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The International Baccalaureate Program

Emma Burton

SED 464

Professor Lovitt

February 3, 2019
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Abstract:

The International Baccalaureate Program is focused on helping students develop critical thinking

skills, being independent thinkers, and inquire with care and logic. It is a program that strives to

help students become both better learners and people. They address how knowledge is created,

global and local issues, creativity, service, and higher level thinking. There are four programs

ranging from ages 3 to 19. Studies have found that students that participate in IB programs are

more successful in higher level institutions and more confident in their own skills.
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The IB Program is broken down into four subsections of programs; firstly, the early

year’s program for ages 3-12, the middle year’s program for ages 11-16, the diploma program

for ages 16-19, and the career related program for ages 16-19. The goal of each of these

programs is to provide students with academically rigorous work that promotes critical think

while focusing their studies on both global and community issues. Each of these programs strives

to help students learn how to learn and to help them develop characteristics outlined in the IB

learner profile. The IB learner profile has ten attributes that it hopes to help develop in each of

the students participating. Those include Inquirers knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators,

principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective. A major goal of the IB

program is to help students learn about different cultures and understand different languages

which is different from other academic programs offered in schools. It also has a global network

and collaboration is very important within the programs (IBorganization)

There are many academic programs that exist to push students to be academically

challenged so what makes the IB program different? The IB Program focuses on challenging

students to think critically while challenging assumptions, be independent and develop a global

understanding rather than focusing on government and national systems, experience global and

local issues, and develop multilingual students. Another major difference is one of the main

focuses of the program is to teach children how to learn. All students take a class called The

Theory of Knowledge. This class is designed to help students take responsibility of their own

learning and understand how knowledge is constructed. It develops students so that they can ask

challenging questions, develop critical thinking skills, and develop research skills. On top of the

academic aspect of the program they also aim to help students engage with their community by

requiring community service and develop their creativity (IBorganization).

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The Middle years program and the Diploma program are the two main programs that the

IB program offers. These two programs focus on middle school to high school age children. The

Middle years program curriculum focuses on eight subject areas which are, language acquisition,

language in literature, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical and health

education, and design. The requirements include 50 hours in each subject area, one planned

interdisciplinary unit, and a long term, self-directed project. The Diploma program is

encompassed by three elements. The first is the Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and

creativity, activity, service. Theory of knowledge focusses on the nature of learning and how

knowledge is constructed. The extended essay is a 4,000 word essay that is focused on self-

directed research. The creativity activity and service is a project that requires physical activity

combined with creativity and service. There are six subject groups in the Diploma program

which are language and literature studies, language acquisition, individuals and societies,

sciences, mathematics, and arts. At the end students write both an essay and participate in an

exam to pass each subject area (IBorganization).

According to studies conducted by The International Baccalaureate Program itself

students are better prepared for college, civil life, and careers upon completion. Students are

more likely to be able to preserve through college as the work gets more challenging, they have

stronger critical thinking skills, the excel in science literacy, and many students who complete

the program and receive their International Baccalaureate Diploma attended one of the top 500

universities across the world (IBorganization). McGill university conducted a study that found

the IB Diploma recipients who completed the extended essay portion of the program where more

successful and better prepared for the academic research required in higher level education. They

also found that student’s confidence in their own work and thinking was significantly develop by
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completing the IB program. This in turn translated to greater success working independently in

college and being confident in that work (Allus).

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Works Cited

Aulls, Lemay, Peláez, & Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology McGill

University. (2013, October). Exploring the learning benefits and outcomes of the IB

extended essay in preparing students for university studies in Canada (two phases).

Retrieved from https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/publications/ib-

research/dp/eequebecsummaryfinal.pdf

Iborganization. (2014, July 30). New Studies Explore IB Students' Preparedness for Success in

the 21st Century. Retrieved from https://www.ibo.org/news/news-list/in-the-ibs-2014-

review-of-research-results-find-ib-programmes-to-have-a-positive-impact-on-student-

preparedness-for-college-career-and-civic-life

Iborganization. (n.d.). MYP curriculum. Retrieved from

https://www.ibo.org/programmes/middle-years-programme/curriculum/

Iborganization. (n.d.). What is the Diploma Programme? Retrieved from

https://www.ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/what-is-the-dp

Iborganization. (n.d.). How IB is different. Retrieved from https://www.ibo.org/benefits/why-

the-ib-is-different/