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At our school, we are committed to providing students with a world-class education that prepares them for success in a rapidly changing global landscape. As part of this mission, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Progamme (DP) plays a key role by offering an ambitious all-rounder course in the years preceding University.
The IB curriculum is designed to equip students with a comprehensive and enriching educational experience. It consists of the DP core and six subject groups, ensuring a well-rounded approach to learning. The core components - Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) - challenge students to apply their knowledge and skills in meaningful ways. By engaging with these elements alongside their chosen subjects, students are encouraged to explore their interests and develop essential skills for success in a globalised world. In 2024, the IB introduced several important changes to its programme, aimed at enhancing its relevance and effectiveness for today’s learners. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at some of the key updates and what they mean for our students.
The IB has updated its program structure to provide students with more varied and practical educational pathways:
This new option offers a more vocational, hands-on education alongside the traditional IB Diploma program.
The new IB Career-related Programme is designed to meet the growing demand for a more career-focused education, combining academic rigor with practical, real-world experience. The CP is ideal for students who are more interested in pursuing a direct career path after school, offering them the opportunity to engage in career-orientated courses that align with their professional aspirations. These courses span various fields, such as business, health sciences, engineering, and the arts - giving students the chance to develop specific industry-related skills. Alongside these courses, the work placement component of the CP allows students to gain real experience through internships or shadowing professionals in their chosen field. This practical exposure not only enhances students’ understanding of their future careers but also equips them with valuable skills that improve their employability. Additionally, the CP includes a reflective project, where students critically assess ethical issues within their chosen career paths, fostering both academic inquiry and moral responsibility.
As part of a core update, the foundational elements of the IBDP - Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity, Science (CAS) - have been revised:
● TOK now incorporates a digital component to better prepare students for the modern, tech-driven world. This digital aspect encourages students to reflect on how digital platforms, such as social media, search engines and online databases influence our perceptions of truth and reliability. It raises important discussions such as the ethical implications of digital technologies such as data privacy, misinformation, and the role of artificial intelligence in decision making.
● EE now offers greater flexibility in the choice of topics and formats, encouraging students to explore their interests and sharpen their research skills. These can include literary analysis, historical investigations, biology experiments, economic studies, and environmental assessments. Formats can vary from traditional papers to multimedia presentations or creative works
● CAS places a stronger focus on collaboration, leadership, and community service - helping students develop social responsibility and teamwork abilities. Students can engage in structured projects, reflect on social impact, and address global challenges through collective action.
In response to the evolving interests and career aspirations of students, the IB has introduced several new subjects including Global Politics, Environmental Systems and Societies, and Sports, Exercise, and Health Science. These subjects cater to a broad range of student passions and prepare them for future careers in dynamic fields such as diplomacy, environmental science and sports management. See the full list here: https://www.ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/curriculum/
The IB has made adjustments to its grading and assessment methods to better reflect student achievement:
● Grading System: The revised system places more emphasis on achievement levels rather than rankings, providing a more holistic picture of a student’s progress and skills.
● Language Acquisition: Language assessments now focus more on communication and intercultural understanding, reinforcing the IB’s commitment to fostering global-mindedness.
With the most recent changes to be implemented from November 2024, updates to the IB-specific assessment procedures have been introduced to ensure fairer and more consistent exam environments across schools worldwide:
● Minimum supervision: All exams now require at least two hours of supervision, even if the exam duration is shorter. This measure aims to provide consistent oversight and prevent misconduct during assessments.
● Adjusted start times: To address the issue of time-zone related exam cheating, certain schools will see adjusted exam start times. This change is designed to reduce the risk of students in earlier time zones sharing exam content with those in later time zones.
● Calculator Memory Clearing: In order to maintain exam integrity, schools are now required to clear the memory of all calculators at the end of each exam session. This helps to prevent any stored data from being used during or after exams.
At SISD, these updates to the IB in 2024 represent an exciting opportunity for our students to further develop their academic and personal skills. Whether through more flexible research opportunities, the addition of practical career-related education or a wider variety of subjects to choose from - we are confident that these changes will enrich the learning experience and better prepare our students for their futures.
For more information on the IB Diploma Programme and how these changes will be implemented at our school, feel free to reach out to us via our enquiries page.