An observation on the IB educational approach

University of the People

Educ: 5270

Dr. Matthew Brooks

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Introduction:

The IB (International Baccalaureate) Educational Approach is a continuum of curricular

programs that aim to develop a student-centered approach to teaching and learning. IB focuses

on inquiry and self-development both at the academic level and personal level. An IB school

may offer four programs (The IB Continuum) to achieve its mission: Primary Years Programme

(PYP), Middle Year Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP), and the Career-Related

Programme. (IBO, 2012)

This paper will focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the PYP and the MYP program

and will aim to offer a summary of the most important benefits and weaknesses of both.

PYP, strengths:

The PYP Programme aims to "develop students' academic, social and emotional

wellbeing, focusing on international-mindedness and strong personal values." (IBO, 2012) PYP

does this by focusing on the student as a learning focus and inquiry as an approach and strategy.

"The PYP transdisciplinary framework focuses on the development of the whole child as an

inquirer, both at school and beyond." (IBO, 2012)

With this approach, the PYP aims to develop the natural curiosity in the children to turn it

into an academic advantage. "The notion of 'inquiry' is central to the pedagogical approach and

curricula articulated in the IB programs, based on a conviction that human learning is at its most

effective when it arises as the result of genuine questions on the part of the learner." (Medwell et

al., 2017, p. 13).

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Another aspect of the PYP educational approach that could be considered a strength is the

collaborative approach the PYP curriculum has to inquiry. This goal is achieved by the PYP

exhibition, a required passion research project presented at the end of the PYP program. "The

PYP exhibition is intended to give students the opportunity to develop both individual and group

skills and, as such, ways of working are of as much interest in this research as the outcomes of

working." (Medwell et al., 2017, p. 13)

PYP, a weakness:

Given the strong, well rounded nature of the PYP program, is hard to find weakness in

the execution. One tha can be considered an area of improvement is the rigorous nature of the

program, that can affect the approach to differentiation for students that, due to language barriers

or cognitive barriers, are not capable of fitting the PYP learner profile. O'Boyle (2009)

paraphrased in Medwell et al. (2017) explains: "Little work has previously been carried out

looking at transitions and transfers1 of IB students between the PYP and the MYP but one study,

focused in an international school, found that students expressed anxiety about moving from the

PYP to the MYP" (p.19-20).

Another weakness that could apply to any of the IB programs, is the spread of the IB

operation. Given that the are 158 countries offering IB programs in the world (IBO, 2012), it is

easy to imagine that is hard for the IB Organization to keep consistency across the countries,

while considering the cultural values and intricacies of the hosting country.

MYP, strengths

Similarly, the MYP is a program focused on students between the ages of 11 and 16. It

aims to develop a connection between the content studied in the classroom and the real life of the
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student. "The programme empowers students to inquire into a wide range of issues and ideas of

significance locally, nationally and globally. The result is young people who are creative, critical

and reflective thinkers." (IBO, 2012) This aims to frame the students' academic life in the context

of their local life, and also, their global experience is one of the biggest strengths in the MYP.

This focus develops critical thinking in the students, as well as local and global awareness. Both

the focus on the development of a critical mind, and the development of local and global

awareness, are two pivotal strengths of the MYP program.

MYP, weakness

However, a weakness of the MYP program is, as mentioned before in this assignment,

the perceived cognitive difficulty that can produce anxiety and apprehensiveness among the

student population that is going through the transition. This issue gets entangled with the studies

that show that the MYP is not the only way to produce critical thinking. "There is evidence that

strategies to support critical thinking are being used in MYP classrooms, and they are being used

in at least some non-MYP classrooms." (Wade et al., 2016, p. 41)

These studies also find that more than half of the teachers observed have attended to at

least some professional development focused on Critical Thinking. (Wade et al., 2016, p. 38)

Indicating that the proper training may also produce the desired result in best practices.

Conclusion:

The IB continuum is, without a doubt, a robust educational approach, well-rounded and

global, aiming at producing globally conscious adults. If we can focus some effort and research

on the weakness, we can find ways to improve it and make it more accessible to more students,

thus, improving the educational world.

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References:

IBO, Education programmes. (2012). International Baccalaureate®. https://www.ibo.org/programmes/

Medwell, J., Cooker, L., Bailey, L., & Winchip, E. (2017). The Impact of the PYP exhibition -Final

Report The impact of the PYP exhibition on the development of international mindedness,

critical thinking and attributes of the IB learner profile Final Report.

https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/publications/ib-research/pyp/pyp-exhibition-final-report-en.pdf

Wade, J., Wolanin, N., & Mcgaughey, T. (2016). A Study of Critical Thinking Skills in the International

Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme October 2015.

https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/publications/ib-research/myp/myp-critical-thinking-report.pdf

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