International Baccalaureate (IB) Decoded
India at present has an educational system which comprises varied Boards of education offering different curriculums. There are the Indian Boards such as the CBSE and the various state boards, followed by the international boards such as IB and IGCSE. The international boards such as International Baccalaureate(IB) are considered as being globally inclined than Indian Boards in terms of quality. This is due to reasons such as regular syllabus updates and a non-exam oriented approach to learning that is adopted by IB world schools.
The urban population of India realises the need for the overall development of students at a young age. This can be achieved through an education that adopts a holistic approach to learning and International Baccalaureate(IB) offers exactly that. It emphasises on building a wide profile for the student apart from being just a good learner. The IB curriculum offers a wide gamut of courses for learning at various levels.
An IB World School:
The International Baccalaureate is an educational foundation that offers three different programmes as mentioned above, the foundation officially recognises and certifies schools which can follow the IB curriculum. These schools are known as IB World schools.
IB offers three programmes which can be compared to the class 1 to 12 schooling pattern offered by other boards:
1.The Primary Years Programme (Kindergarten to Class 5).
2.The Middle Years Programme (Class 6 to Class 10).
3.The Diploma Programme (Class 11 to Class 12).
1. PYP - Primary Years Programme:
The primary years programme is for children aged 3 to 12, and the primary focus here is on developing a broad knowledge base among young students and preparing them for a lifelong journey of learning.
IB pyp is taught in over 100 countries, the curriculum is devised in such way that it is in sync with the prevailing standards. IB pyp provides schools with a curriculum framework of five essential elements — the knowledge (both disciplinary and interdisciplinary), concepts, skills, attitudes, and action that the students are required to equip themselves with.
2. MYP - Middle Years Programme:
The middle years programme is a five-year programme which is meant for students between the age of 12 to 16. Here the students are trained in establishing connections with knowledge and the real world. This correlation between the real world and what is studied is key to moulding the attitudes of the students also at this level students start managing their own learning framework. At the MYP level students are put through onscreen examination and student performance is digitally assessed. Research shows that in the middle school level majority of the IB students outperform their peers from other boards.
*Some institutions also offer a shortened version of the MYP programme, either for four years or three years.
3. IB DP - IB Diploma Programme
The diploma programme is a two-year programme, meant for students within the age of 16 to 19, the programme aims at developing students who possess in-depth knowledge in subjects and a broad understanding of a host of other things.
The DP curriculum consists of six subject groups and Theory of Knowledge(TOK); creativity, activity, service (CAS) and extended essay.
The DP programme is a pre-degree level programme which aims to broaden students’s educational experience and challenge them to apply their knowledge and skills. this serves as the best launch pad for those willing to pursue higher education in highly ranked universities abroad.
The advantages of IB:
- The IB offers by far the most challenging curriculum. IB curriculum is designed with a focus to prepare students to enter premier Universities of the world.
- Focus on "Independent learning", students get to choose from various courses offered.
- It is multifaceted, offers more than just core subjects of science, computers etc. even at the IB DP (IB Diploma) level.
- The international IB curriculum helps students engage effectively with the globalised world.
The international curriculum and global outlook of IB provide great exposure for students, which puts them at an advantage when compared to their peers from other Indian boards while applying for higher education in premier global institutes. Indian universities have recognised the level of talent the IB schools have churned out in the past years and a large number of students are accepted into top Indian universities for undergraduate courses.
For more details on the international baccalaureate.. visit the official IB website
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