International Baccalaureate

Information Evening

iblogo

Canberra College first introduced the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in 2009.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) offers high quality programmes of international education to a worldwide community of schools. There are more than 591,000 IB students at 2,194 schools in 125 countries.

The Diploma Programme is designed for students aged between 16 and 19 years of age.

The International Baccalaureate website has more information about IB Curriculum, Assessment, core requirements and university recognition.
http://www.ibo.org/diploma/

If you have any questions or would like further information about Canberra College and the IB Diploma Programme, please come to our Information Evening, or please call the College on 02 6205 5777 to speak with a member of the college Executive staff.

Interviews and individual information sessions

Canberra College will be holding further interviews and individual information sessions on the International Baccalaureate Program. Please call the College during business hours for interview times. Judy Talberg 02 620 55777.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program

This is an internationally recognised program. Students receive the IB Diploma on completion of the academic and community requirements of the course, which is detailed under the IB DIPLOMA section of the handbook.The key purpose of the program is to develop students into critical thinkers and global citizens who are committed to improving society. Students studying the IB Diploma will receive two separate ATARS; one for their ACT year 12 Certificate studies and one from the IBO on completion of the examinations and assessment of results. The higher of the scores is counted for admittance to further studies in Australian tertiary institutions. www.ibo.org

International Baccalaureate
IB Diploma Program and IB Certificate

The program ensures that the students undertaking these studies strive to be

  • Inquirers – Be curious, ask questions, enjoy learning
  • Knowledgeable – Explore new concepts and issues both local and global
  • Thinkers – Appreciate the importance of critical and creative thinking
  • Communicators – Express ideas confidently
  • Principled – Act with integrity and honesty
  • Open-minded  - Open to new ideas and the views of others
  • Caring – Show sympathy, respect and compassion
  • Risk-takers – Be prepared to try new approaches
  • Balanced – Emotional, physical and intellectual balance
  • Reflective – Reflect on and asses own learning practice

How do we attempt to achieve this?


Students practice these 10 tenets in their individual subject areas and in their compulsory elements of Theory of Knowledge (ToK), Creativity Action and Service (CAS) and Extended Essay (EE)

Prerequisites – good time management and a commitment to learning

Below is the IB hexagon of studies

Hexagon of Studies

The musts

  • Students are required to study 6 subjects from 5 of the above groups
  • Students are required to undertake the 3 central compulsory components of ToK, CAS and EE
  • Students are required to study 3 of the subject at Standard Level (SL) and 3 of their subjects at Higher Level (HL)
  • Students must study group 1
  • Students must study a second language group 2
  • Students must study mathematics group 5 

IB Subjects choices @ Canberra College

Group 1 - World Literature
Group 2 - French, Mandarin, Italian, Japanese and German
Group 3 - History, Psychology, Economics, Environmental Systems and Societies*
Group 4 - Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Environmental Sciences and Societies* - 2009 Group 4 Project
Group 5 - Mathematics, Mathematics Studies*
Group 6 - Theatre Arts, Visual Arts

Environmental Systems and Societies* - is an inter-disciplinary subject. The students may study this as part of Sciences (group 4) part of Individuals and Society (group 3) but not both!

Subjects with an * are only available at SL only. This is an IBO decision and applies globally.

Assessment – is a combination of Internal Assessment (IA) roughly 30% and External Assessment (EA) roughly 70% for each subject. The external component is normally done in November of the second year of the Diploma course. However, some subject being studied at SL may be completed in November of the previous year. The student is able to resit this exam, should the results be not satisfactory, the following year. (This is obviously at a cost to the student.)
 
Scoring – Each subject regardless of the level of study is scored form a possible maximum of 7 point. The compulsory elements are scored on a matrix of an additional 3 points; (7 x 6) + 3 = 45.
The maximum score is 45 points. To pass the student must achieve a minimum score of 24.
NB A student, no matter how talented, cannot pass the Diploma without completing the 3 central compulsory components of ToK, CAS and EE

What are these compulsory components?

Theory of Knowledge (ToK) – explores the different types of “knowledges” from a learner’s perspective. It is a total of 110 hours of study followed by an oral presentation and 1400 word essay on a choice of topics. The essay is written at home but is rigorously marked and moderated internationally.

Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) – 150 hours in total approximately 50 hours of each, Creativity, Action and Service elements. Students keep a log book and a reflective journal. The coordinator tries to tailor the CAS to each student’s ability and interest. It is difficult at time to separate out the elements. (A simple example is, if the student plays basketball and referees and coaches as well, it would cover 3 requirements.)

Extended Essay (EE) – An essay of maximum 4000 words on any topic of interest for the student. The interest does not need to lie in one of the six subjects studied by the students. However, the college must be able to find a supervisor for the student. This is a university style fully referenced piece of research completed by the student at home but rigorously marked and moderated internationally

IB Certificate vs Diploma
It is possible to study one or several of the subjects at IB level and gain certification for them at IB level without doing the compulsory 3 elements. In this instance the student achieves IB Certificate in that subject.