Learning and Understanding Improving Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in U.S. High Schools (2002) / Chapter Skim
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4. The International Baccalaureate Programme
4. The International Baccalaureate Programme
Pages 83-102
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From page 83... ...
. Each of the IB courses in mathematics and the experimental sciences incorporates a formative internal assessment component and culminates in an intemationally administered external examination.
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From page 84... ...
Another fundamental difference between the AP and IB mathematics programs is that the IB mathematics courses are not calculus courses; rather, they focus on many advanced mathematics topics that may include calculus ~ Similarly, students are offered both HL and SL courses in each of the experimental sciences; this accommodates students with a strong interest in science while also providing sound preparation in science for those who wish to focus on other subjects. Three additional requirements are designed to give IB Diploma candidates the opportunity to pursue their own interests while at the same time developing a broad understanding of the bases of knowledge in both the humanities and the sciences.
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From page 85... ...
31. The curriculum for the course centers on a series of questions, including those designed to help students understand the nature of knowledge in mathematics and the sciences.5 IB Diploma candidates must also satisfy the Extended Essay requirement by undertaking original research and writing an essay of some FOOD words.
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From page 86... ...
The IB program guides for courses in each discipline, including mathematics and the experimental sciences, present common aims and objectives. A discussion of the program model, a description of the examination, and detailed information and guidance for teachers about meeting the internal assessment requirements are common to all of the subject guides for experimental science.
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From page 87... ...
IBCA staff representatives, most of whom are former IB teachers, work with teachers representing IB schools from around the world on the curriculum review committees. The committees for all subjects in a discipline convene jointly at IBCA because changes in the mathematics or experimental sciences programs impact all of the subjects in that discipline.
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From page 88... ...
The IB program guides provide considerable information about what students are expected to know by specifying assessment statements, expressed in terms of learning outcomes, for each topic in the experimental science courses. The guides also give estimated teaching hours for each topic, but do not recommend a sequence for the presentation of topics.
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From page 89... ...
The program guides do not recommend any specific laboratory exercises, but provide general guidance for the design of a laboratory program. The VadeMecum: Procedures Manual forIB Coordinators and Teachers specifies that the laboratory activities in IB Experimental Sciences courses must include hands-on investigations in the 89
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From page 90... ...
Specific criteria for the internal assessment guide science teachers in setting the stage for students to design and carry out their own experiments. The IB internal assessment for the experimental sciences uses eight assessment criteria to evaluate the work of both HE and SL candidates (Table 4-11.
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From page 91... ...
, provides teachers with exemplars of student laboratory reports that fulfill all aspects of the criteria completely, as well as examples of those that do not. Teachers of the various experimental science subjects in an IB school must jointly submit to the IBO a PSOW, a summary of all the investigative activities their students carry out.
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From page 92... ...
23~. The experimental sciences guides do not address instruction directly, other than to indicate consistently that there is no single best approach to teaching IB courses arid that teachers should provide a variety of ways of acquiring information that can be accepted or rejected by each student, allowing different routes through the material (IBO, 2001a, 2001b, 2001c, p.
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From page 93... ...
401) As indicated in the discussion of curriculum, the use of action verbs in the experimental science assessment statements informs teachers about the depth of treatment required.
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From page 94... ...
The internal assessment component comprises the teacher's formative assessment of students' practical work (laboratory investigations in science courses and portfolios in mathematics courses) judged against established assessment criteria.
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From page 95... ...
The structure of each written external examination paper "allows candidates to demonstrate their achievement in terms of content knowledge, depth of understanding and use of specific higher level cognitive skills, as described by the subject objectives." The internal assessment component addresses skills that cannot be demonstrated satisfactorily within the context of a written examination. As stated in the guides, the purpose of the internal assessment for the IB mathematics portfolio is to "provide candidates with opportunities to be rewarded for mathematics carried out under ordinal conditions, that is, without the time limitations and stress associated with written examinations" (IBO, 1998b, p.
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From page 96... ...
Each student's performance is measured against seven grade descriptors, given in the form of levels of performance that candidates should be able to demonstrate. The different levels of performance are closely related to the course objectives and are clearly specified for mathematics and the experimental sciences.
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From page 97... ...
Shows insight or originality. Demonstrates personal skills, perseverance and responsibility in a wide variety of investigative activities in a very consistent manner.
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From page 98... ...
A moderation process is also used to ensure reliability and an equivalent standard among schools for the internal assessment marks in both mathematics and the experimental sciences. Each school must submit for moderation five marked sets of candidates' work in each subject, selected to represent the full range of quality of work submitted by students in that subject.
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From page 99... ...
The IBO publishes yearly detailed reports for each subject that include mark bands for each score, general comments on the application of mark schemes to free-response problems, and comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates in the treatment of individual questions. The subject reports also describe areas of the program and examination that appeared to be difficult for candidates, as well as areas in which candidates appeared to be especially well prepared.
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From page 100... ...
. Also provided are written comments from the moderators on feedback forms for each subject (International Baccalaureate Form 4/IAF, Internal Assessment Feedback Form: Group 4~.
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From page 101... ...
Experimental science workshops focus on designing laboratory experiences that will enable students to meet specific internal assessment criteria. The most recent focus has been on the planning criteria, as the IB examiners have found that the practical work done in most classrooms does not afford students opportunities to practice the skills needed in planning, their own 101
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From page 102... ...
A dialogue exists between IB teachers and the IBO that is not a feature of the AP program. Every teacher completes feedback forms following each examination, answering questions about both the emphases of the examination and the content and form of individual test items.
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