International Baccalaureate Organization
Encyclopedia
The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is an international education
al foundation
headquartered in Geneva
, Switzerland
and founded in 1968. IB offers three educational programmes for children ages 3–19.
The organization's name and logo were changed in 2007 to reflect a new and for legal reorganization. Consequently, "IB" can refer to the organization itself, any of the three programmes, or the diploma or certificates awarded at the end of the diploma programme.
. In the mid-1960s, a group of teachers from the International School of Geneva
(Ecolint) created the International Schools Examinations Syndicate (ISES), which would later become the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). The IB headquarters were officially established in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1968 for the development and maintenance of the Diploma Programme which would "provide an internationally acceptable university admissions qualification suitable for the growing mobile population of young people whose parents were part of the world of diplomacy, international and multi-national organizations," and offer internationally standardized courses and assessments for students ages 16 to 19. International Baccalaureate North America (IBNA) was established in 1975, by Peter Nehr, International Baccalaureate Africa, Europe and Middle-East (IBAEM) was established in 1986, and International Baccalaureate Asia Pacific (IBAP) established during the same period.
The Middle Years Programme
(MYP)—which adheres to the study of eight subject areas—was developed and piloted in the mid-1990s, and within five years 51 countries had MYP schools. The Primary Years Programme
(PYP) was piloted in 1996 in thirty primary schools on different continents, and the first PYP school was authorised in 1997, with as many as 87 authorised schools in 43 countries within five years.
Alec Peterson
was appointed as the IB's first director general (1968–1977). Peterson was followed by Gérard Renaud (1977–83); Roger Peel (1983–98); Derek Blackman (1998–99); and George Walker
(1999–2005). Jeffrey Beard
is currently director general of the IB.
practical preparation for the kinds of undergraduate research required at tertiary level
an opportunity for students to engage in an in-depth study of a topic of interest within a chosen subject. The subject can come from any of the six groups (Areas of Knowledge).
Emphasis is placed on the research process:
formulating an appropriate research question
engaging in a personal exploration of the topic
communicating ideas
developing an argument.
Participation in this process develops the capacity to:
analyse,
synthesize, and
evaluate knowledge.
Students are supported throughout the process with advice and guidance from a supervisor (usually a teacher at the school).
Four Ways of Knowing:
Areas of Knowledge:
The IB is a non-governmental organization
(NGO) of UNESCO
and has collaborative relationships with the Council of Europe
and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). The IB's alliance with UNESCO encourages the integration of its educational goals into the IB curriculum.
The IB maintains headquarters in Geneva
, Switzerland
, and currently the Curriculum and Assessment Centre is located in Cardiff
, Wales
. The IB recently announced relocation of the curriculum centre in Cardiff to The Hague, Netherlands, the opening of the IB Americas Global Centre in Maryland
, United States
, and a new centre to be opened in Singapore
by 2020.
The organization is divided into three regional centres: IB Africa, Europe and Middle East (IBAEM), administered from Geneva and Cardiff; IB Americas (IBA), administered from New York
and Buenos Aires, Argentina
; and IB Asia-Pacific (IBAP), administered from Singapore
.
Sub-regional associations "are groups formed by and for IB school practitioners to assist IB schools, teachers and students in their communities—from implementing IB programmes to providing a forum for dialogue."
In 2003, the IB established the IB Fund, incorporated in the United States, for the purpose of enhancing fundraising and keeping funds raised separate from operational funds. In 2004, the IB approved a strategic plan to "ensure that programmes and services are of the highest quality" and "to provide access to people who are socio-economically disadvantaged."
The United States has the largest number of IB programmes (1,477 out of 3,998) offered in both private and public schools.
The IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) was described as "a rigorous, off-the-shelf curriculum recognized by universities around the world” when it was featured in the December 18, 2006, edition of Time
titled "How to bring our schools out of the 20th Century". The IBDP was also featured in the summer 2002 edition of American Educator, where Robert Rothman described it as "a good example of an effective, instructionally sound, exam-based system." In 2006, as part of the American Competitiveness Initiative
(ACI), President George W. Bush
and Education Secretary Margaret Spellings
presented a plan for the expansion of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate mathematics and science courses, with the goal of increasing the number of AP and IB teachers and the number of students taking AP and IB exams, as well as tripling the number of students passing those exams. Howard Gardner
, a professor of educational psychology at Harvard University
, said that the IBDP curriculum is "less parochial than most American efforts" and helps students "think critically, synthesize knowledge, reflect on their own thought processes and get their feet wet in interdisciplinary thinking."
In the United Kingdom in 2006, government ministers provided funding so that "every local authority in England could have at least one centre offering sixth-formers
the chance to do the IB." In 2008, due to the devaluing of the A-Levels and an increase in the number of students taking the IB exams, then-Children's Secretary Ed Balls
abandoned a "flagship Tony Blair
pledge to allow children in all areas to study IB." Fears of a "two-tier" education system further dividing education between the rich and the poor emerged as the growth in IB is driven by private schools and sixth-form colleges.
Political objections to the IBDP in the United States have resulted in an attempt to eliminate it from a public school in Pittsburgh. Some schools in the United States have eliminated the IBDP due to budgetary reasons and low student participation. In Utah
, funding for the IBDP was reduced from $300,000 to $100,000 after State Senator Margaret Dayton
objected to the program, stating, "I don't want to create 'world citizens' nearly as much as I want to help cultivate American citizens who function well in the world."
in New York State, the institution issued a statement the next day in which it expressed "genuine disappointment" with the talk, noting that it "drew heavily upon and quoted extensively from a speech given earlier in the year by Sir Ken Robinson", while adding that he "neglected to cite his source or reveal the quotations for what they were". Ken Robinson is a renowned British educationist who lives in the United States. Through an IB spokesperson, Beard admitted that "he could have been more explicit about the sources and authors that inspired him for the content of this speech". In a letter sent to heads of schools that offer the IB curricula, he described this as an "unfortunate incident" due to an "oversight".
In an apparently unrelated development, the Times Educational Supplement
revealed on October 8, 2010, that significant portions of some of IB's marking guides for the IB Diploma Programme were lifted wholesale from unattributed websites, including Wikipedia
. In a letter to schools, IB director-general Beard wrote: "We have and always will take immediate and appropriate action when we discover any violation of our policies or standards." The examiner responsible for the plagiarism resigned from the examination board five weeks after the issue came to light.
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
al foundation
Foundation (charity)
A foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations that will typically either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes....
headquartered in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and founded in 1968. IB offers three educational programmes for children ages 3–19.
The organization's name and logo were changed in 2007 to reflect a new and for legal reorganization. Consequently, "IB" can refer to the organization itself, any of the three programmes, or the diploma or certificates awarded at the end of the diploma programme.
History
Marie-Thérèse Maurette created the framework for what would eventually become the IB Diploma Programme in 1948 when she wrote Is There a Way of Teaching for Peace?, a handbook for UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. In the mid-1960s, a group of teachers from the International School of Geneva
International School of Geneva
The International School of Geneva , also known as Ecolint, is a private international school based in Geneva, Switzerland. It is the oldest currently operating International School in the world...
(Ecolint) created the International Schools Examinations Syndicate (ISES), which would later become the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). The IB headquarters were officially established in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1968 for the development and maintenance of the Diploma Programme which would "provide an internationally acceptable university admissions qualification suitable for the growing mobile population of young people whose parents were part of the world of diplomacy, international and multi-national organizations," and offer internationally standardized courses and assessments for students ages 16 to 19. International Baccalaureate North America (IBNA) was established in 1975, by Peter Nehr, International Baccalaureate Africa, Europe and Middle-East (IBAEM) was established in 1986, and International Baccalaureate Asia Pacific (IBAP) established during the same period.
The Middle Years Programme
IB Middle Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is an educational programme intended for students aged approximately 11 to 16 . Thus, in the United States the programme is often taught throughout the middle school years and the first two years of high school...
(MYP)—which adheres to the study of eight subject areas—was developed and piloted in the mid-1990s, and within five years 51 countries had MYP schools. The Primary Years Programme
IB Primary Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme is an educational programme managed by the International Baccalaureate for students aged 3 to 11. While the programme prepares students for the IB Middle Years Programme, it is not a prerequisite for it...
(PYP) was piloted in 1996 in thirty primary schools on different continents, and the first PYP school was authorised in 1997, with as many as 87 authorised schools in 43 countries within five years.
Alec Peterson
Alec Peterson
Alexander Duncan Campbell Peterson OBE was a British teacher and headmaster, greatly responsible for the birth of the International Baccalaureate educational system. He was instrumental in the formation of the International Baccalaureate Organisation in 1968, and served as the organisation's first...
was appointed as the IB's first director general (1968–1977). Peterson was followed by Gérard Renaud (1977–83); Roger Peel (1983–98); Derek Blackman (1998–99); and George Walker
George Walker (professor)
Professor George Walker is a British educator, and the former director-general of the International Baccalaureate Organisation. He is also a productive author of articles and other works regarding international education and physical chemistry.Walker has studied chemistry at Oxford University, and...
(1999–2005). Jeffrey Beard
Jeffrey Beard
Jeffrey R. Beard is an American manager. He was appointed to become director-general of the International Baccalaureate , based in Geneva, Switzerland, starting on 1 January 2006, following the retirement of the previous director-general, George Walker....
is currently director general of the IB.
Extended Essay
The extended essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, culminating in a 4,000-word paper. As a required component, it provides:practical preparation for the kinds of undergraduate research required at tertiary level
an opportunity for students to engage in an in-depth study of a topic of interest within a chosen subject. The subject can come from any of the six groups (Areas of Knowledge).
Emphasis is placed on the research process:
formulating an appropriate research question
engaging in a personal exploration of the topic
communicating ideas
developing an argument.
Participation in this process develops the capacity to:
analyse,
synthesize, and
evaluate knowledge.
Students are supported throughout the process with advice and guidance from a supervisor (usually a teacher at the school).
Creativity, Action and Service (CAS)
Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) is an IB Diploma requirement, which means that without meeting a total of 8 pre-set outcomes, a student cannot achieve their IB diploma. It was created to motivate students to participate in a broad range of activities.Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a compulsory subject all IB diploma students are obligated to take. It focuses on the ways of knowing and different areas of knowledge as listed below:Four Ways of Knowing:
- Sense Perception
- Reasoning
- Language
- Emotion
Areas of Knowledge:
- Natural Sciences
- Human Sciences
- Arts
- Mathematics
- Ethics
- History
Other
The International Baccalaureate program, specifically the diploma program, does not have a policy against homework on weekends to specifically interfere with social life and CAS.Organization
| 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.—International Baccalaureate Mission Statement |
The IB is a non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
(NGO) of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
and has collaborative relationships with the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). The IB's alliance with UNESCO encourages the integration of its educational goals into the IB curriculum.
The IB maintains headquarters in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and currently the Curriculum and Assessment Centre is located in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The IB recently announced relocation of the curriculum centre in Cardiff to The Hague, Netherlands, the opening of the IB Americas Global Centre in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and a new centre to be opened in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
by 2020.
The organization is divided into three regional centres: IB Africa, Europe and Middle East (IBAEM), administered from Geneva and Cardiff; IB Americas (IBA), administered from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
; and IB Asia-Pacific (IBAP), administered from Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Sub-regional associations "are groups formed by and for IB school practitioners to assist IB schools, teachers and students in their communities—from implementing IB programmes to providing a forum for dialogue."
- There are two in the IB Africa, Europe and Middle East region.
- There are thirty sub-regional associations in the IB Americas region.
- There are five in the Asia Pacific region.
In 2003, the IB established the IB Fund, incorporated in the United States, for the purpose of enhancing fundraising and keeping funds raised separate from operational funds. In 2004, the IB approved a strategic plan to "ensure that programmes and services are of the highest quality" and "to provide access to people who are socio-economically disadvantaged."
The United States has the largest number of IB programmes (1,477 out of 3,998) offered in both private and public schools.
Governance
The IB governance is composed of an IB Board of Governors. The Board appoints the Director General, sets the strategic direction of the organization, adopts a mission statement, makes policy, oversees the IB’s financial management, and ensures autonomy and integrity of the IB Diploma Programme examinations and other student assessment.Reception
| Country | Primary | Middle | Diploma | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 281 | 445 | 751 | 1,297 |
| Canada | 56 | 146 | 142 | 311 |
| United Kingdom | 11 | 11 | 219 | 225 |
| Australia | 63 | 42 | 62 | 130 |
| Mexico | 41 | 22 | 57 | 86 |
| India | 27 | 8 | 73 | 80 |
| China | 39 | 23 | 73 | 99 |
| Spain | 4 | 8 | 54 | 54 |
| Germany | 18 | 7 | 48 | 51 |
| Argentina | 7 | 3 | 47 | 48 |
| Ecuador | 4 | 5 | 47 | 48 |
| Total schools | 805 | 902 | 2,291 | 3,264 |
| Countries | 93 | 81 | 139 | 141 |
The IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) was described as "a rigorous, off-the-shelf curriculum recognized by universities around the world” when it was featured in the December 18, 2006, edition of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
titled "How to bring our schools out of the 20th Century". The IBDP was also featured in the summer 2002 edition of American Educator, where Robert Rothman described it as "a good example of an effective, instructionally sound, exam-based system." In 2006, as part of the American Competitiveness Initiative
American Competitiveness Initiative
The American Competitiveness Initiative is a federal assistance program intended to help America maintain its competitiveness through investment in research and development and education. The ACI’s focus is on programs that are likely to strengthen U.S. competitiveness by targeting funding to...
(ACI), President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Education Secretary Margaret Spellings
Margaret Spellings
Margaret Spellings was the Secretary of Education from 2005-2009 under the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush and previously served as White House Domestic Policy Adviser to President George W. Bush....
presented a plan for the expansion of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate mathematics and science courses, with the goal of increasing the number of AP and IB teachers and the number of students taking AP and IB exams, as well as tripling the number of students passing those exams. Howard Gardner
Howard Gardner
Howard Earl Gardner is an American developmental psychologist who is a professor of Cognition and Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education at Harvard University, Senior Director of Harvard Project Zero and author of over twenty books translated into thirty languages. Since 1995, he has...
, a professor of educational psychology at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, said that the IBDP curriculum is "less parochial than most American efforts" and helps students "think critically, synthesize knowledge, reflect on their own thought processes and get their feet wet in interdisciplinary thinking."
In the United Kingdom in 2006, government ministers provided funding so that "every local authority in England could have at least one centre offering sixth-formers
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
the chance to do the IB." In 2008, due to the devaluing of the A-Levels and an increase in the number of students taking the IB exams, then-Children's Secretary Ed Balls
Ed Balls
Edward Michael Balls, known as Ed Balls, is a British Labour politician, who has been a Member of Parliament since 2005, currently for Morley and Outwood, and is the current Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer....
abandoned a "flagship Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
pledge to allow children in all areas to study IB." Fears of a "two-tier" education system further dividing education between the rich and the poor emerged as the growth in IB is driven by private schools and sixth-form colleges.
Political objections to the IBDP in the United States have resulted in an attempt to eliminate it from a public school in Pittsburgh. Some schools in the United States have eliminated the IBDP due to budgetary reasons and low student participation. In Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, funding for the IBDP was reduced from $300,000 to $100,000 after State Senator Margaret Dayton
Margaret Dayton
Margaret Dayton is an American politician from Utah. A Republican, she is a member of the Utah State Senate, representing the state's 15th senate district in Provo and Orem since 2007...
objected to the program, stating, "I don't want to create 'world citizens' nearly as much as I want to help cultivate American citizens who function well in the world."
Allegations of plagiarism
After Jeffrey Beard, the director-general of International Baccalaureate, gave a talk on "Education for a Better World" on August 5 2010 at the Chautauqua InstitutionChautauqua Institution
The Chautauqua Institution is a non-profit adult education center and summer resort located on 750 acres in Chautauqua, New York, 17 miles northwest of Jamestown in the western part of New York State...
in New York State, the institution issued a statement the next day in which it expressed "genuine disappointment" with the talk, noting that it "drew heavily upon and quoted extensively from a speech given earlier in the year by Sir Ken Robinson", while adding that he "neglected to cite his source or reveal the quotations for what they were". Ken Robinson is a renowned British educationist who lives in the United States. Through an IB spokesperson, Beard admitted that "he could have been more explicit about the sources and authors that inspired him for the content of this speech". In a letter sent to heads of schools that offer the IB curricula, he described this as an "unfortunate incident" due to an "oversight".
In an apparently unrelated development, the Times Educational Supplement
Times Educational Supplement
The Times Educational Supplement is a weekly UK publication aimed primarily at school teachers in the UK. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in The Times newspaper. Such was its popularity that in 1914, the supplement became a separate publication selling for 1 penny.The TES...
revealed on October 8, 2010, that significant portions of some of IB's marking guides for the IB Diploma Programme were lifted wholesale from unattributed websites, including Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
. In a letter to schools, IB director-general Beard wrote: "We have and always will take immediate and appropriate action when we discover any violation of our policies or standards." The examiner responsible for the plagiarism resigned from the examination board five weeks after the issue came to light.
See also
- Baccalaureate School for Global EducationBaccalaureate School for Global EducationThe Baccalaureate School for Global Education is a New York City Public School located in the Astoria section of Queens, New York. BSGE was established in 2002. It serves a student body of approximately 430 students between the 7th and 12th grades...
- International schoolInternational schoolAn International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national...
- Cambridge International ExaminationsCambridge International ExaminationsUniversity of Cambridge International Examinations is a provider of international qualifications for students between the ages of 14 and 19, offering examinations and qualifications in more than 150 countries. It is an Examination Board under Cambridge Assessment, founded in 1858 as a department...