Curriculum, learning and teaching
A coherent IBDP core – reality or myth? John Cannings says students need to see more connection with academic subjects In 2011 Nick Alchin wrote that “Historically there has been little emphasis on commonalities between the core elements [of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma], let alone a central core identity”, and indeed one could question the claims of the IB at that point to an integrated holistic education model. However, since 2011 there has been a concerted effort by the IB to emphasise the role of the core of the Diploma Programme (Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity Action Service (CAS), and Extended Essay) in relation to the Diploma subjects and the coherence between them. The most recent guides for the Diploma core (Theory of Knowledge 2012, Creativity Action Service 2015, and Extended Essay 2017) have highlighted the identity of the core and its coherence. In addition, each individual subject guide provides support for the links with the core as well as some practical examples. The documents argue that the core helps to promote: a. i nternational mindedness b. p ersonal development and discovery of self-identity c. support for and by the subjects Each of these qualities is developed differently for each part of the core. The Approaches to Learning (ATLs) also help to support a coherent core. Reflective thinking, an important thinking skill, is key to all three parts of the core. The type of reflective
Spring
Autumn |
| 2016
thinking that is required for TOK is focused on how we acquire and process knowledge, for the Extended Essay on research skills, and in CAS on individuals’ reflection on their personal experience. The ATLs are at an early stage of their use in the Diploma; anecdotal evidence suggests that many of them are already in use in Diploma teaching but have not yet been widely recognised by practitioners. The new Diploma Programme planners – suggested for use in the Online Curriculum Centre (OCC) – demand that users make links between their subject and CAS. The planners include many good points in making teachers think carefully about how they will deliver the curriculum and assess it. A criticism that has been levelled at the new subject planners is that, while teachers may add a link to either TOK or CAS from their subject area, there will not be much commitment to doing so. Some argue that these links will be completed only to ensure the requirements are formally met. The IB expects that all staff teaching the IB Diploma will know about each element of the core and contribute to its development in the school. However, anecdotal evidence from participants in both face-to-face and online workshops suggests the contrary. Diagrammatically, on the basis of experience in facilitating workshops, the IB Diploma model can be represented as follows:
49
