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
2.
3.
4.
5.
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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