IB Online Professional Development eNewsletter

April 2012

Welcome message Dear Educators, I am very pleased to welcome you to this first edition of our newly-designed eNewsletter. We hope it will become one of the main ways you keep up to date with our latest online workshops and other forms of online professional development on offer from the IB. So far in 2012, interest in online workshops has been significantly higher than we saw this time last year. We have some exciting plans over the coming few months and we’re keen to hear your feedback as much as possible, so do send us your thoughts on the eNewsletter or anything related to online PD. Send your comments to ibid@ibo.org. Warm regards, Matthew James Head of Online PD

NEW! Online workshops registration process We are pleased to announce the launch of the new online workshops registration process, facilitated by the IB’s registration system. While this registration system is new to online workshops, it has been used successfully for face to face workshops over the past 3 years and will therefore be familiar to IB school coordinators. We trust that this upgrade will improve your workshop registration experience and allow you to manage your own enrolment. Some of the changes to the online registration process that are important to take note of are: -

IB School Coordinators log into the registration system via IBIS Individual participants must create a registration account at the first visit Name and email changes can be made by the person who submitted the registration within the account Billing information is always accessible via the ‘Billing’ page in your registration account Online workshop certificates will be published 4 weeks after the workshop ends and can be downloaded from the ‘Certificates’ tab in your Regis account To support you during this transition, visit the registration FAQs page. If you have any further questions, contact us at ibid@ibo.org. Page 1

NEW! Resource for teachers The Online Learner’s Toolkit, a revised version of the current Orientation workshop, has been developed as an all-inclusive learning and orientation resource for workshop participants. It includes three key elements: a. an introduction on how to use the online learning platform - Moodle b. an overview of online learning pedagogies c. a glance at online facilitation skills. The Online Learner’s Toolkit will be launched as an integral component of all online workshops from May 2012. For more information about this resource, please contact us at ibid@ibo.org.

IB Asia Pacific conference Some members of the Online PD team had the privilege of attending the IB Asia Pacific regional conference held in Singapore last month. The conference included engaging sessions, programme specific updates and offered the opportunity to exchange ideas with our educators and online workshop facilitators in the region. We were pleased with the positive feedback received and we look forward to applying suggestions made to help us better serve your PD needs.

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PYP online workshops We are pleased to offer a workshop session dedicated mostly to PYP subjects. This session starts on 2 May 2012 and includes PYP workshops new in 2012 ie Teachers as Researchers, Inquiry and Transdisciplinary Learning. Browse the PYP calendar below and be sure to sign up before 18 April 2012!

VIEW NEW ONLINE WORKSHOPS >>

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ÂŠ International Baccalaureate Organization 2012

NEW! Online workshops throughout 2012 The International Baccalaureate offers a wide range of online professional development workshops for new and experienced coordinators, teachers and administrators in all three educational programmes as well as the continuum. We also offer workshops in French and Spanish, please visit our website for a list of these workshops. IB online workshops, which complement regional face-to-face workshops, take place in a protected virtual learning environment and range in length from two-week introductory courses for those new to the IB to eight-week courses for more experienced IB educators. Online professional development offers: • a range of category 1, 2 and 3 workshops • experienced IB workshop leaders using best practice principles of online learning • learning at a time to suit the individual • an opportunity to explore a subject in depth over a number of weeks • good value for money

New! Category 1 workshops

Category 2 workshops on new subject guides

These workshops are for educators at schools that have applied for IB authorization, as well as for educators new to an existing IB programme. Emphasis is on the IB philosophy, learner profile, mission statement, standards and practices, and curricular frameworks of PYP, MYP and DP.

Diploma Programme

• Mathematics SL • Mathematics HL • Mathematical studies SL • Coordination

Middle Years Programme

New! Category 2 workshops These workshops provide a forum for experienced IB educators, focusing on programme delivery. There is an emphasis on assessment, teaching and learning methodologies, and exploring best practice in the classroom. • Language A: literature (workshop conducted in French ) • Language A: language and literature (workshop conducted in French) • Language ab initio (workshop conducted in French) • Language A: literature (workshop conducted in Spanish) • Language ab initio (workshop conducted in Spanish)

• Mathematics SL • Mathematics HL • Mathematical studies SL • Computer science • Language B • Humanities

New! Category 3 workshops These workshops provide a forum for experienced educators to build on and enhance their professional development portfolios. Participants will engage in in-depth investigation into specific areas of interest and expertise.

Diploma Programme • Navigating school supported self-taught literature • The role of the supervisor in the extended essay

Primary Years Programme • Teacher as researcher • Inquiry • Transdisciplinary learning

Continuum • Language learning: Implementing a school language policy • Librarians

For the complete list of workshops available in 2012, please visit our website at http://ibo.org/events/ © International Baccalaureate Organization 2012

N E W!

IB online workshops Facts and feedback

1000

5000

5,000 IB educators participated in online workshops in 2011

97% 90%

97% of participants met the completion criteria and received certification

80% 93%

94%

As a coordinator at an IB World School, I have found the online training to be extremely beneficial to new teachers to our programme. The teachers leave the online course fully versed in IB unit planning with a unit they have written, taught and reflected upon. Many of our teachers find the international aspect of their cohort groups to be exhilarating. – PYP School Coordinator This has really been a worthwhile endeavour. – Math Internal Assessment teacher

90% of participants could apply their online learning in their classroom

94% of participants would take another online workshop

Testimonials

80% of participants rated online workshops as high quality (facilitation, materials and peer contribution)

93% of participants would recommend their online workshop to others

The course affirmed my good practices and made me improve on my gray areas. It developed my confidence in choosing texts for my syllabus/curriculum. – Language A Literature teacher The online workshop benefitted me because it is low in cost, I did not have to go away from home or miss school time, I was able to get the details I needed quickly and I could go back over and restudy repeatedly. – PYP for Administrators The longer term nature of the workshop allowed for greater consolidation of understanding. Also, because of the flexibility of timing of online workshops, it allowed me to complete the training before teaching the course. – Environmental Systems and Societies teacher