Schools wishing to introduce the IB diploma programme are faced with major investment in terms of time, effort and money in order to become authorised. This manual is a resource for schools already offering the diploma, as well as for prospective diploma schools.

Introducing a balanced look at the experience of implementing and teaching the increasingly respected qualification, the International Baccalaureate, this book is a rich resource for all teachers, school leaders and managers involved with or considering the qualification.

The IB Diploma Programme is a two-year pre-university high school programme. Schools wishing to introduce the Diploma Programme are faced with a major investment in terms of time, effort and money in order to become IB-authorised. This hands-on manual helps prospective schools to navigate the process by providing comprehensive information on the Diploma Programme and a clear roadmap for successful IB implementation.

This book takes a fresh look at programs for advanced studies for high school students in the United States, with a particular focus on the Advanced Placement and the International Baccalaureate programs, and asks how advanced studies can be significantly improved in general. It also examines two of the core issues surrounding these programs: they can have a profound impact on other components of the education system and participation in the programs has become key to admission at selective institutions of higher education. By looking at what could enhance the quality of high school advanced study programs as well as what precedes and comes after these programs, this report provides teachers, parents, curriculum developers, administrators, college science and mathematics faculty, and the educational research community with a detailed assessment that can be used to guide change within advanced study programs.

This book, a blend of practice and theory, shows how the school library can contribute to the success of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. Written for librarians in schools that are applying to offer the program as well as those who already work with it, The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and the School Library: Inquiry-Based Education provides information and strategies specifically relating libraries to the IBDP. The guide includes information about the IBDP ranging from the subject matrix to unique aspects of the program, such as the Theory of Knowledge course, the Extended Essay requirement, and the Learner Profile. The book also discusses other important features of IB programs, such as internationalism and academic honesty. Finally, it blends theory and practice by providing details and findings from the only two-year research study to follow students and teachers through the IBDP. The study demonstrates the role of the school library in the program, showing how both students and teachers used and valued it. Each chapter concludes with a series of points or strategies for the librarian to reflect upon and/or use as the basis of action.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a respected qualification gaining increasing currency around the world, and which has been adopted by a wide variety of schools, both public and private. In the UK, growing dissatisfaction with the A-level system has led to an intense debate about alternative qualifications, and in many schools IB courses have been introduced alongside conventional A-level courses. This practical introduction to the IB takes a balanced look at the pros and cons and features a wealth of advice from those actually involved in teaching and implementing it in schools. Providing comparative material on how IB courses differ from A-levels and a subject-by-subject account of best practice in teaching the IB, this book offers a rich source of practical advice for teachers, school leaders or managers involved in teaching or implementing the IB programmes.