBac or sharing marks with students.

World Exams All students take written examinations at the end of the programme (May of the Grade 12 year), which are graded by external IB examiners. Students also complete assessment tasks during the school year, which are either initially marked by teachers and then moderated by external moderators or sent directly to external examiners. These assessments, together with the World Exam scores, will be used by the IB to arrive at a grade from 1-7 that is released to students and universities in July of the examination year. See “Diploma Programme Exams and Results: A Primer” located in the appendix for further information on the release of results.

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The marks awarded for each course range from 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 diploma is awarded to students who gain at least 24 points, subject to certain minimum levels of performance across the whole programme and to satisfactory participation in the creativity, action, service requirement. The highest total that a Diploma Programme student can be awarded is 45 points. See the general regulations for more details on these requirements. All students at GWA must take the World Exams During the final two weeks of classes prior to World Exams, there is to be no new

content taught or assessments completed. Instead, teachers will have a robust plan for helping students review in preparation for exams as a result it is essential that students are in class for these sessions.

Classes for Grade 12s end shortly before the start of World Exams after which point they focus on exam preparation. Classes will no longer be in session, however, teachers will be available for consultation and assistance with exam preparation.

The TOK and Extended Essay Bonus Point Matrix

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Assessment by the IB Most assessments are submitted electronically to the IB where a system of “dynamic sampling” is used. For the moderation of internally assessed material teachers will enter student marks for the coursework onto IBIS (IB Information System). After these marks have been entered, a moderation sample will be requested by IBIS. The sample is then uploaded to IBIS. Where there are fewer than 6 candidates for a subject, all the work will be requested by IBIS. Where there are 6–20 candidates, 5 samples will be requested. Where there are 21–40 candidates, 8 samples will be requested. Where there are more than 40 candidates, 10 samples will be requested. Externally assessed coursework that is graded entirely by IB examiners (not just moderated) is also uploaded to IBIS for assessment. For World Exams, all exams are sent to a scanning center and then uploaded for grading by an examiner. Examiners and moderators view and mark samples of candidates’ work on screen. The quality of examiners’ moderation and grading is assured by practice, qualification and seeding. Examiners have to mark examples of work definitively marked by the principal examiner to the same standard as the principal examiner (within a margin of tolerance) in order to qualify to mark candidate work. Further examples of work definitively marked by the principal examiner is interspersed with work each examiner receives for moderation or assessment. As long as an examiner begins and continues to mark work to the same standard as the principal examiner (within a margin of tolerance), he or she can continue to mark candidate samples. If an examiner does not consistently apply the same standard as the principal examiner, the examiner is prevented from moderating or assessing further samples by the electronic marking software until his or her application of the assessment criteria is realigned by discussion with a senior examiner. Just as a margin of tolerance will be applied to examiners’ moderation, a margin of tolerance will also be applied to teachers’ marking. If teachers apply the assessment criteria in the same way as the principal examiner and his or her team, their total marks for each candidate will not be adjusted. Where a teacher’s marks lie outside the margin of tolerance, a statistical adjustment will be applied to the marks awarded to all candidates in their school.

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Reporting at GWA GWA-Dubai reports using the IB grading scale of 1-7 for all classes except Theory of Knowledge which is graded on an A-E scale. All grade descriptors are available in the course syllabus for each course or by clicking here. All non-TOK grades are reported to universities by the IB and GWA using the 1-7 scale. Arriving at a grade for a report will be based on the extent to which the course grade descriptors reflect student work on summative assessments. Formative assessments will also help to inform teachers of student progress, especially when it is difficult to decide between two grade levels. There are two types of reports at GWA: a progress report that is sent out in November and April for Grade 11 students and February progress report for Grade 12 students. Semester grades will be sent out in February and June for Grade 11 students and in November and April for Grade 12 students. Two comments will be provided on semester reports. One comment will indicate what a student is doing well and one comment will indicate an area for improvement. In addition, each semester report will assess students’ progress in the Approaches to Learning – the descriptors for the IB’s Approaches to Learning are listed below. The five Approaches to Learning (ATLs) will be reported on using the following descriptors: Exceeding expectations (EE) Meeting expectations (ME) Approaching expectations (AE) Below expectations (BE)

Approaches to Teaching and Learning in the Diploma Programme

Approaches to teaching and learning in the Diploma Programme refer to deliberate strategies, skills and attitudes which permeate the teaching and learning environment. These approaches and tools are intrinsically linked with the IB learner profile attributes, enhance student learning and assist student preparation for the Diploma Programme assessment and beyond. The five approaches to learning (developing thinking skills, social skills, communication skills, self-management skills and research skills) along with the six approaches to teaching (teaching that is inquiry-based, conceptually focused, contextualized, collaborative, differentiated and informed by assessment) encompass the key values and principles that underpin IB pedagogy. Additionally, a suite of materials on approaches to teaching and learning in the Diploma Programme is available on the OCC.

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Approaches to Teaching Teaching Based on Inquiry The idea behind inquiry-based teaching in IB programmes is to develop students’ natural curiosity together with the skills of self-management, thinking, research and collaborative learning so that they can become motivated and autonomous life-long learners. The most significant aspect of inquiry-based teaching is that students are actively engaged in their own learning, constructing their own understandings of interesting issues and phenomena. In a classroom where inquiry-based teaching is happening, there is much interaction between students and between them and the teacher. The teacher’s primary role in such a setting is to promote questions and to facilitate the learning process. Students have a degree of freedom to make decisions about how to proceed in their learning process, which most often progresses from the concrete towards the abstract. Examples of forms of inquiry-based teaching include structured inquiry, open inquiry, experiential learning, problem-based learning and case-based learning. Teaching Focused on Conceptual Understanding An important motivation for conceptually focussed teaching in IB programmes is to help students build the ability to engage with significant ideas about human beings and the world. Equally valuably, discussion of the “big ideas” behind a topic can help students get to the heart of why they are learning what they are learning. To appreciate the role of concepts in building lasting and significant understandings, it is helpful to think of concepts as the building blocks of students’ cognitive frameworks. When they are learning at a conceptual level, students are integrating new knowledge into their existing understandings. They see how seemingly discrete topics are connected and are ready to transfer their learning to new contexts. A subject emerges for them in a holistic light. In a classroom where conceptually-focused teaching is happening, there is continuous movement between facts and what they mean, with students being used to ask why the facts matter as a natural part of their learning process. Teaching Developed in Local and Global Contexts As young individuals and as members of local and global communities, students make sense of the world through their life experiences and the world around them. IB programmes emphasize contextualized teaching because the more students can relate to their learning, the more likely they are to engage with it. Equally valuably, through enabling students to see the applications of their learning, contextualized teaching, like conceptually focused teaching, helps students to get to the heart of why they are learning what they are learning. In order to appreciate the role of contexts for relevant learning, it is helpful to think of contexts as students’ frames of reference. When they are learning in a contextualized way, students are grounding abstract ideas and new information in familiar real-life situations.

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In a classroom in which contextualized teaching is happening, concepts and theories are related to accessible and meaningful examples, illustrations and stories, which again inform further conceptual and theoretical understandings. Teaching Focused on Effective Teamwork and Collaboration IB programmes acknowledge that learning is a social activity. Students and teachers come together, each with unique life experiences, beliefs, ideas, strengths and weaknesses. They then interact with the intention of making progress with, ideally, shared objectives and do so within a specific cultural context. Learning is the result of these complex interactions. An important aspect of the learning process is regular feedback from students to teachers on what they have and have not yet understood. Concrete and constructive feedback from teachers to students on performance is similarly crucial for learning. Teaching Differentiated to Meet the Needs of all Learners IB programmes promote equal access to the curriculum for all learners. Differentiation entails planning for student differences through the use of a variety of teaching approaches, implementing a variety of learning activities and making a variety of formats and modes of exploring knowledge and understanding available to students. It also involves identifying, with each student, the most effective strategies for them to develop, pursue and achieve realistic and motivational learning goals. In the context of an IB education, special consideration often needs to be given to students’ language backgrounds and skills. Affirming students’ identity and valuing their prior knowledge are important aspects of treating students as unique individuals and helping them develop holistically as young human beings. Teaching Informed by Assessment (Formative and Summative) Assessment plays a crucial role in IB programmes in supporting learning and in measuring learning. Formal Diploma Programme assessments are based on course aims and objectives and, therefore, effective teaching to the course requirements also ensures effective teaching to the summative assessment requirements. Formative assessments developed by teachers are tools and processes to improve student learning. Here, feedback is most effective as a two-way channel: students learn how they are doing, and teachers learn what students understand, struggle with, and find engaging—or not worthwhile. In addition to assessment tasks, such feedback can be provided more informally, through for example individual and group feedback sessions, surveys, polls or brief reflections.

Approaches to Learning Thinking Skills IB programmes pride themselves on giving students opportunities to develop their thinking skills and an awareness of themselves as thinkers and learners. Being “thinkers” is one of the IB learner profile attributes, and is defined in terms of exercising initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognise and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions. Thinking skills consist of a large number of related skills. In the Diploma Programme, particular emphasis is placed on skills such as metacognition, reflection, critical thinking,

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creative thinking, and transfer. Metacognition, or control over one’s cognitive processes of learning, can be thought of as a foundation for developing other thinking skills. When practicing metacognition, students think about the ways in which they process information, find patterns, build conceptual understandings, and remember key facts and ideas. Once they become aware that they are using a variety of techniques and strategies to perform even the most basic learning tasks, students can be encouraged to consider if there are more effective or efficient ways to achieve the same learning, try out these new ways and evaluate them. Similarly, reflection is a thinking skill that plays a critical role in improving learning. When practicing reflection, students think about the success, value or otherwise of their learning. The Diploma Programme course aims, assessment objectives and assessment tasks place a premium on higher order thinking skills, such as critical thinking, creative thinking and transfer. Communication Skills Communication skills are important in IB programmes for success in school disciplines but are also an essential part of a wider positive dynamic in the learning community: they help to form and maintain good relationships between students, and between students and adults. Furthermore, being able to communicate well contributes to the development of students’ self-confidence and enhances their future prospects, as communication skills are a critical ingredient of success in working life. Communication skills consist of a cluster of different skills and forms of communication. The ability to listen and understand various spoken messages, to read and understand diverse written texts and other forms of media, and to respond clearly and convincingly in spoken, written and digital form are all part of how students and human beings reach outside of themselves. Some of these forms of communication are independent of era and culture, but interacting in and with the digital space is a significant part of communication and social interaction for most students. Often collaborative in nature and with much creative potential, online activities present exciting opportunities for development of students’ communication skills through engagement with new, previously inconceivable tasks. Social Skills Closely related to communication skills are social skills, whose importance in IB programmes, perhaps even more than that of communication skills, has to do with the development of the learner as a whole and the value of a community for learning. A starting point for developing students’ social skills is to acknowledge that people differ greatly in terms of their degree of introversion- or extroversion and that these differences should be respected. Similarly, different cultures have different expectations on appropriate behaviours in social situations. To be able to understand the perspectives of others, to form good relationships and to regulate one’s own emotions and behaviour are at the heart of many of the IB learner profile attributes and the IB’s aspiration to develop international-minded students. School, being such a formative community in young people’s lives, can play a significant part in the development of their social and emotional skills. Arguably, helping students to appreciate their contributions to the “human project” and connecting

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these with others’ contributions is the most valuable life skill education can contribute towards. Self-Management Skills In addition to practicing life in relation to others, IB learners also need to learn to persevere and be emotionally stable as individuals. Often, of course, these two processes go hand in hand, as membership and support of a community is critical for individual well-being. Learning to manage themselves is important for students in a demanding educational programme like the IB programmes, as well as a highly helpful competency in their later, potentially quite fast-paced lives. Self-management skills consist of organization skills, such as setting goals and managing time and tasks effectively, and affective skills, such as managing one’s state of mind, motivation and resilience. Like other learning skills, self-management skills can be modelled and practiced. For DP students, time management is often a particularly pertinent organization skill. Strategies for improving time management include breaking down assignments into achievable steps and timelining each step, planning revision and study plans for tests and examinations, and building study timetables. An important aspect of such strategies is not only what they factually do with students’ use of time but that they give students a perception of greater control over their time. Affective self-management skills, in turn, enable students to gain some control over their mood, their motivation, and their ability to deal with setbacks and difficulties. A school environment where students feel they have a degree of autonomy and self-direction and where they do not need to get things right the first time, setting of challenging but not too difficult objectives, and even psychological techniques, such as mindfulness training, can all support the development of students’ affective skills. Research Skills Research skills are a central element of the inquiry-based pedagogy of IB programmes. While good research skills have always been at the heart of academic endeavour, the availability of digital resources and the explosion in the amount of information easily accessible to students make the development of research skills a particularly pertinent part of today’s education. Also, learning to work in an academically honest way and respecting others’ intellectual contributions is an important aspect of learning in all IB programmes. Fundamental research skills include formulating focused and precise research questions, appraising sources, recording, analysing, evaluating and synthesizing information, and presenting and evaluating results. These are as critical skills to a digital era research as they have always been. However, research today requires much more validating, comparing and contrasting available information, and narrowing down the volume of data into a manageable quantity and to what is relevant. Though confident in browsing and communicating online, students often lack the information literacy skills they need for the kind of effective and self-directed research they are expected to do as part of their inquiries.

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Academy Honesty at GWA

The full GWA Diploma Programme Academic Honesty Policy is available here. Below are some key excerpts. Tips and academic honesty are available at the following links: Academic Honesty in the Diploma Programme Effective Citing and Referencing Protocol For In-School Malpractice The following steps will be followed in cases of malpractice:

1. Teachers will advise students of suspicion of misconduct 2. A record of the incident will be forwarded to the Diploma Programme Coordinator 3. The Diploma Programme Coordinator will discuss the incident with the teacher 4. The Diploma Programme Coordinator will interview the student involved 5. The Diploma Programme Coordinator will forward his or her assessment of the

incident to the Secondary School Assistant Principal 6. The Secondary School Assistant Principal will assess the infraction and impose the

corresponding consequence, if necessary. Malpractice on Assessments to be Submitted to the IB According to the Academic Honesty (2009) document, in cases of malpractice on assessments or exam that are intended for submission to the IB, the following protocol has been put in place.

Once a candidate has submitted his or her work to a teacher (or the coordinator) for external or internal assessment together with the coversheet signed (or authenticated electronically) to the effect that it is the final version of the work, neither the work nor the coversheet can be retracted by the candidate. If the candidate is subsequently suspected of plagiarism or collusion, it is no defense to claim that the incorrect version of the work was submitted for assessment.

After a candidate has signed and dated the coversheet (or authenticated electronically)to the effect that his or her work is authentic and constitutes the final version of that work, the candidate’s teacher (or supervisor in the case of an extended essay) must also sign and date the coversheet to the effect that to the best of his or her knowledge it is the authentic work of the candidate. Any suspicion of malpractice that arises after the candidate has signed the coversheet must be reported to the coordinator help desk at IB Cardiff for investigation. However, if there is no tangible evidence of malpractice (such as the source of plagiarism) the candidate must be given the benefit of any doubt and the coversheet must be signed by the teacher/supervisor. It is not acceptable for the teacher to:

• delete the declaration and then sign the coversheet • submit the work for assessment without his or her signature • sign the declaration and then write comments on the work or coversheet that raise

doubts about the work’s authenticity.

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• In the above circumstances the IB will not accept the work for assessment (or moderation) unless confirmation is received from the school that the candidate’s work is authentic.

If a teacher is unwilling to sign a coversheet owing to a suspicion of malpractice, the matter must be resolved within the school. The coordinator has the option of informing the coordinator help desk that the work will not be submitted on behalf of the candidate (resulting in no grade being awarded for the subject or diploma requirement).

Malpractice in Testing Situations: Students may not:

take unauthorized material into an examination room (see below) leave and/or access unauthorized material in a bathroom/restroom that may be

visited during a test pass on information to another student about the content of an examination, this

includes facilitating the exchange information between other students in any way steal examination papers using an unauthorized calculator during an examination

Students must not have unauthorized material (for example, own rough paper, notes, a mobile/cell phone or an electronic device other than a permitted calculator) in their possession during a testing situation. “In their possession” may be taken to mean on the person of the student, in the student’s immediate proximity (such as on the floor or desk) or placed somewhere (such as a bathroom/restroom) for access during the test. It is very important to note that guilt will be confirmed by the school administration regardless of whether this material is used, was or was not intended for use or contains information relevant or potentially relevant to the test. The actual possession of unauthorized material constitutes malpractice; the school administration is not required to establish whether the student used or intended to use the material. No leniency is shown to a candidate who claims that they were unaware the material was in their possession.

Predicted Grades

What are Predicted Grades? The final grade awarded to a candidate in each subject is on a scale of 1-7, with 7 being the highest grade. For Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay the grades are on a scale of A to E, with A being the highest grade. A predicted grade is not required for language A SL school supported self-taught candidates. The predicted grade is the teacher’s prediction of the grade the candidate is expected to achieve in the subject, based on all the evidence of IB specific work and the teacher’s knowledge of IB standards.

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The Role of Predicted Grades at the Grade Award Meetings When looking to establish grade boundaries, if overall grades are up or down significantly from previous years, members of the Grade Awards Team look to predicted grades to see if what they are seeing is consistent with how grades have been predicted. For example, if overall achievement in a subject area is up by 5 and they check the PGs and find they are up by 4, then the difference in overall achievement would make sense. So in this sense the PGs help to set the overall grade boundaries for each course. IA grade boundaries rarely change because the task is neither different nor more difficult. PGs are also put in place to identity “at-risk” students. At-risk students are identified as any student who is within 2 points of the next grade boundary or who has a predicted grade 2 or more grades below their exam score; this is investigated in the context of the overall course grade, not for a particular component. If any student is within 2 points, all of their exam papers are re-assessed. As well, the at-risk process is initiated for any school’s PGs that seem to be out from students’ scores. Grade Award Teams will look at several samples from the school to see whether there has been an error in grading or if in fact the issue is with the school predicting grade too high. GWA typically sends predicted grades (PGs) twice a year – for university applications and again for the IB at the end of the programme. In April, the second set of predicted grades is required by the IB for every student, no matter when they plan to attend university. This set of PGs is inevitably more accurate now that all the required Internal Assessments (IAs) have been submitted and there is a broader sampling of student work. As a result, they may be different from the first round of predicted grades sent to universities.

How are predicted grades decided upon? Each prediction is made as accurately as possible, with a conscious effort made to not under-predict or over-predict the grade. Teachers do not average grades or depend entirely on Paper grade boundaries. The course grade descriptors provided to all students in the course syllabus is the primary descriptor used to determine a predicted grade. If a teacher is unable to decide between two grades, they will always err on the side of the higher of the two, but only if it is particularly difficult to decide. This means students will already have been given any benefit of the doubt when they receive their predicted grade. For the most part, only the IB Internal/External Assessments, and assessments based on Papers 1, 2 and possibly 3, will be considered when predicting grades. However, teachers will also take into consideration more qualitative elements such as attendance and a student’s trending work ethic. In some cases it will be too early to predict with the inclusion of an Internal Assessment. In this case, teachers will base their predictions on IB assessments that have been completed, however this will impact accuracy. Because predicted grades are an educated estimate as to how students will perform, sometimes half a year down the educational road, we cannot guarantee their accuracy.

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Regarding university predictions, if teachers over predict, this can affect final university acceptance once grades are awarded in July. If teachers predict too conservatively it can prevent preliminary university acceptance. It is essential that all stakeholders understand that teachers are not responsible for providing a predicted grade that will help students garner a preliminary university acceptance. Instead, it is our goal to predict grades, as accurately as possible, based on the evidence available. Regarding IB predictions, some of the most important data GWA uses in assessing our Diploma Programme is not only the grades students achieve, but also how well the IB predicts correlate to each student’s final grade. However, it should be clear to all stakeholders that a prediction is just that, a prediction. Teachers cannot know how well students will have prepared for their World Exams nor are they familiar with the specific content of the exams and how students will handle questions that neither teacher nor student have seen. With this being said, historically at GWA over 90 percent or more of predictions are either correct or within one point of the final grade for a course, an acceptable level of accuracy. Again, predicting grades is not an exact science but the staff at GWA gather as much data as possible to accurately predict grades.

What is the difference between the GWA grade and a predicted grade? The predicted grade is solely focused on an estimate as to how teachers feel students score on their World Exams combined with the IB Internal and External Assessments. The GWA grade is based on how students are performing at the time of the report and based on the IB assessments done to that point. For the most part, the two grades will be the same however, the distinction noted above should be understood. The final report grade at the end of Grade 12 will be exactly the same as the predicted grades we report to the IB.

Expectations regarding predicted grades Students will have reflected on their predicted grades as part of the teacher-student goal setting process. Once the initiate university predicted grades are completed, students will be asked to see teachers on an as needed basis to discuss any changes to their predicted grades. The only way for students to learn of their predicted grade will be as part of a data-based discussion with the teacher. Given that all GWA DP grades are articulated in the IB’s 1-7 format (with the exception of TOK), students will be relatively familiar with where they stand prior to any predicted grade conversations. Should parents have questions regarding predicted grades they should first discuss the predicts with their son or daughter who will already have had a conversation with the teacher. If parents wish to discuss predicted grades further they should do so with their son or daughter’s teacher, not the Coordinator, a school administrator or the college counselor. Teachers will be able to provide the kind of feedback and data necessary to answer questions. Should parents wish to pursue any issues related to predicted grades beyond their conversation with teachers they should set up an appointment with the DP Coordinator to discuss the matter. Once parents have met with the teacher all further discussions regarding predicted will go through the office of the Diploma Programme Coordinator.The general 1-7 IB grade descriptors are located here.

ALIS Predicted Grade Testing Information

All Grade 11 DP students entering the Diploma Programme at GWA are required to complete an external test called the “Advanced Level Information System” test, or “ALIS”. ALIS is one of a suite of monitoring and assessment systems from the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM). Its IBE version is designed specifically for students entering the Diploma Programme. These assessments offer teachers detailed data to guide their instructional practices. Scores also offer parents and guardians an external benchmark for their child’s attainment which is measured against international norms. The ALIS test gives the DP faculty and administration an external data point as we look to improve student progress in each of the six groups in the programme. A few important notes: Each assessment is done on a computer and is adaptive. If a student gets questions

correct, the questions start to get harder. If a student gets questions incorrect, the questions start to get easier. This ensures that each assessment is at exactly the right level for each individual to produce an accurate score.

The test should take approximately 45 minutes however, students will have up to one hour to complete the test.

The results from this assessment will provide teachers, staff and administration with useful and personalized data on each student that will be used to improve instruction.

Students are NOT required to prepare for the test; the tests are similar to the MAP tests that were completed in Grade 10. For those not with us last year, the ALIS test has similarities to any cognitive aptitude testing your son or daughter may have taken at a previous school.

Parent and Teacher Interaction Protocol

While all GWA staff members genuinely value working together with parents to ensure students succeed to the greatest extent possible, it is also important at this point in a child’s development for them to learn to advocate for themselves. Often times when students have an issue or concern they are coached in ways to resolve the issue themselves. Regularly, students are able to sort it out on their own and in the process have learned a valuable interpersonal skill that will become increasingly important as university life approaches. Adult intervention on a child’s behalf is rarely unreasonable and sometimes necessary, but most often issues of concern or conflict can provide an educational opportunity for our students and can be resolved by them. Parents are asked to encourage their child to advocate for themselves, it is a lifelong skill that we can begin to teach now. Expectations regarding communication Any substantive issues should be raised in face-to-face meetings. Email is not always effective medium to raise a substantive issue or attempt to resolve it. Most often parents and teachers should not copy the principal or other administrators when e-mailing as it can send a manipulative message or implicitly suggest that the issue cannot be worked out on their own. Teachers will respond to parent communications promptly, even if it’s a brief acknowledgement. For their part, parents should appreciate that teachers are busy during the day and may have other responsibilities after school. Students and parents should be aware that teachers may need 24-36 hours to respond to an email. When issues do arise, parents and teachers should present specific desired outcomes that will help the child do better. When the child is placed at the center of the conversation any issues can be more effectively focused.

APPENDIX

From: Hill, Ian. (2002). The history of international education: An International Baccalaureate perspective. In Hayden, Mary, Thompson, Jeff, & Walker, George (Eds.). International education in practice. (pp. 18-29).