Critique of the International Baccalaureate Curriculum

Abstract

The International Baccalaureate (IB) programs are quickly expanding across the world inquiry-based teaching and learning style. The original goal of the International Baccalaureate, which began as the Diploma Program for pupils in their last two years of secondary school, was to provide a recognized and internationally transferable school degree for expatriate, globally mobile families (Dulfer, 2019). At the moment, the curriculum is characterized by three essential components. First, it is the Theory of Knowledge (TOK), which helps students develop critical thinking, as well as link various disciplines in their learning into a single whole (Lee, 2020). Secondly, it is Creativity, activity, service (CAS), due to which the skills of conducting research, as well as social responsibility are acquired. Third, it is The Extended Essay (EE), with which students explore a topic of interest to them. However, additional demands on instructors for lesson preparation and evaluation increased stress for teachers and students. Thus, competing needs and expectations with national standards are only a few challenges.

Outline of the Proposed Curriculum Change

1. Reduce the duration of study from two years to one year. This solution will reduce the workload and also allow to enter universities with peers in one year.
2. It is necessary to reduce the workload. Various studies show that many students have to sacrifice their sleep to keep up with the study program, which increases their stress and fatigue levels (Dickson and Perry, 2018). Therefore, changes in this area are necessary.
3. Add more flexibility to the curriculum. Even with so many academic possibilities, the IB offers fewer options due to the required breadth of study (Lee, 2020). It is necessary to provide the opportunity to choose more academic subjects belonging to one category.

Reference List

Dickson, A. and Perry, L. (2018) ‘Impacts of international baccalaureate programmes on teaching and learning: a review of the literature’, Journal of Research in International Education, 17, pp. 240-261.

Dulfer, N. (2019) ‘Differentiation in the international baccalaureate diploma programme’, Journal of Research in International Education, 18, pp. 142-168.

Lee, J. (2020) ‘Trends and issues of international baccalaureate in the Republic of Korea’, Asia Pacific Jorunal of Educational Research, 3, pp. 59-73.