Friday, April 4, 2025

IB Course Planning, Units to Lessons.

I have been wrapping my head around the way that course/unit planning needs to take place on an interdisciplinary level to some degree, and as well, trying to understand that the Language A course (Language and Literature), is generally, a 2 year course. THat being said the school trys to ensure that a teacher is employed throughout the span of that program in order to remain consistent and keep students in a stable learning environment.

I have constantly (through the unit planning portion of this qualification course), been wondering what the structure could look like for a beginning teacher to really grasp the understanding of the components involved, here is a model of what I had developed,

The **IB Language and Literature (Higher Level)** course is designed to develop students' language skills, critical thinking, and cultural awareness through the exploration of different types of texts, both written and spoken, and the study of various media forms. Below is a typical outline breakdown of the course by units, keeping in mind that some schools may organize or emphasize units slightly differently.

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1. Language in Cultural Context

**Objective:** Understand how language shapes and reflects cultural contexts. This section explores how language functions in different cultural, social, and historical contexts.

Units:

- **Unit 1: The Power of Language**

- Exploration of language as a tool of communication and persuasion

- Rhetorical techniques and strategies in texts

- Analyzing speeches, advertisements, and media

- **Unit 2: Identity and Language**

- How language constructs identity in different cultures and contexts

- The role of language in shaping personal, cultural, and societal identities

- Focus on sociolinguistic factors (e.g., dialect, register, formality)

- **Unit 3: Language and Society**

- The role of language in social interactions and societal norms

- Issues like language variation, code-switching, and language in the media

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2. Language and Mass Communication

**Objective:** Examine how language and media influence society and culture. This part focuses on how language functions in the public domain.

Units:

- **Unit 1: Media and Communication**

- Understanding the role of language in media and its impact on audiences

- Analyzing newspapers, websites, and social media

- Exploring how language influences public opinion and behavior

- **Unit 2: Journalism and the News**

- Analysis of news reports and media narratives

- Investigating how journalists construct language and the role of bias

- Discussing ethics in mass communication

- **Unit 3: Digital Communication**

- Exploring the language of online communication (e.g., social media, blogs)

- Impact of digital media on language use and cultural norms

- Language of emojis, memes, and other new media forms

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3. Literary Forms

**Objective:** Study literary texts, recognizing their cultural, historical, and societal influences. Students will also focus on the development of analytical skills through close reading and discussion.

Units:

- **Unit 1: Prose Fiction**

- Focus on the study of novels and short stories

- Literary devices, themes, characterization, and structure

- Texts may include modern and classic literature from a variety of cultures

- **Unit 2: Poetry**

- Study of poems from different genres, time periods, and cultural contexts

- Focus on analyzing poetic form, language, metaphor, and symbolism

- **Unit 3: Drama**

- Exploration of plays and theatrical works

- Analysis of dialogue, stage directions, characterization, and themes

- Comparison of different theatrical traditions and genres

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4. Literary Analysis

**Objective:** Develop deeper skills in analyzing literature and language through independent and comparative study. In this part, students work with a range of texts to refine their understanding of literature.

Units:

- **Unit 1: Comparative Study of Texts**

- Students compare at least two works (one must be a work of literature)

- Analyze common themes, character development, and literary techniques across different genres and cultural contexts

- **Unit 2: Independent Study**

- Extended essay or project where students engage in an independent study of a literary or non-literary work

- Focus on a specific theme, author, or genre, supported by in-depth research and analysis

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5. Oral Interaction and Assessment

**Objective:** Strengthen speaking and listening skills in academic and everyday contexts. Students engage in discussions, debates, and presentations, practicing their ability to communicate ideas effectively in spoken language.

Units:

Unit 1: Oral Presentations

- Presentations of literary and non-literary texts to the class

- Preparation for the Individual Oral Commentary (IOC) and Individual Oral Presentation (IOP)

Unit 2: Discussions and Debates

- Practice speaking and debating on a range of topics (literary, social, cultural)

- Focus on structure, clarity, and persuasive language

Unit 3: Individual Oral Commentary (IOC)

- A formal assessment where students are required to present an analysis of a literary text

- Typically includes an oral commentary on an excerpt from a studied work

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6. Assessments:

**Objective:** The course includes both internal and external assessments to measure students' understanding and proficiency in language and literature.

Assessment Components:

Internal Assessments:

**Oral Assessments (IOC and IOP)**

**Written Tasks:**

These may include literary essays, analytical commentaries, or creative tasks

External Assessments:

**Paper 1 (Textual Analysis):**

Involves analyzing an unseen passage (both literary and non-literary texts)

**Paper 2 (Comparative Essay):**

Comparative essay on works studied in the course

**Extended Essay:**

An independent research essay on a topic of the student’s choice within the domain of Language and Literature

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This outline reflects the general progression and topics within the **IB Language and Literature Higher Level** course. Some variations might occur based on the specific texts chosen, but the course typically emphasizes both literary analysis and practical language use in various forms of communication.

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Taking this a step further, I have developed the following Unit Draft

Unit Design for Grade 11 IB Language and Literature (A)

Unit Title: The Power of Language: Persuasion, Influence, and Manipulation

Unit Overview:

This unit will explore how language is a powerful tool for persuasion, influence, and manipulation in both written and spoken forms. Students will critically analyze various texts from different mediums (speeches, advertisements, articles, political debates, etc.) to understand the rhetorical strategies employed by speakers and writers to influence their audiences. The focus will be on understanding how language shapes opinions, manipulates public sentiment, and reinforces or challenges social norms.

Key Concepts:

- Language and Power: How language can be used to assert control, influence opinions, and shape societal narratives.

- Rhetoric: The study of persuasive language techniques, such as ethos, pathos, logos, and rhetorical questions.

- Audience and Purpose: Analyzing how language is tailored to influence a specific audience and achieve particular objectives.

- Bias and Manipulation: Understanding how language can be used to deceive, mislead, or distort facts.

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Unit Objectives:

By the end of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Identify and analyze rhetorical techniques used in persuasive texts (e.g., speeches, advertisements, news articles).

2. Explore how language shapes political, social, and cultural discourse.

3. Critically evaluate the ethical implications of persuasive language and manipulation.

4. Construct a persuasive argument using effective rhetorical strategies.

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Texts and Materials:

- Speeches (e.g., Martin Luther King Jr.'s *"I Have a Dream"*, Winston Churchill’s *"We Shall Fight on the Beaches"*)

- Political Advertisements (e.g., modern campaign ads, historical political propaganda)

- Advertisements (e.g., print, TV commercials, social media ads)

- News Articles (e.g., editorials, opinion pieces)

- Media Clips (e.g., TED Talks, debates, commercials)

- Literary Excerpts (e.g., excerpts from *1984* by George Orwell, *The Handmaid's Tale* by Margaret Atwood)

Unit Breakdown Summary:

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Week 1: Introduction to Language and Power

Learning Goals:

- Define the relationship between language and power.

- Understand the role of rhetoric in persuasion and influence.

Activities:

- Discussion: Start with a class discussion about the ways language can influence beliefs and behaviors in society (e.g., political speeches, social media posts, advertisements).

- Lecture/Notes: Introduction to rhetorical strategies—ethos, pathos, logos, and rhetorical questions.

- Text Analysis: Analyze a famous speech (e.g., Martin Luther King Jr.'s *"I Have a Dream"*). Discuss how the speaker uses emotional appeal (pathos), credibility (ethos), and logical reasoning (logos) to persuade the audience.

Homework:

- Read an article about the role of rhetoric in modern political campaigns.

- Identify and annotate rhetorical techniques in the article.

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Week 2: Rhetoric and Persuasive Techniques

Learning Goals:

- Analyze how ethos, pathos, and logos are used in persuasive language.

- Identify biases and rhetorical techniques in media and advertisements.

Activities:

- Text Analysis: Dissect a political advertisement or campaign speech (e.g., Obama's *Yes We Can* campaign speech). Discuss how rhetorical devices are employed to influence public opinion.

- Group Activity: In small groups, students choose an advertisement (print or video) and present how it uses rhetorical strategies to persuade the audience.

- Debate: Students will engage in a class debate on a controversial topic (e.g., social media censorship) while incorporating rhetorical strategies to persuade their peers.

Homework:

- Watch a TED Talk and identify key rhetorical strategies used in the speaker’s delivery.

- Write a reflection on how the speaker's use of ethos, pathos, and logos contributed to their persuasive power.

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Week 3: Language, Bias, and Manipulation

Learning Goals:

- Understand how language can be manipulated to deceive or mislead.

- Evaluate the ethical implications of persuasive language in the media.

Activities:

- Textual Analysis: Examine a piece of media with obvious bias (e.g., a news article with slanted language, or political propaganda).

- Class Discussion: Discuss how biased language can influence perceptions and reinforce stereotypes or political ideologies.

- Group Project: Students work in groups to find examples of biased language in modern media (news, advertisements, social media) and present to the class, discussing how the language manipulates audience beliefs.

Homework:

- Write an analysis of a biased article or advertisement. Focus on how language is used to influence the audience’s opinion.

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Week 4: Persuasive Language in Contemporary Media

Learning Goals:

- Analyze how language is used in digital and social media to persuade and manipulate.

- Explore how language shapes public discourse in online platforms.

Activities:

-Media Analysis: Students will review advertisements, viral campaigns, or political messages on social media platforms (e.g., Twitter, Instagram, TikTok). They will analyze how these messages use persuasive language to influence public opinion.

-Case Study: Examine a viral social media campaign and discuss its language, tone, and rhetorical strategies.

Homework:

- Find an example of a social media campaign (political or commercial) and analyze how language is used to persuade the audience.

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Week 5: Application of Rhetorical Techniques (Writing Focus)

Learning Goals:

- Apply rhetorical strategies to create persuasive written arguments.

- Write an essay that uses effective persuasion and rhetorical techniques.

Activities:

-Essay Writing: Students will write a persuasive essay on a topic of their choice, using ethos, pathos, and logos. They should focus on structuring the argument logically and effectively.

-Peer Review:Students will exchange essays and give feedback on each other’s use of rhetorical strategies.

Homework:

- Revise persuasive essays based on peer feedback.

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Week 6: Reflection and Assessment

Learning Goals:

- Reflect on the ethical dimensions of persuasive language.

- Demonstrate the ability to critically analyze persuasive texts.

Activities:

- Discussion: Discuss the ethical implications of using persuasive language. When is it ethical to manipulate language, and when does it cross the line into manipulation?

- Summative Assessment: Students will complete an individual oral presentation (IOP) analyzing a persuasive text (speech, ad, editorial) of their choice. They will discuss the rhetorical strategies used and evaluate their effectiveness.

Passive/Homework:

- Prepare for the Individual Oral Presentation (IOP) on a text of the student’s choosing.

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Assessment in Unit:

1. Formative Assessments:

- Weekly reading reflections and text analyses.

- Group presentations and discussions on rhetorical techniques.

2. Summative Assessment:

- Individual Oral Presentation (IOP): Students choose a persuasive text, identify rhetorical strategies, and present their analysis. This can be a speech, advertisement, article, or any other persuasive text they find compelling.

-Essay: Students write an essay using effective rhetorical strategies to appeal to a target audience on a topic of their choice.

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Reflection and Teacher Notes:

Differentiation: Provide students with a range of media (print, digital, video) for analysis to cater to diverse learning styles. Encourage students to select their own persuasive texts for the IOP, ensuring they can engage with material that is meaningful to them.

Extension Activities: For advanced students, introduce more complex rhetorical theories or ask them to analyze the effects of persuasive language on different social or political issues.

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Rationale: This unit will allow students to critically engage with the power of language, refining their skills in both analysis and persuasive communication, while also encouraging an ethical approach to the manipulation of language.

Thursday, April 3, 2025

IBEC-DP-Teaching and Learning "Wk. 5.2 TOK Activity 2 "

In your teaching you will be expected to explore links between the topics of your subject and TOK. As an example of how you would do this, choose one specific topic from your subject that would allow your students to make links with TOK. Describe, briefly, how you would plan the lesson. This could be in point form and might include your 'good' knowledge question (from 5.1 activity above), the big idea (transfer goal) and/or essential understandings (e.g., content, skills, concepts). (maximum 200 words).

Submit your response in the Discussion 5.2.

Respond to at least 1 other participant's post.

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Simulated question:

"How does Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s portrayal of trauma in The Yellow Wallpaper challenge the ways in which personal experiences and mental states shape the construction and sharing of knowledge, and what role does subjectivity play in shaping an individual’s understanding of reality?"

This question connects to the TOK theme of ways of knowing (such as emotion, perception, and reason) and knowledge and the knower. It also invites exploration of how personal experiences—especially those shaped by trauma—can influence the interpretation and dissemination of knowledge, both by the author and by the reader.

simulated question 2,

"How can trauma, as depicted in The Yellow Wallpaper, shape an individual's perception of reality and influence the way knowledge is understood and communicated?"

This keeps the focus on the broader implications of trauma and its relationship to knowledge, without diving too deeply into authorial or character reflections.

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Greetings,

sharing a full lesson plan that I created in the past and adapted to show how I attempt to connect TOK to my lesson material in my subject area, I have attached the lesson plan, you can access the full document at my TPT page, please like, subscribe and leave a comment if possible, greatly appreciated!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Yellow-Wallpaper-Introduction-Lesson-Demo-ENG4U-IBDP-ENG3U-13094544

the question I simulated with regards to the TOK is the following,

"How can trauma, as depicted in The Yellow Wallpaper, shape an individual's perception of reality and influence the way knowledge is understood and communicated?"

This question connects to the TOK theme of ways of knowing (such as emotion, perception, and reason) and knowledge and the knower. It also invites exploration of how personal experiences—especially those shaped by trauma—can influence the interpretation and dissemination of knowledge, both by the author and by the reader. This keeps the focus on the broader implications of trauma and its relationship to knowledge, without diving too deeply into authorial or character reflections.

IBEC-DP-Teaching and Learning "Wk. 5.1 TOK Activity 1 "

In the TOK Guide you will see examples of good “knowledge questions” (pp.10-15).

Choose a specific sub-topic from your subject area and write a good "knowledge question” for it. Explain and justify why it is a “Good” knowledge question. (maximum 100 words).

Submit your response in the Discussion 5.1

Respond to at least 1 other participant's post.

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I explored the TOK DP Guide, English: Language (A) Literature Brief, and thhe (2021) DP Guide For English: Languageand Literature; I honestly am exhausted trying to figure out what my "sub-topic" is so I did this, I look at TOK, explored the optional themes and took a an example of a "good question" from there (Knowledge and Language), as the idea is that students would be connecting experiences from their specific-subject classes and applying it to the TOK learning experiences. I selected the question, "What role dpes language play in allowing knowledge to be shared with future generations?"; taking this question I created a question that would guide students through a reading of 1984 by George Orwell, as this is a text that seems to be relevant to the course I am/would be teaching to an extent. The question I created was, "How does the manipulation of language in 1984 affect the transmission of knowledge, and what does this suggest about the relationship between language, truth, and historical memory?" This question touches on how the Party’s control of language (through Newspeak) limits individuals' ability to express and preserve knowledge, which ultimately impacts future generations' understanding of history and truth. It invites a deeper discussion about the power of language to shape reality and influence what is passed down to future societies.

IBEC-DP-Teaching and Learning "Wk. 6.3 Service Learning Activity 3 "

Watch the TEDx talk from Daniela Papi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=oYWl6Wz2NB8

Provide a post (100-175 words) which draws upon (at least some of) the following prompts. Post at least one brief reply to another participant.

What are some of the negative outcomes of volunteerism? What are the double standards Papi alludes to? What are the differences between sympathy and empathy? Is CAS a ‘guilt offsetting programme’? What are the connections between service learning projects and volunteerism? Has this changed your perception of international service programs?

From What's wrong with volunteer travel?: Daniela Papi at TEDxOxbridge, I believe the percpetion of "anyone can do it" as described by Papi, comes from the belief that person taking the group of volunteers over is expert enough to prepare anyone to come in and do it. People will indeed learn from travelling and volunteering, agreed, it won't all be good things. It should be understood that yes, schools need to take more responsibility for students' learning. The idea of the "educational tourism" resonates with me, I had my students designing trips in our Tourism and Hospitality classes for places they wanted to go and learn more about, I think that's a fascinating idea, I also think I would be interested save that this should be something that schools connect one to the other with across the globe, a "railway" or "belt" initiative. Creativity, Activity and Service is not a 'guilt offsetting programme' in its own right, however it certainly can be manipulated to be such through misperception. Remember that CAS is built on the development of experience in relevant areas of students' lives.

IBEC-DP Teaching and Learning: M3 "Learner Profile and Programme Standards and Practices"

3.1 Learner Profile - Discussion

"A ship is always safe at the shore - but that is NOT what it is built for." - Albert Einstein

"Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Journals of R.W. Emerson, with Annotations- 1841-1844

There are a number of ways to use quotes or images as stimuli for class activities. For example, with reference to the image above, 'fish breaks free from shoal' one could ask students to make a connection to their own life or with a character in history or in literature (especially in terms of peer pressure). For another example, with reference to the Einstein quote, one could discuss metaphors and their value in expressing the essence of an attribute, particularly in a language & literature class. The quote from Emerson might be used as an opener for looking at innovations and innovators in any number of contexts or disciplines, e.g., science and technology and the idea of 'positive failure'.

In your group discussion forum/topic:

With reference to the IB Learner Profile (see course modules for full instructions and resources), respond to each of the following prompts in no more than one paragraph and then post one reply to another participant:

i) choose one attribute that you feel you currently foster well with students and explain how you do so

In my practice I work really hard to foster the reflective attribute the most with regards to my students. I do this through the assessments I choose, the flow of lessons and the questions I ask when we are just building rapport through conversation. However, what I find happening in many cases with regards to my students is the development of two attributes most holistically as a bi-product of my practice, the first being, communication, students excel in communicating their needs/concerns as well as deciding when not to communicate as they may feel their concern is unwarranting of argument, they can identify they difference between what they feel and what is with regards to submitted assignments. The second attribute being in thinking, where the thinking takes place is often in regards to assessment and evaluation, the students imagine in their mind where the stand academically and utilize the teacher feedback to adopt changes as needed in order to achieve their desired outcome. Students present me with holsitic thought in regards to carrying out process quite often, and its very inspiring, but there is still a gap that our school observers in the area of creativity.

ii) choose one attribute that you feel you would like to better foster with students and explain how you would do so.

Ultimately, I would like to see more creativity on my students end rather than just "mathing-out" the work, and it is for this reason that we need to align, limit too much variaiton from classroom to classroom in terms of content by independent teachers and evaluation practice from department to department. To foster great emphasis and appreciation for the attribute, "Reflective", I believe what needs to be done is create more responsibilit on the the student as the learner to experiment and rely on their own understandings of their assessments/evaluations rather than report detailed rubrics and structure to tasks. There in lies the rub though, in order to create more independence to foster growth in this area, I need to sacrafice the comforts of expert guidance that so many rely on to develop othher attributes.

iii) to what extent do you think that the IB learner profile is key to fostering 'international-mindedness'? To what extent does the IB Learner Profile in any substantive way set the IB apart compared to other educational programmes?

The IB learner profile is not so much the signular key but a key to a degree in that it reminds educators opportunities to make adjustments to leanring that speaks directly to these attributes on a more focused level. The IB learner profile is in many regards, beyond what other educational programmes might fathom under their own scope of a learner profile in that, many educational programmes create a learner profile with the holistic prupose of it in mind, but not the practical application of the implementation. The IB learner profile in comparison to other educational programmes is a substantive documentation of the students learning that takes place in assessment and evaluation on a direct level. Although students' attributes are not being directly assessed or evaluated their ability to speak to those strengths in reflective practice is. In choosing CAS activities, students come into contact with the question of how these activities will either strengthen through the activity or be improved through the current attributes that the learner is in possession of. With regards to TOK presentations, students come into direct discussion with regards to their attributes.

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3.2 Personal Reflection - Discussion

Please respond to each question in no more than a paragraph (and one reply to another participant) in your group discussion.

1. Describe a powerful personal learning experience. What made it so powerful?

2. Describe a powerful professional teaching and/or learning experience? What made it so powerful?

3. In your experience, what makes for effective teaching and/or learning? How do you know it has been effective?

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3.3 IB Standards and Practices - Individual Assignment

Read through the IB standards and practices guide (see 'resources/module 3 resources'), in particular Standard 0403, 'Approaches to Teaching' and respond to the following prompts in a MS Word Document you create in your assigned OneDrive folder. n.B. For those with little or no teaching experience, please answer in terms of what you envisage (to the best of your ability) 'would' figure prominently, etc. If you don't find anything that resonates in Standard 0403, you may draw upon Standard 0402, 'Students as Lifelong Learners'.

1. (i) Identify from Standard 0403: one practice that currently figures prominently in your repertoire of practices and you find to be particularly effective. Be sure to cite the specific practice (with numbering) (and if helpful, sub-practices, i.e., 1.1). For this practice explain how/why (in several sentences).

In Standard 0403 of the IB's Programme Standards and Practices, currently the course I am teaching, EWC4U requires a great deal of workshopping to occur. Through my practices, one prominent connection regarding Approaches to teaching 4.2 (0403-04-0200), would be the timeline document that I created and employ in my classroom for each project. This document is a core document that outlines the entire process of creation that occurs with regards to a students' original composition. See the following link (see exemplar) for an example of a timeline document created wherein the student demosntrates their learning as it took place on a procedural level; peer-editing and peer-assessment. Through this practice, I can not only collaborate more with my students, but see what their perspective on the project or process is as they are working within a fairly lax timeline that we establish the overall beginning and end together as a class.

(ii) Identify from Standard 0403: one practice that you would like to see in the future become more a part of your repertoire of practices. Be sure to cite the specific practice (with numbering) (and if helpful, sub-practices, i.e., 1.1). For this practice explain how/why (in several sentences).

One substandard from the IB's Programme Standards and Practices that resonates with me as a substandard I would like to see applied to my practice and repetoire more would be Approaches to teaching 5.4 (0403-05-0300). An aspect that I would like to incorporate more effectively into my professional practice is agreed upon expectations that the school maintains and supports wherein a serious attitude towards student behaviours that are not academically honest. Currently I am trying my best to support English Language Learners, but the school hopes that we can provide continued growth opportunities, I understand and carry a growth mindset of my own. I do hope that that the expectations would be driven enough that I wouldn't need to show my students that I know they cheated or plagiarized, granted this happens a lot less frequently than it used to, but the point remains, if there is a strict guideline in place for teachers to align, and it is supported by local administration, we can expect it would be an effective and swift response thus creating an impact on how students treat their work.

2. Reflect on teaching and learning in non-IB (Ontario or otherwise) schools, as you've experienced it as teacher and/or student. To what extent are practices similar/different from IB practices (as found in guide)? Explain with specific examples (in one paragraph total).

Although there are similarities between teaching OSSD curriculum content tot hat of the standards and practices supported by the IB program, there are also significant differences. For example, it is optional for teachers to incorporate inquiry-based learning, however according to the IB's standards, "Approaches to Teaching 1: Teachers use inquiry, action and reflection to develop natural curiosity in students. "(0403-0100), the actual practice of this in the classroom is largely based on the willingness of the teacher, as many don’t have the time to be trained through professional development. That being said to a degree one can argue that the Ontario Curriculum holds many examples of where in inquiry is expected in the classrom, from the English Curriculum, "LITERACY,MATHEMATICAL LITERACY,AND INQUIRY/RESEARCH SKILLS"(2007, p.34), to identify how it is embedded into the framework itself. Again though, without it being required by teachers it endorses an apathetic approach towards that standard, in this the IB takes an active approach.

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Interesting find through research:

https://prezi.com/p/g5dznk3nujrj/approaches-to-teaching-0403/

https://sites.google.com/tis.edu.hk/tis-ibpyp-self-study/standard-evidence/learning/approaches-to-teaching-0403

IBEC-DP Teaching and Learning: M2 "International Mindedness" (Assignment)

IB and International-mindedness - Individual Assignment

Please respond to the questions based on the readings below. Answers to each question [e.g. 1(i)] should be approx. 40-100 words, so please be succinct and evidence-based. Please do so as an Individual Assignment by creating a Microsoft Word Doc (titled 'Module 2. IB and international-mindedness') in your OneDrive Folder (which I've now created for you and sent you the link for by email). Formatting - for all assignments: Please use 'calibri' font (black colour), font size 11, 1.0 spacing. Readings can be found in the 'Resources' section of our Brightspace Course.

Part One:

Based on " “International Education as Developed by the International Baccalaureate Organization” by Ian Hill (excerpted from: Sage Handbook of research in international education, Edition: 1st edition, Chapter: 2, Publisher: Sage, London, Editors: In M. Hayden, J. Thompson, J. Levy, pp.25-37), please respond with specific evidence/examples. When doing so, cite the relevant page number from this reading in brackets - no formal citation format needed other than this.

i) What would you discern to be most unique about the IB's origins/beginnings (i.e., historically and geographically)?

ii) How have this/these feature(s) shaped or infused the IB programmes (especially the original one, the Diploma Programme)?

iii) Do you think the IB could have just as easily had its origins (i.e., been created first) in a national public school in your current setting? (i.e., if you're in S. Korea, what about in S. Korean national public schools? Be sure to include what country/setting you are in).

Optional extension sources:

iv) You may also find it interesting to view the following video presentation (TEDxBathUniversity), 'International Education and the Promotion of Intercultural Understanding' which looks at the origins of the IB and the related United World Colleges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cbn08FYElU . You could also refer to your particular programme's guide, 'Principles into Practice', as found in the 'Resources' section. See the section, 'history of the programme'.

Part Two:

Please answer the questions below for each of the following two readings. As much as possible, please respond with specific evidence/examples (citing the relevant page number from the reading in brackets - it needn't be more formal than that). You should include at least one page reference per reading.

2.1 - George Walker, 'Speech at the Biennial Conference of IB Nordic Schools (Stockholm, September 9, 2005): What have I learned about international education?'

i) To what extent does this reading complement and/or build upon the IB foundation as depicted by the Hill article? What stands out most in this reading for you?

In the handbook, the idea of international education is distinguished between learning information about a particular place other than the place one is attending school, learning school curricula in English while living in a country where English is not the first language spoken and learning how to be internationally mindfful (Hill, pg.2). This idea is complimented by Walker's speech through the story of the student discussing the challenge where in Walker uses the characteristic of negotiation in order to identify what international education could result in (Walker, pg.6).

ii) Application: To what extent might this reading augment or challenge your educational philosophy and practice? In what ways is/could this version of 'international-mindedness/global citizenship' be relevant to your teaching practice? In what ways not? (if you are currently teaching, you should reflect on the relevance to your current school setting). What next step, if any, does this reading lead you to in your teaching practice/in your classroom with your students?

In my current teaching practices the idea of by culturally critical and responsive in pedagogy is something that is not only emphasized as highly important to me by my colleagues in Ontario, and something that I work really hard to achieve here, but indeed something that is mentioned in Walker's speech (Walker 3-4).

The next step of my career is to idenitfy ways that I challenge my students' sense of perspective without being taken out of context. What Walker describes in regards to the student who made him question whether or not an IB school would be successful in Jordan resonates with me, teaching in China, there are a great many things that we as educators want to ask, say or inquire about, however to a certain degree, administrators will not only frown upon it but strongly advise against (Walker 4-5). In this, I seek to achieve a more internationally atmospheric classroom to give studenst the bravery or humility enough to not only be asked those questions, but ask those questions themselves.

iii) Thinking/Reflection: Are there universal values of a good education? What is the relationship between our perspectives and knowledge & truth? To what extent does bias limit our
pursuit of knowledge & truth (including educational programming/curriculum)? To what extent can this be mitigated?

Universal values of good education are indeed characteristics that resonate with me after reading Walker's speech, he describes characteristics of international education that I believe are values of "good" education, the three that I think I might say are characteristics of a good education are communication, cultural awareness and negotiation (pg.1). Our perspectives, knowledge and truth are related through the idea that they make us feel grounded and are large contributing factors to our ideas of right and wrong. Our bias is our concept of truth. This limits our pusuit of knowledge and truth because we are only looking at the things we are prompted to be looking for. We can combat this through interacting with international companions and developing an international mindedness of our own.

2.2 - Irene Davy, Learners without Borders: A Curriculum for Global Citizenship

i) To what extent does this reading complement and/or build upon the IB foundation as depicted by the Hill article? What stands out most in this reading for you?

On a fundamental level, the ideas presented in page 2 of Davy's Learners without Borders: A Curriculum for GLobal Citizneship, adheres to the call for international schools to place individuals of different pathways and backgrounds (culturally, academically, and socially) in rooms next to each other in order to develop a picture of what the future could, should and likely will look like for many in the future. Davy's idea shared is that the time period we find ourselves in is the actualization of the curriculum that was initially envisioned by the IB and thus making this global citizenship curriculum extremely relevant. Ultimately, what stands out to me is the sentiments shared, being an international school teacher and having my feelings on experiences in schools overseas teaching, it really resonates me as something I try really hard to bring to the staff, school and students in general through content and experience. I would like to work towards a more "internationally minded" (pg.8) curriculum, however at this stage in my career, I am working more on an internationally minded-department. Unfortauntely I can work with other departments to impart opportunities for international mindedness, but it is not solely up to me nor does our staff often have the resource/accessibility to do as we envision.

As I mentioned, while reading this perspective on global curriculum by Davy (pg.8-9),my practice currently includes the attributes of an international minded teacher. The idea regarding the future directions of IB educators is still in my distant future as I seek to complete the IBEC-DP qualification. That being said, In my practice, for example, my students are tasked with identifying characteristics of social justice in a text (in the past we studied Twelve Angry Men and Reasonable Doubt). From this base point, students begin to inquire on levels of the text that they feel they either would like to learn more about and/or refine their understanding of to that of an "expert" level. The project is uniformly a podcast unit that requires students to take on the responsibility of building an maintain sustained spoken English and share an interview they took with a relevant voice on the topic they are inquiring about. This project started years ago when I realized that written pen pals were not a feasible endeavour from China as some of our class pen pals were in places like Sengal and Brunei, these places are very inconvenient to recieve and send mail to through China. That being said, with regards to Davy's sentiments on future practice for IB educators, I had a colleague who joined me in teaching ENG4U, together we established what we both thought were reasonable parameters to our classes together and since, have been working together to align as well as explore what projects look like in classrooms beyond our own. These projects have come to a point where we now hold an annual film festival that students are the sole contributors to, students are confidently publishing work to social media and learning how to control their online presence in a professional manner.

Assignment Title: 'Module 2. IB and international-mindedness'

Module 2. IB and international-mindedness

Carmelo Bono

Eric Robertson

IBEC-DP-Teaching and Learning

Jan. 29. 2025

Part 1 and Part 2- What is IB?

Part 1 “International Education as Developed by the International Baccalaureate Organization” by Ian Hill

What is most unique about the IB'S origins and beginnings is the idea that it was founded on the basis that there is indeed a distinction between an "international school" and a school that offers a curriculum from a different country. It raises a great deal of attention for me, to the idea that international schools contribute to international mindedness through curriculum, learning environment, and school philosophy as these are fundamental pieces of information that many "international schools" through around in a manner that really delinates the importance of these things for marketing purposes (Hill, pg.26).

ii)

The idea of a worldly curriculum that entails world history and world geography being of little attraction to individuals who are enrolling their children there is something that resonates with me deeply (Hill, pg. 26). There is learning world history and then there is, learning history in a language other than the geographical location’s first language. The idea that there is a pragmatism and ideal in running a program like this (the IB) certainly has an influence on the way it is received and delivered, in this handbook, it is outlining how the curriculum is developed in 1996 to educate the future and an individual's life in a global way (Hill, pg.33-34).

iii)

It was interesting to read essentially how the IBDP was inspired by the trials and procedures carried out through Atlantic College onwards of 1962 wherein students were in living situations that were essentially built to challenge their willingness to communicate with people of other cultures (Hill, 2006, pg.27). It was after 1970 that amendments to the curricula began to occur eventually leading to a situation that resembles the use of triangulation to identify student readiness for graduation. Being from Canada, specifically Ontario, given the time of the development wherein the IBO begins branding its IBDP in 1970, Ontario's Ministry of Education was only in its early stages of its own organization of the education system and thereafter began experiencing a decline in enrollment (School Systems, 2015). That being said, given the idea that "eventually" a curriculum to that of the IB would be developed in Ontario, through Ontario's education as a jump-base, it seems unlikely given the fact that within the situation of the IBO, that beginning with the International School of Geneva, the curricula was expected to resemble something that would apply to students on a global scale and be something that students attending could ascertain regardless of their citizenship. In Ontario, or even Canada in general, there is a grand disconnect between each province let alone districts wherein the education system and the stakeholder's education resemble their home province rather than a unified "national perspective" in Canada at that time. If we as Canadians can claim witness to the development of international Education, I believe we would have seen it much earlier on, however Canada did not overcome the obstacles of segregated schooling as a whole until the early 90's, prior to that the Japanese, Chinese and Indigenous people were at one point or another excluded from what might be percieved as equal opportunity in education, and it might be said that segregated neighbours (not schools), may have limited the number of visible minorities into certain schools as an exclusiionary practice (Dr.Karen L., 2019). Through all the time between the 90's to now, Canada has developed an education situation that better resembles the Indigenous in Canada, even then, the idea is that there is a great deal of disconnect seperating provinces and people based on the various histories, cultures and geographical locations. Maybe eventually Canada will model an education system from that of the IB as BC is trying to and ON seemingly tries to, but to see it as something that would develop without it being done somewhere else seems unlikely to me. To conclude, although I have these feelings based on my own understandings of available information, I came acorss the interesting development of the CIE (Comparative and International Education Society of Canada) wherein Katz called a together a group of like minded scholars to investigate the educational landscape of Canada which led to the invitation of the UNESCO to these discussions to compare and discussion the international educational landscape.

Part 2.1 George Walker, 'Speech at the Biennial Conference of IB Nordic Schools (Stockholm, September 9, 2005): What have I learned about international education?'

ii)

iii)

Part 2.2- Irene Davy, Learners without Borders: A Curriculum for Global Citizenship

On a fundamental level, the ideas presented in page 2 of Davy's Learners without Borders: A Curriculum for Global Citizneship, adheres to the call for international schools to place individuals of different pathways and backgrounds (culturally, academically, and socially) in rooms next to each other in order to develop a picture of what the future could, should and likely will look like for many in the future. Davy's idea shared is that the time period we find ourselves in is the actualization of the curriculum that was initially envisioned by the IB and thus making this global citizenship curriculum extremely relevant. Ultimately, what stands out to me is the sentiments shared, being an international school teacher and having my feelings on experiences in schools overseas teaching, it really resonates me as something I try really hard to bring to the staff, school and students in general through content and experience. I would like to work towards a more "internationally minded" (pg.8) curriculum, however at this stage in my career, I am working more on an internationally minded-department. Unfortauntely I can work with other departments to impart opportunities for international mindedness, but it is not solely up to me nor does our staff often have the resource/accessibility to do as we envision.

ii)

As I mentioned, while reading this perspective on global curriculum by Davy (pg.8-9), my practice currently includes the attributes of an international minded teacher. The idea regarding the future directions of IB educators is still in my distant future as I seek to complete the IBEC-DP qualification. That being said, In my practice, for example, my students are tasked with identifying characteristics of social justice in a text (in the past we studied Twelve Angry Men and Reasonable Doubt). From this base point, students begin to inquire on levels of the text that they feel they either would like to learn more about and/or refine their understanding of to that of an "expert" level. The project is uniformly a podcast unit that requires students to take on the responsibility of building an maintain sustained spoken English and share an interview they took with a relevant voice on the topic they are inquiring about. This project started years ago when I realized that written pen pals were not a feasible endeavour from China as some of our class pen pals were in places like Sengal and Brunei, these places are very inconvenient to recieve and send mail to through China. That being said, with regards to Davy's sentiments on future practice for IB educators, I had a colleague who joined me in teaching ENG4U, together we established what we both thought were reasonable parameters to our classes together and since, have been working together to align as well as explore what projects look like in classrooms beyond our own. These projects have come to a point where we now hold an annual film festival that students are the sole contributors to, students are confidently publishing work to social media and learning how to control their online presence in a professional manner.

Sources:

Davy, Irene. Learners without Borders: A Curriculum for Global Citizenship.

Hill, Ian.International Education as Developed by the International Baccalaureate Organization. Sage Handbook of research in international education, Edition: 1st edition, Chapter: 2, Publisher: Sage, London, Editors: In M. Hayden, J. Thompson, J. Levy, pp.25-37

Walker, George. Speech at the Biennial Conference of IB Nordic Schools (Stockholm, September 9, 2005): What have I learned about international education?.

History of Education in Canada

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/history-of-education

School Systems, The Canadian Encyclopedia

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/school-systems

A Historical Overview of Education in Canada

https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/robsonsoced/chapter/__unknown__-3/A link to the document can be accessed here:

Feedback provided:

IBEC-DP-Curriculum Processes: Module 2 "Content and Assignment"

Module 2: PERSPECTIVES, METHODS and TOOLS in context

The IB believes in an inclusive approach to education designed to remove or reduce barriers so that every student can fully participate in IB programmes. Inclusive education is facilitated in a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, support and problem-solving involving the whole school community. Across the world, inclusive education has grown from a movement that was about the inclusion of students with disabilities to a holistic approach that is about all learners and values the diversity of the student population.

The IB approaches equity and inclusive education in two main ways:

inclusive principles in the design of IB programmes

inclusive education practices in IB World Schools.

The case of Chicago - an inclusive or exclusive perspective on the Diploma Programme :

For decades and to this day, the DP is often considered exclusive, for the highest achieving students, only for a certain few who can pay a fee (in many private schools), etc. Yes, it's an academically rigorous programme that requires some reflection on the part of the school as to what the admissions policy (which is a required policy by the IB). Over the past 5-6 years, there has been a movement to make the DP more accessible for all students much like the other programmes, PYP and MYP, should be. Before thinking that means every student will be expected to be assessed as DP students (take the exams, prepare the internal assessments, etc), inclusivity in an ideal context would be that every student benefit from the conceptual nature of the programme.

Transforming schools in Chicago

Chicago schools to expand IB programs in local schools in wake of critical report

Working to My Potential : The Postsecondary Experiences of CPS Students in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

Taking action to address exclusion and marginalization

You can easily find examples of different schools' admissions policies online as they should be accessible to a school's community. Looking at some of those might help you answer the first question. eg. International School of Hellerup , International School (Belgrade), The Pupil World School

IB programmes are designed to ensure inclusivity and equitability—allowing all IB learners to have equal opportunities to learning pathways, learning experiences and educational recognition. The IB applies these principles for programmes and subjects.

When designing and developing the curriculum, the IB aims to meet the principles of equity and inclusive education through:

designing and developing a universally designed curriculum that is inclusive, fair and accessible for all IB learners

taking into consideration planned access and adaptations (inclusivity and accessibility for groups of students who would need specific access) and student well-being

drawing upon the full range of ways of knowing and incorporating experiences, contribution and histories from across cultures, nationalities, backgrounds, identities and perspectives

ensuring representation across cultures, nationalities, identities and experiences.

The above will allow all learners to feel represented and seen in the curriculum—to feel they each belong. Students are encouraged to think critically and holistically about a subject with an awareness of their biases. This can help reduce or remove cultural bias, and expose learners to multiple co-existing narratives and ways of knowing.

Read the IB's Access and Inclusion Policy.

IB assessments address inclusivity, equitability and accessibility by:

using the principles of universal design of assessments, including cultural diversity and sensitivity to personal identity, in assessment design and development

considering student well-being during assessment design and development

providing inclusive access arrangements for students with access requirements

supporting students who are impacted by adverse circumstances during examinations

ensuring that evaluation of achievement is carried out in a reliable and valid manner by providing instructions to IB examiners to reduce or eliminate bias during the marking process.

The IB principles of equity and inclusive education focus on all students—equal opportunities for every IB learner. Equal opportunities in the learning journey will not mean equal outcomes, but the focus is on all IB students fully participating and engaging in IB programmes. The principle is to emphasize similarities and strengths and not differences and what divides us.

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Module 2: Tools for all 21st Century Learners (and beyond)

The IB Diploma Programme's (DP) commitment to inclusivity goes beyond just words—it’s a core philosophy aimed at ensuring all students, regardless of their backgrounds or learning needs, can thrive. By fostering a supportive and flexible learning environment, the DP enables students with special learning needs to access the same rigorous curriculum as their peers, while receiving the personalized strategies and support they need to succeed. This approach not only ensures equity but also promotes a deeper understanding of how diverse learning methods can enrich a classroom. The DP’s vision of inclusivity is about creating a space where all students can reach their full potential, demonstrating that this ideal is more than just a goal—it's a daily reality in IB classrooms.

The Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills play a crucial role in making this vision achievable. These skills provide students with strategies for success, offering ways to manage their workload, collaborate with peers, and think critically. For students with special learning needs, ATL skills can be adapted to meet their specific challenges, empowering them to overcome obstacles and excel in their studies. For all students, these skills build the foundation for academic and personal growth, preparing them for success in a globalized, fast-changing world.

They are vital in the DP because they help all students, including those with special learning needs, develop the tools necessary for academic success and personal growth. These skills—thinking, communication, social, self-management, and research—promote independence and adaptability, which are essential in a rigorous, inquiry-based curriculum like the DP.

For students with special learning needs, ATL skills offer structured strategies that can be tailored to their specific challenges. For example, self-management skills help these students stay organized and manage their workload, while communication skills enhance their ability to express themselves in ways that may better suit their learning style. These skills empower them to navigate academic and personal hurdles more effectively.

For all students, ATL skills are crucial for developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and research abilities that are applicable both in and beyond the classroom. They help students become lifelong learners, fostering resilience, collaboration, and a global mindset, which are key components of the IB philosophy. Thus, the ATL framework supports not only academic success but also the development of well-rounded individuals equipped to tackle real-world challenges.

Approaches to learning skills complement the learner profile, knowledge, conceptual understanding and inquiry. Before we go any further, take a second to reflect on these questions :

What is the culture of skill development at my school ?

How much value is placed on skill development ?

How much time is spent explicitly teaching and intentionally practicing and reflecting on skills ?

How do we know and decide which skills are important to 21st Century learners ?

Take a little time to read the Forbes article 'What is a 21st Century Learner ?' This quote, in particular, really struck me :

The best preparation for a complex and rapidly changing future is learning to make a contribution today. Extended community-connected challenges build agency, design thinking and entrepreneurial mindset. Well-resourced students often have access to powerful learning experiences. Equity demands that all young people have access. In addition to being vital for individual learners, 21st century learning builds vibrant communities. The ecosystems that skill-up will win in the innovation economy.

Our goal as IB educators (or as educators in general) is to not only help prepare students for the World of today, tomorrow, and beyond, but also to help develop the whole person and give them the tools they need to make the World a better and more peaceful place. This isn't just ideological dreaming, this is a real and important possibility.

There is already research that supports how the Diploma Programme helps students succeed in post-secondary education (https://www.lcc.ca/uploaded/1_Publications/IB_Diploma/IB_StudentPerfBrochure1.9-1.pdf), but we want more than that - success is not limited to getting into a great school, or getting high marks, or making lots of money. A large part of being successful is also being happy, feeling purposeful. In order to work towards this, we need to provide students with opportunities to explicitly learn and intentionally practice skills, cognitive and affective.

There are 5 categories :

1. Communication Skills

The IB has developped across all programmes the Approaches to Teaching and Learning. The dedicated website on MyIB provides us with objectives, aims, tools and best practices. Please take some time to explore the site. In order to see what explicit teaching and practice can look like in a classroom, I suggest taking the time to also look at the VIDEOS section.

So what are the ATL skills ?

They are inextricably linked to the development of internationally minded students, a central aim of all IB programmes. Education for international-mindedness “relies on the development of learning environments that value the world as the broadest context for learning” (What is an IB Education? 2013). Effective approaches to teaching and learning in the DP should therefore be developed within global contexts, with particular attention being given to promoting the three key elements—global engagement, multilingualism and intercultural understanding.

The emphasis on international-mindedness found in all DP courses is a reflection of the IB’s mission, and of the belief that this “will give students the capacity to build those defences of peace that will make the world a better place” (Walker 2010: 7). The development of international-mindedness involves students developing a deeper understanding of their own perspectives, beliefs and assumptions. It also increases students’ awareness of the existence of multiple perspectives. In this way, international-mindedness is concerned with going beyond, rather than replacing, the student’s own sense of cultural and national identity. (source)

These skills are grounded in the belief that learning how to learn is fundamental to a student’s education. Five categories of interrelated skills aim to support students of all ages to become self-regulated learners who know how to ask good questions, set effective goals and pursue their aspirations with the determination to achieve them. These skills also help to support students’ sense of agency, encouraging them to see their learning as an active and dynamic process (IBO 2017). Although the ATL are relevant from 3 to 19 years of age, it is particularly important all teachers to interpret and adapt the development of these skills in ways that are appropriate for their programme learners. All teachers foster and support the development of these skills by providing opportunities embedded in authentic learning experiences.

“What is of paramount importance in the pre-university stage is not what is learned but learning how to learn … What matters is not the absorption and regurgitation either of fact or predigested interpretations of facts, but the development of powers of the mind or ways of thinking which can be applied to new situations and new presentations of facts as they arise.” - Alec Peterson Peterson, A. 1972. The International Baccalaureate: An Experiment in International Education. London. George Harrap

I think the idea is that as we attempt to develop a holistic approach to teaching and learning, we have to be aware of how we are preparing students for the real world. Are what we teaching them only performance and thinking based tasks that, while important, only develop two facets of understanding or are we including emotional intelligence and student affect to better make the link between thinking, doing, feeling and reinvesting at a more complex level ? We try and promote balance, but to do this honestly we must approach learning as mutli-dimentional, nuanced and complex way as we can. For example, when we help students collaborate, is it enough to discuss effective collaboration techniques (good listening skills, verbal and non verbal communication, synthesis, etc.) or should we also look at how creating a feeling of confidence and trust also effects collaboration ?

What's really important to consider is that the IB wants our written curriculum (during lesson or unit planning) to communicate exactly how the ATL skills are to be taught and developed. Often, we'll see units that will list 'communication skills' and ask students to perform a variety of tasks. You can'tjust give a task and say that's how a skill is developed - we HAVE to take the time to explicitly teach strategies in order to develop skills BEFORE we can expect students to apply the skills. (duh)

The ATL skills also help to support students’ sense of agency, encouraging them to see their learning as an active and dynamic process (IBO 2017). Although the ATL are relevant from 3 to 19 years of age, it is particularly important all teachers to interpret and adapt the development of these skills in ways that are appropriate for their programme learners. All teachers foster and support the development of these skills by providing opportunities embedded in authentic learning experiences. All ATL skills are applicable to all subject groups; these general “tools for learning” can be tailored to meet the specific needs of students and schools.

In order to develop ATL skills that facilitate effective and efficient learning, students need models, clear expectations, developmental benchmarks (or targets) and multiple opportunities to practise. While ATL skills are not formally assessed, they contribute to students’ achievement in all subject groups. Teachers should provide students with regular, specific feedback on the development of ATL skills through learning engagements and provide formative assessments. The most effective way to develop ATL is through ongoing, process-focused disciplinary and interdisciplinary teaching and learning. Teachers can use a wide range of content as a vehicle for teaching effective learning strategies. Likewise, ATL skills can be powerful tools for exploring significant content. This dual focus (content and process, knowledge and skills) promotes student engagement, deep understanding, transfer of skills and academic success.

*Remember, these skills are grounded in the belief that learning how to learn is fundamental to a student’s education. Five categories of interrelated skills aim to support students of all ages to become self-regulated learners who know how to ask good questions, set effective goals and pursue their aspirations with the determination to achieve them.

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Module 2: Task 1

TASK 1 : How does the development of the competencies outlined as approaches to learning (ATL) reflect the needs of a 21st century learner ? A global citizen ? Why must we 'learn how to learn' ?

Using the PADLET wall, create a short 2(ish) minute VIDEO response that works through your ideas on these reflection questions. Provide a comment to one other submission.

*Please note that this task was usually assigned on FLIPGRID, which has now been integrated into Microsoft Teams - while we've tried this before, it's always a risk trying to get technology to work with and not against us. Instead of the fuss, I thought it would be easier to post using PADLET (although if someone has a good alternative suggestion that was like Flipgrid, please let me know !)

This is really important...

You're working through ideas here - I know creating a video can make us feel vulnerable, but it's a great tool for developing communication skills and risk-taking, especially with students who might be struggling with self-confidence. One thing I've experienced in teaching this course is that often, for students for whom English might be a second or third language, there is a desire to 'apologize' for not having perfect English. Don't do that, and don't ever feel as though you should be doing that (in any context) ! Part of being internationally minded and interculturally aware is also being open to actively listening to others, to hearing different accents and appreciating language diversity. I speak very quickly, I sometimes ramble and go off on tangents, as a Franco-Ontarian I talk with my hands to the point where it is often a distraction, and I am continuously mixing up French and English words and translating in my head as I'm speaking. It took me a long time to get out of the habit of apologizing for that!

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Module 2 Assignment:

Let's get creative ! Using the CANVA platform, create a 'poster' where you briefly explain the external and internal assessments for your subject, taking care to note the requirements of each.

Once you're done, you can download it as a jpg/pdf/png or take a screenshot. Please submit via the Assignments tab.

*CANVA is a great tool to use with students - fairly easy to navigate with templates, they have the opportunity to take a risk outside of the usual 'powerpoint' or 'Google Slide' type presentations (I feel) they're accustomed to. One discussion I regularly have with my students is that, whether they like it or not, people tend to pay more attention to a presentation or a document if it looks good, if it's vibrant and colourful. Creativity draws attention ! My goal here is to introduce you to and model various strategies and tools that you could implement in your classroom!

Using the CANVA platform, create a 'poster' where you briefly explain the external and internal assessments for your subject, taking care to note the requirements of each.

In the DP, it’s crucial to start by thoroughly understanding your subject guide and the internal and external assessments because they provide a clear roadmap for success. The subject guide outlines the key concepts, objectives, and skills you need to master, helping you focus your learning on what’s most important. Internal assessments, such as projects or essays, allow you to demonstrate your understanding in more practical, personalized ways, while external assessments, like final exams, test your ability to apply knowledge under standardized conditions.

By fully grasping the criteria and expectations for both types of assessments, you can better plan your study strategies and time management. This understanding also helps reduce stress, as you know exactly what is required to meet each objective. For students, especially those navigating a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum like the DP, this clarity is essential for achieving high performance and developing the skills needed for further academic and real-world success.

When you create your CANVA poster to show that you understand the subject guide and assessment criteria, it's an opportunity to demonstrate how well you've really engaged with the material. Skimming the guide or just doing a quick Google search won’t be enough here. This task is designed to make you think critically and clearly present the key points, and it’ll be easy to see who has taken the time to dive deep into the subject guide. By really understanding what’s expected, you'll be setting yourself up for success in both your internal and external assessments, giving you a solid foundation that will pay off in the long run. Take this chance to build a poster that truly reflects your hard work and preparation!

Also...CANVA is a great tool to use with students - fairly easy to navigate with templates, they have the opportunity to take a risk outside of the usual 'powerpoint' or 'Google Slide' type presentations (I feel) they're accustomed to. One discussion I regularly have with my students is that, whether they like it or not, people tend to pay more attention to a presentation or a document if it looks good, if it's vibrant and colourful. Creativity draws attention ! My goal here is to introduce you to and model various strategies and tools that you could implement in your classroom ! There have also been a lot of new functionalities for educators (especially if you are connected to Google Education through your school) with templates, AI tools (to create worksheets, pictures, you name it !) I've been integrating it more and more into my regular classes and moving away from Slides and Classroom for student tasks - it's fun, it looks better, and has much better possibilities in terms of how far you can take it for student engagement. (*No, I do not work for Canva, I just really like it ! )

Please submit your posters (jpg, pdf, etc) through the Assignments tab. I'll post a compilation that is accessible to everyone here as I receive them. You'll notice that previous students were also generous to allow me to keep their examples, so you can see what others have done as well.

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