DEBATE ABOUT IB PROGRAM
How is the Diploma Programme different from other pre-university academic programmes?
The Diploma Programme is a comprehensive and balanced two-year curriculum and assessment system that requires students to study courses across all disciplines. Within this structured framework, the Diploma
Programme provides a great deal of flexibility, accommodating student interest and abilities. Through careful subject selection, students may tailor their course of studies to meet their needs. Regardless of the subject selection, all students explore the connections between the six major subject areas, study each subject through an international perspective, reflect critically on what it means to be a knower, pursue one subject in great detail through independent research, and have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills through local and community outreach.

Assessment of student achievement happens in a variety of ways throughout the course of the two-year programme. It includes assessment of student work both by outside examiners as well as the students’ own teachers. The assessment itself undergoes careful review and moderation to ensure that a common standard is applied equally to the work of all students internationally. For these reasons, the IB Diploma is recognized by colleges and universities around the world as a superior education, preparing students to succeed at post-secondary institutions.

Is a lot of extra homework involved in the Diploma Programme?

IB courses are typically more challenging than regular high school courses, and so students may be asked to do more homework. The challenge, however, is not always in the amount of homework assigned; rather, it is in the quality of the assignments and the extent to which students engage those assignments. The added benefit here is that students take greater responsibility for their own learning while they acquire the valuable skills of time management and organization.

Diploma students do not have to forego other important parts of high school life. They may still remain involved in sports, student government, clubs, theater, music, community events, and other extra-curricular activities.
Such activities are incorporated into the Diploma Programme through the
“CAS” (Creativity, Action, and Service) requirement.

The IB Diploma Programme sounds like a lot of extra work. What are the advantages of enrolling in an IB programme?

Students with IB Diplomas who now attend universities report that their involvement with IB has given them the tools needed to succeed at university and to make the most of their post-secondary education. In particular, students comment on their sense of preparedness, selfconfidence, research skills, the ability to manage their time, and the willingness to be actively engaged in their own learning. Even more importantly, they have developed a sense of the world around them, their responsibility to it, and the skills with which to embrace the complexities of life. The IB often employs a variety of phrases to describe these traits and abilities: “learning how to learn”; “life-long learners”; “critical and compassionate thinkers”; and “informed participants in local and world affairs”. Recognized as the leader in international education, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme fosters the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable students to excel in university. It is a rigorous university-preparation program designed to equip students with the skills necessary for a 21st century workforce.
What do colleges and universities think about the Diploma
Programme?

Colleges and universities throughout North America view the IB Diploma
Programme as providing outstanding preparation for university work.
Additionally, many of the most selective institutions have established policies that recognize the work students have done. Some universities also offer scholarships to IB graduates.

Los graduados del Programa del Diploma que ahora asisten a distintas universidades expresan que su participación en este les dio las herramientas necesarias para obtener buenos resultados en la universidad y aprovechar al máximo sus oportunidades en la educación terciaria. En particular, comentan que se sienten preparados y confiados, que poseen las habilidades de investigación necesarias, saben administrar su tiempo y están dispuestos a hacerse responsables de su propio aprendizaje. Lo que es más importante, han desarrollado la comprensión del mundo que los rodea y sus responsabilidades al respecto, y han adquirido las habilidades necesarias para asumir las dificultades de la vida. En el IB a menudo se emplean distintas frases para describir estas características y capacidades, tales como: “aprender a aprender”, “aprendizaje durante toda la vida”, “pensadores críticos y solidarios”, y “participantes informados en los asuntos locales y mundiales”.