Supporting appropriate student learning is the highest priority of the assessments. Assessment is a key component of effective teaching and learning as it provides learners and teachers with feedback on the progress made and allows to modify the curriculum documents to meet the needs of the learners. Assessment at the school must be aligned with the requirements and philosophy of the program. A range of strategies and tools to assess students learning and an effective recording and reporting system allows teachers to analysis the journey of the learner.
Aim & Approach
Assessment of the DP is based on the following aims:
1. to support the curricular and philosophical goals of the programme through the encouragement of good classroom practice and appropriate student learning
2. to ensure that assessment results have a sufficiently high level of reliability, appropriate to a high-stakes university entrance qualification
3. to reflect the international-mindedness of the programme, avoid cultural bias and make appropriate allowance for students working in their second language
4. to emphasize higher-order cognitive skills (synthesis, reflection, evaluation, critical thinking)
5. to include a suitable range of tasks and instruments/components that ensure all objectives for the subject are assessed
6. to determine student achievement and subject grades through the professional judgment of experienced senior examiners supported by statistical information.
Process
DP assessment procedures measure the extent to which students have mastered advanced academic skills in fulfilling these goals, for example:
· analyzing and presenting information
· evaluating and constructing arguments
· solving problems creatively.
Basic skills are also assessed, including:
· retaining knowledge
· understanding key concepts
· applying standard methods
In IB DP the assessment process involves Pre- assessment , Formative assessment and Summative assessment.
Pre-assessment
The teachers assess learner’s prior knowledge and experience in an appropriate way before beginning a new unit of work or learning experience.
The video below provides excellent examples of in Time assessment. In specific, the first part of the video is a great example of Pre-assessment. The teacher conducts a survey at the start of the lesson to understand the current level of students’ knowledge and the information is used by the teachers to use student’s time more effectively to reach the mastery of the content and moderating the level of challenge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB8LHwqRcaU
Real-Time Assessment: Providing a Window Into Student Learning
Formative assessment
For formative assessment, the main purpose is to provide detailed feedback to students on the nature of students’ strengths and weaknesses and to help develop their capabilities. The teacher is seen as a supporter rather than a director of learning in the process.
The formative assessment allows to correctly identifies the knowledge, skills, and understanding that students develop, rather than accurately measuring the level of each student’s achievements only.
Formative assessment is conducted through Self -Evaluation, Peer -evaluation or In- Time assessment by the teacher.
Self-Evaluation: Self-evaluation involves students evaluating their own work and learning process. The process allows the students to identify their own skill gaps, where their knowledge is weak, set realistic goals, review and revise their own work and track their own progress.
The video below shows models for Self- Evaluation as a formative assessment process where students assess their learning outcomes against a set rubric. The teacher facilitates the process of self-evaluation by asking right questions or providing guidance for analysis their work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54wJ-lfBKsE
Alexis Wiggins - Grade 12 IB English Classroom - Using Dialectical Journal Models
The case study shows how the Jane Schaffer paragraph was written in the class and it also shows the reflection at the end of the activity.
Peer-Evaluation
Peer assessment is the assessment of students' work by other students of equal status. Students often undertake peer assessment in conjunction with formal self-assessment. They reflect on their own efforts and extend and enrich this reflection by exchanging feedback on their own and their peers' work.
Summative assessment
Summative assessment is used for quite different purposes, including the provision of information about student achievement, the certification and selection of students, an accountability mechanism to evaluate teachers and schools, and a driving force for reform of curriculum.
How the assessment is reported In IBDP :
The students have to appear in the DP examination papers at the end of two years in the subjects the students have opted for. The assessment criteria are outlined by the IB. Other than the opted subjects the theory of knowledge (TOK), creativity, action and service (CAS) and the extended essay make the core of the IB Diploma experience.
The students are assessed internally and externally. The Internal assessment includes
• oral work in languages
• fieldwork in geography
• laboratory work in the sciences
• investigations in mathematics
• artistic performances.
The External examinations form the basis of the assessment for most courses. This is because of their high levels of objectivity and reliability. They include:
• essays
• structured problems
• short-response questions
• data-response questions
• text-response questions
• case-study questions
• multiple-choice questions – though these are rarely used.
The students use their knowledge and do research on a topic of interest and write 4000 words on an independent research assignment. The essay is formally written and expresses creativity, critical thinking and intellectual discovery in a structured manner.
In schools:
Formative Assessment- The formative assessments are designed by the school and the teachers record the feedback of each assignment as per the rubric. The results are analyzed and reported directly to the students.
Summative Assessment- The teachers design detailed assessment criteria (rubric or matrices) according to each task and the IB DP guidelines for each subject area. The students’ performance is assessed as per the rubric, tabulated and a progress report is shared with the parents at the end of the semester. The end of year report is a combination of all the semester’s reports.
Many schools use a reporting system like Managebac. Managebac gives a comprehensive report which can be customized to meet the needs of the school's assessment policy.
The Managebac report sample is attached. The report has the grade descriptors of IB at the end. The teacher’s remarks in each subject explain the performance of the student, with strengths and weaknesses
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The Assessment policy of one of the school is attached here for reference. The policy outlines the aims of the IB assessment and aligns it with the school processes of formative and summative assessment with proper moderations procedures and grading scales.
References
Bonn International school.(2015).Assessment policy. Retrieved from http://www.bonnis.de/system/files?file=bis_assessment_policy_oct._2015_1.pdf
IBO. (2015). Diploma Programme: From principles into practice. International Baccalaureate Organisation (UK) Ltd, Cardiff, Wales.
IBO. Assessment and exams. Retrieved from http://www.ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/assessment-and-exams/
Managebac. Sample DP Report. Retrieved from https://www.managebac.com/diploma/
Click here for Sample Assessment Policy
Click here for school Sample report for DP
