Conference Special 50years.ibo.org | @iborganization
EMPOWERING ALL STUDENTS TO SUCCEED How the IB is committed to equity and equality through inclusion
Editor’s letter
Welcome to the IB Global Conference, Vienna 2018
Successful school design enhances learning and inspires teaching. Well-designed classrooms affect students’ learning and academic progress by as much as 16 per cent, according to a 2015 study – Clever Classrooms – from the University of Salford, UK. On page 6, IB World Schools share how they have built learning spaces that positively impact academic achievement and wellbeing. Keynote speakers (page 10) also discuss why it’s high time classrooms and curriculums are brought into the 21st century to match the world of work, which will help to fully prepare students for the future. But schools needn’t splash out on the latest technology for a successful redesign. Simply allowing students and teachers to design their learning environment could be the answer.
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his year’s theme – ‘Shaping the Future’ – brings together IB educators from Africa, Europe and the Middle East, as well as many countries across the rest of the world. The conference provides an ideal professional development opportunity for educational leaders, decision makers and practitioners from schools, universities and governments to share best practice.
Motivated by the IB’s mission, the conference fosters partnership and participation, providing a forum for discussions on educational quality, pedagogical leadership and international mindedness. You will discover new ideas to further develop your IB programme, learn from IB practitioners, reflect on your practice and leave with inspiration and renewed energy.
Each year the IB hosts several conferences. The next IB Global Conference will take place in March 2019 in Hong Kong. For more information on upcoming events, please visit www.ibo.org
International Baccalaureate ® | Baccalaureate International ® | Bachillerato Internacional ®
COVER PHOTO: OLEKSANDR RUPETA/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
This conference also comes at the culmination of our 50th anniversary celebrations – a year of global events with students, educators and members of the IB community.
Sophie-Marie Odum, Editor Follow me on Twitter: @Sophie_Marie_O
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IB World Editor Sophie-Marie Odum IB Editors Jane Wynn, Freddie Oomkens Production Editor Ilana Harris Designer Sandra Marques Picture Editor Dominique Campbell Printed by Stephens & George Print Group, UK Published on behalf of IB by Haymarket Network,
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Contents October 2018
45 COVER STORY How the IB is addressing access and inclusion
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89 50TH ANNIVERSARY The IB celebrates 50 years with a book about its past and future
4 Read more stories online
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You can read more IB World features and community stories online at blogs.ibo.org. If you would like to contribute feature ideas or tell us about your inspiring community projects, please Tweet us @iborganization. Please note that all submissions are subject to editing.
1014 MEET THE SPEAKERS Our keynote speakers on transforming the school environment, learning for the future and tackling global inequality. Plus our pick of conference talks
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PHOTOS: SIMON STANMORE; GEOFFREY LYON; PACIFIC PRESS/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; UN PHOTO/ESKINDER DEBEBE; ADOBE STOCK; ADAM PARKER
67 SCHOOL DESIGN Two IB World Schools have redesigned their buildings to meet the needs of modern learners
E “ALL STUDENTS DESERVE A FAIR CHANCE AT EDUCATION” The IB has launched a new Braille and Modified Papers Library to further its access and inclusion agenda
very year, approximately 200 students need Braille and modified examination papers to complete the IB Diploma Programme (DP). But many students do not have past papers readily available to help them revise and prepare. In response to demand, the IB decided to launch a Braille and Modified Papers Library – whereby DP coordinators can borrow past papers. “Having access to the library can help teachers support their students appropriately,” says Dr Kala Parasuram, IB Access and Inclusion Manager.
Access is about equity Inclusive education addresses both learning support requirements and the broader objectives of education and assessment. But you’d be mistaken to think that access and inclusion just applies to students with identified learning and other challenges, as Dr Parasuram explains: “Access is about equity. Students don’t need to have an identified learning or medical challenge – it may be a family situation or a life event that may emotionally affect the student. Whatever is going on, the school needs to support students in 4
COVER STORY their educational journey. Access is about all students because this can affect any student at any time. We’re also talking about sexuality, gender and medical issues. Access makes sure that barriers are reduced or removed and each student is given equal opportunity to reach their full potential.’’ Assessment design The IB adopts the Universal Design framework for curriculum development, which provides all students with equal opportunities to learn. It uses Universal Design to develop standard assessments to make them more accessible, for example by using simple rather than complex language. Schools can also support students with extra time or the use of a reader, scribe,
prompter or speech recognition software. The IB access and inclusion policy has recently added the use of reading pens and graphic organizers as access arrangements. “We are constantly thinking of fairness to all candidates and maintaining standards and consistency,” says Dr Parasuram. “Access arrangements should not be a last minute thought, it’s got to be a usual way of learning throughout. It’s about offering optimal support.” She adds: “It gives me immense pleasure to see the success of the thousands of our candidates who go through the IB examinations with access arrangements. But the greatest joy for me is the results of our candidates with the most severe challenges.”
Braille and modified past exam papers help students revise
This year, 17 students with very severe learning challenges took the DP. Nine were full Diploma students and eight students earned between 28-32 points. And three candidates with total vision impairment successfully earned their DP grades. “The good news is that our efforts with inclusion are yielding such positive results.” To borrow Braille and modified papers, email inclusion@ibo.org
Making the MYP eAssessment accessible When MYP student Marie-Ève Letourneau, at École Pointe-Lévy in Lévis, Québec, Canada, needed a Braille version of the MYP eAssessment last year, it was a request that caused the IB assessment and inclusion team to rethink the entire exam. Many of the subjects in the MYP include a great
deal of visual processing so careful preparation was needed to ensure it was a fair process and free from any prejudice. The IB decided there were three options to make the eAssessment inclusive for visually impaired students – change the question in the standard version, such as removing unnecessary imagery, for example; adapt 5
the presentation of the question; or use tactile materials, especially for graphics presented in physics and mathematics. The IB did all three and delivered all the examinations for Marie-Ève. Feedback was positive. She was also given access to a human reader at all times, and excelled in her exams.
BUILDING A SCHOOL AROUND YOUR STUDENTS’ NEEDS Two IB World Schools explain how innovative classrooms and school architecture can support 21st century learners
The Agora: a space to collaborate in the British International School of Houston
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he long corridors, bland walls and fixed furniture seen in traditional school settings do very little to enhance learning today, which places emphasis on creativity, communication and collaboration. The way we learn has changed dramatically over the past few decades. And it makes sense that the
places where we learn should also evolve. Schools are responding by thinking about how they use their buildings to create areas where students can gather to work together. But some schools are able to go a step further. They are investing in brand new, state-of-theart schools, which they hope will meet the needs 6
of modern day learning, as well as positively impact academic achievement and wellbeing. Collaborative spaces Last year, the British International School of Houston, US, opened a new 275,000 sq ft campus for over 2,000 students. Principal Andrew Derry says: “The real world does
SCHOOL DESIGN not work in isolation and we know that learners do not learn best in isolated classrooms. Connectivity is everywhere, and modern schools must be willing to adapt.” At the centre of the school lies the Agora. This is a Greek marketplace where anyone can come to share ideas, research and collaborate. “This is the heart of the building, from where you can see the whole school in motion,” says Derry. “The glass allows visibility for all learning spaces.” The Agora is also a classroom, as well as a social space for parents, and a place where the leadership team work. Learning spaces at the British International School of Houston are variable and flexible. Teachers are not given a specific room as the campus is built in ‘neighbourhoods’ to which teachers are assigned. “Many teachers allow the students to design the learning environment most appropriate for their learning in that moment,” says Derry. While in London, Southbank International School’s new Westminster campus is dubbed the UK’s most high-tech and “design-cool” school. It opened this September, and is the result of a
Southbank International School feels like a workhub
“The aim is to create a space that encourages social interaction” collaborative process between innovation consultants, interior designers, architects, students and teachers. The school looks and feels like a calm, cool and creative workhub. “The aim is to create a space that encourages social interaction, with varying spaces for joint and individual learning, where students will enjoy spending time,” says Craig Beech, director of HBA Architects, who designed the school. “This project is about giving students the environment where they’re happy to study on their own rather than sitting bored behind a desk.” The reception area will become an ever-changing interactive exhibition space that will be planned by students. In addition, 7
learners will be able to work with classmates from other global cities through video conference facilities. Using existing buildings But designing new buildings or installing the latest technology is not possible for all schools. Existing school spaces can be utilized to encourage student agency and creative learning. For example, libraries can be turned into innovative social spaces, display areas, classrooms and IT hubs. Students can also be involved in developing ideas to redesign a space as part of their learning. And new approaches to learning are more than just classroom design. It’s as important to re-evaluate teacher training and curriculums too.
“AVIVID, ENTERTAINING HISTORY OF THE IB” The organization is reminiscing over the past 50 years and looking to the future in a new book
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id you know that the IB might have happened in 1925, rather than 1968, if more experts on secondary education had attended a meeting to discuss an international schoolleaving qualification, which would later be known as the IB Diploma Programme (DP)? The IB shares how the organization started, its journey over the past 50 years, and where it is heading in the future, in a new book that marks its anniversary. The International Baccalaureate: 50 years of education for a better world features chapters written
by educators who have been involved with the IB every step of the way. It contains early memories, success stories, lessons learned and thoughts for the years ahead.
“It is a fascinating and informative compendium of insights into the IB, and the many aspects of educational thought, which have informed our development,” says
DP students in the early years of the IB 8
50TH ANNIVERSARY
Dr Siva Kumari, Director General of the IB. Ian Hill, co-editor and former Deputy Director General, says: “It is a vivid, entertaining history of the IB, which also offers ideas for the future direction of education. No one with an interest in international education and a desire to strengthen our schools will want to miss it.” Judith Fabian, co-editor and former Chief Academic Officer, adds: “Everyone who has ever been part of the IB and its community will know that the work is inspired by a passionate belief in the IB’s mission, and has been since its launch. That passion,
and the range of varied educational views which drive the IB’s success, is in evidence in this book: it is the lifeblood of the IB.” The DP was launched at the International School of Geneva (Ecolint) in 1968. It recognized the increasing global mobility of professional families, and it was thought that an international education offered the key to a better, more peaceful world. Fast forward to today and the IB is available in almost 5,000 schools in more than 150 countries, and now includes the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) 9
and IB Career-Related Programme (CP). As Dr Kumari writes in the book: “The IB stands for learning that is situated in global contexts and focused on real-world issues to which the students relate and which give their learning relevance.” The book is available in English, French and Spanish at johncattbookshop.com
The next generation of IB students
Bold steps in education
For students to thrive, learning experiences needs to be revolutionized. Three keynote speakers explain how
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MEET THE SPEAKERS Dr Heidi Hayes Jacobs is founder and president of the Curriculum Designers Group, providing services to schools to create meaningful experiences for the modern learner. A noted author, she is also on the architectural team of Fielding-Nair International.
My fascination with curriculum design commenced at the start of my career. I was intrigued with how a curriculum
Are you ready to make a bold move in your school? While the emergence of dynamic and new kinds of learning has transformed students’ needs, the actual school environment has calcified and stayed the same. Responsive learning environments are critical. Based on refreshed pedagogy, my presentation will explore new ideas on learning spaces, grouping configurations, schedules and programme design. To engage the contemporary learner, schools need to get past the old ‘self-contained’ versus ‘open-space’ view from the 1960s. The questions that should be guiding both the design of learning spaces and flexible uses of time management are: “What type of learning experiences do our students need to become prepared for now and the future? What types of physical and virtual learning spaces and schedules will support their learning?”
was chosen and crafted. Expanding the options to lay out a learning menu for my students directly affected their engagement. My curriculum mapping work and model came about when I first began consulting to schools and noted the lack of communication between divisions and levels. For a curriculum to be current and relevant to everyday life, all of the elements need ongoing upgrading. We want our learners to be co-creators
of learning experiences with us and independent agents. Critical curricular decisions for educators to consider are
“We want our learners to be co-creators of learning experiences with us”
Well-designed learning spaces can help engage students 11
the upgrading of content with the examination of contemporary and meaningful issues and case studies; as well as the integration of new literacies – digital, media and global – with classical print literacies. One of the most important considerations is the replacement of outdated assessments with modern formats. The three questions I always ask in curriculum writing are: “What to cut? What to keep? What to create?”.
Will Richardson is co-founder of ModernLearners. com, a site dedicated to exploring new paths for learning and teaching. Learning today, learning tomorrow Serious conversations need to be had. We must work to reimagine the value, roles and practices of schools for effective change to happen. During my presentation, I’ll ask: “Do our beliefs about how children learn most profoundly comport with our actual practice in classrooms? Do we fully understand the new contexts for learning in the modern world, and the new challenges they present to our work in
schools? Are we fully aware of what’s possible today, in terms of the important, real world work that
problem- and projectbased learning opportunities. These need to be co-created by
“Those who are waiting to be told what to learn and how, will not thrive” children can do both inside and outside of school?” The ability to learn is the most important skill for today’s world. Those who are waiting to be told what to learn and how, will not thrive. Unfortunately, traditional schools were not created to provide students with the conditions for deep and powerful learning to happen. Curriculums now need to be driven by
Students need problemand project-based learning opportunities
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teachers and students who are engaged in doing authentic work that they are invested in for real audiences and purposes, both in their local communities and in global contexts. Students will need effective coping skills to navigate the huge environmental, economic, political, technological and societal changes that are just beginning to play out.
MEET THE SPEAKERS Ama van Dantzig is co-founder of Dr. Monk, a research and ideation studio that takes on issues of global inequality and sustainability. She is also an IB alumna. Learning to share Who is helping whom, in terms of abundance and scarcity, and rich and poor? While wealthy and influential parts of the world make plans for their technological developments there is little attention paid to where the human and natural resources for this development comes from: the global south (also known as developing countries). The global south has been investing in the dreams and ambitions of the wealthy for decades if not centuries. To bridge the gap between rich and
Students debate world issues at the Model United Nations
When we have helped, it’s not been for altruistic reasons. Despite all this, many so-called developing countries are making progress. But, at the same time, inequality is growing. If we are to
“We will have to be brave enough to stand up to the systems that create inequality” developing nations, we need to acknowledge that we have got it all wrong when we try to ‘help’ these countries. We must come to terms with the fact that the help we have been giving has had a lot of destructive, detrimental and, at times, even dehumanizing effects.
survive on this planet we are going to have to learn to share equally and understand that the wellbeing of the ‘other’ contributes to our own wellbeing. We will have to be brave enough to stand up to the systems that create inequality, and be creative and imaginative 13
enough to develop and scale up alternatives. IB World Schools, teachers and students can influence change to help solve the problems of global inequality. The diversity and the access to influence are unique. Students are already given the opportunity to address world problems when they choose to engage in Model United Nations (MUN). They learn to debate and develop logical arguments. This is a skill that is increasingly needed in our radicalizing world. IB World Schools have important foundational elements that will lead to significant shifts in the world. They set an essential example to be followed.
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Don’t miss our other keynote and featured speakers…
Lord David Puttnam is chair of Atticus Education, which delivers audio-visual seminars to students. He is a producer of Oscar-winning films and is a member of the UK’s House of Lords. Lord Puttnam will consider how our understanding of student success fits within a sustainable future in his keynote speech: ‘The future: friend or foe?’. As technology transforms our world, the future need not be something to fear, he believes, if we focus on transforming the way we educate our young people. Learning methods that cultivate uniquely human skills such as creativity and critical thought are crucial.
Dr Stefani Hite is a professional learning designer, who specializes in supporting organizations around systemic change initiatives with a focus on building collective efficacy.
Developing students’ critical thought and creativity is vital, says Lord Puttnam
Dr Hite will focus on participatory leadership practices in her talk: ‘Transforming teacher appraisal into a meaningful professional learning process’. The session will offer tools to engage in appraisal design that results in more purposeful instruction for students. She will share an example of a school that has examined its supervisory-driven approach to appraisal to create a new system with collaboration at its core.
Kendall Zoller is an author, educator, researcher and president of Sierra Training Associates, where he specializes in leadership strategies and communicative intelligence. Zoller’s presentation: ‘Using the ecotone to shape a future: from chaos to calm’ will examine the transitional place between where you are and where you want to go when trying to implement change. Zoller will describe the different types of ecotones that occur and will show how educators and schools can successfully navigate them to design innovations to address enduring challenges. 14
New book celebrates 50 years of international education To celebrate our 50th year, the IB is proud to present a new book to commemorate how the IB has helped shape a new world of global education that has benefitted students from all backgrounds around the world—and look to the future. The International Baccalaureate—50 years of education for a better world contains accounts written by educators who have been involved with the IB from its earliest beginnings in Geneva to its successful expansion across the world, taught at variety of schools in 153 countries. The book is available in English, French and Spanish on the John Catt website.
bit.ly/IB50AnniversaryBook
The IB and Tes launch hub for teachers to share best classroom practice. The IB has formed a partnership with Tes, the largest online teaching community in the world, to launch a resource-sharing hub designed for IB teachers. The aim of our two organizations is to improve worldwide classroom practice and learning outcomes. IB educators can join today for free and share best practice, ideas and inspiration with fellow IB professionals on the Tes Resources platform. Users can easily upload, search for, and download resources within a few clicks.
Benefits for IB educators:
Find classroom resources using familiar IB terminology
Build a reputation for sharing resources that work in your own classrooms
Search and download resources which have worked in your peers’ classrooms
For more information, visit tes.com/IB
Download classroom resources unit planners, exemplars, lesson plans, workbooks and inspiring ideas