International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme

This article analyzes recent developments in the International Baccalaureate (IB) system, focusing on curriculum updates, assessment methods, and educational strategies. The IB has made significant strides in enhancing its programs to reflect contemporary educational research and global trends. Key updates in the Primary Years Programme (PYP) emphasize inquiry-based learning and student agency, while the Middle Years Programme (MYP) has integrated eAssessments for a more holistic evaluation of student achievement. The Diploma Programme (DP) has introduced new Mathematics courses to cater to varied interests, and the Career-related Programme (CP) has expanded its career-related studies. Additionally, there is a notable shift towards digital assessments and a strong emphasis on integrating social-emotional learning (SEL) and inclusivity into the curriculum. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining document analysis, surveys, and interviews to provide a comprehensive overview of these changes. Visual representations are used to illustrate these findings, highlighting the IB's ongoing commitment to providing a rigorous, relevant, and inclusive education.

This study investigates the role of school leaders in promoting cultural competence and global mindedness within International Baccalaureate (IB) schools. Cultural competence is defined as the ability to interact effectively with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, while global mindedness involves understanding and appreciating global interconnectedness and acting responsibly on a global scale. The research employs a mixed methods approach, integrating qualitative data from interviews and observations with quantitative survey data to provide a comprehensive analysis. Key findings reveal that school leaders actively promote these values through various curricular and extracurricular initiatives, such as integrating multicultural content, organizing international days, and facilitating exchange programs. Professional development for staff and community engagement, including parent involvement, are critical components of these efforts. However, leaders face significant challenges, including resource limitations, resistance to change, and the need to balance local and global perspectives. The study aligns with existing literature on culturally responsive teaching and global education while providing new insights into the specific strategies and challenges faced by IB school leaders. Recommendations for practice include enhancing community engagement, integrating multicultural content into the curriculum, and providing ongoing professional development. Policy implications suggest the need for funding and resources, comprehensive training programs, and support from IB organizations. Despite potential biases and constraints, such as self-reported data and a focus on experienced leaders in IB schools, the findings offer valuable contributions to the field. Future research should explore the perspectives of various stakeholders, conduct longitudinal studies on the impact of these initiatives, and compare practices between IB and non-IB schools. This study underscores the importance of educational leadership in fostering inclusive and globally minded educational environments, preparing students to be responsible global citizens.

Cooperative learning through group work takes many forms and can be approached from many different angles in the modern-day classroom. Understanding the underlying principles and practices of group work can provide a better understanding of the challenges being faced by teachers as well as the potential benefits for learning and student achievement.

Teaching art brut aesthetics and ocean pollution by PYP Development Team on 31 July 2018 in approaches to learning This article exhibits how students from lower elementary develop creative and critical thinking skills using art to discuss the issue of water pollution. In connection to art, students were familiarized with the concept of aesthetics and the relation between the used artistic media and theme of water pollution. In the context of our international curriculum and as part of the unit "sharing the planet", students from second and third grade inquired into their responsibilities to share water as a resource with other living things. The learning experiences were inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Goals as a frame to reinforce global connections and the relevance of this issue for all humans. The lines of inquiry were designed to foster a transdisciplinary approach: how recycled materials make art (function); ocean pollution (causation); choices artists make to encourage responsible consumption, and how to preserve life on land and below water (responsibility). From a creative perspective, students would develop an understanding that the choice of different tools and materials results in different outcomes, and from a critical perspective, students would establish connections between the cycle and importance of water as being interrupted by human activity. The experiences outlined below were designed so the children were introduced to the following concepts: use of sketchbooks, as a means of recording and developing their work (creative processes) understanding the choice of different tools and materials resulted in different outcomes (elements of art and design) awareness that individuals and cultural groups work with a variety of styles and purposes (visual arts in society) identifying the strengths and areas for improvement in their own and others' artwork (reflection and appreciation). To begin, students discussed the importance of recycling and responsible consumption as part of "reduce, reuse and recycle". We wanted them to understand the water cycle, its importance for all living beings and the magnitude of the issue of water pollution in the world and in particular the Arctic region. From the art education perspective, this experience oriented students into sculpture as a medium. Students collected discarded plastic and cans to have a better understanding of how much trash people make and what happens when it is not recycled.

The main purpose of education is to engage the learner in preparation for life in the future. The learner understands the demands of real-life situations in collaboration with the learning community, is prepared to tackle uncertainties, and build a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. 

This paper aims to discuss the impact of John Dewey's philosophies and how it is related with the IB.

Zagadnieniem przewodnim niniejszej pracy dyplomowej jest edukacja międzynarodowa, jej funkcjonowanie na przykładzie International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. Składa się ona z czterech rozdziałów – dwóch omawiających kwestie teoretyczne, jednego przedstawiającego założenia metodologiczne i jednego prezentującego analizę zgromadzonego materiału badawczego. W pierwszym rozdziale przybliżono historię edukacji międzynarodowej i Organizacji International Baccalaureate od ich początków, aż po stan obecny. Wyjaśniono również czym jest edukacja międzynarodowa i jedno z najistotniejszych dla niej pojęć – międzynarodowe nastawienie. Następnie podano kilka głównych wad i zalet programów IB, powołując się na wnioski z aktualnie prowadzonych nad nimi badań oraz inne artykuły naukowe poświęcone temu zagadnieniu. Zarysowano też formy i zasady realizowania edukacji programami IB w Polsce. Drugi rozdział teoretyczny poświęcony jest w całości Primary Years Programme – funkcjonowaniu pracującej według jego wytycznych Światowej Szkoły IB, strukturze Programu, pięciu elementom składającym się na treści kształcenia, uczeniu się w oparciu o projekty badawcze z wykorzystaniem cyklu badawczego Kath Murdoch jako metodom kształcenia oraz ocenianiu kształtującemu i sumującemu – dwóm podstawowym rodzajom ewaluacji w Programie. Przybliżono również preferowany model wychowawczy w postaci atrybutów Profilu Ucznia IB.
Trzeci i czwarty rozdział można uznać za praktyczne. Najpierw zaprezentowano założenia metodologiczne zaplanowanego badania, skupiającego się na pojęciu międzynarodowego nastawienia, podając przedmiot i cel badania, problemy badawcze, adekwatne do nich zmienne i wskaźniki, oraz określono wybór metody, technik i narzędzi badawczych. W ostatnich częściach tego rozdziału opisano organizację i przebieg przeprowadzonego badania – sondażu diagnostycznego oraz scharakteryzowano respondentów. Dalej przeanalizowano zgromadzony materiał badawczy osobno dla każdego z jedenastu wyznaczonych problemów. Praca zakończona jest podsumowaniem badania wraz z wnioskami z uzyskanych danych oraz wskazaniami do dalszych badań w tym obszarze.

Słowa kluczowe: edukacja międzynarodowa, Organizacja International Baccalaureate, International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, międzynarodowe nastawienie, tematy transdyscyplinarne, umiejętności transdyscyplinarne, pojęcia transdyscyplinarne, postawy ucznia IB, uczenie się w oparciu o projekty badawcze, cykl badawczy, ocenianie kształtujące, ocenianie sumujące, Profil Ucznia IB, odpaństwowienie kształcenia, stratyfikacja społeczna, globalizacja

The major question of this MA paper is international education, its functioning exemplified by International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. It consists of four chapters – two discussing theoretical issues, one presenting methodological assumptions and one displaying the analysis of the gathered research material.
In the first chapter there has been encapsulated the history of international education and International Baccalaureate Organisation, from the very beginning to the current status. The term international education and one of its most important concepts – international mindedness have been defined as well. Next, a few main advantages and disadvantages of IB programmes have been given on the basis of current research on them and other scientific articles tackling this matter. There has also been featured the forms and rules of executing IB programmes education in Poland. The second theoretical chapter focuses entirely on Primary Years Programme – functioning of an IB World School, the structure of the Programme, five essential elements of the written curriculum content, inquiry-based learning with the use of Kath Murdoch’s inquiry cycle as the educational methods – the taught curriculum, as well as formative assessment and summative assessment being two basic kinds of evaluation in the Programme – the assessed curriculum. Furthermore, IB Learner Profile has been introduced as the prefered pedagogical model.
The third and fourth chapters can be considered practical. At first, the methodological assumptions of the planned research, focused on international mindedness, has been presented, enlisting the research object and aim, problems, variables and indicators. The choice of the method, techniques and instruments to conduct the study has been made at that point too. In the last two parts of this chapter there has been described the organisation and course of the conducted research – diagnostic poll, followed by the characteristics of the respondents. After that, all the sourced material has been analysed separately for each of the eleven research problems. The thesis has been finished with conclusions drawn from the analysis of gathered data and recommendations for further research in this field.

Keywords: international education, International Baccalaureate Organization, International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, international mindedness, transdisciplinary themes, transdisciplinary skills, transdisciplinary concepts, IB learner attitudes, inquiry-based learning, inquiry cycle, formative assessment, summative assessment, IB Learner Profile, denationalization of education, social stratification, globalization