International education has been defined as ‘education that transcends national borders’, ‘education that allows students to think with a global perspective’, ‘education that prepares students to be active participants in an interconnected world’. International education is considered to be a vehicle for the development of citizens of the world with skills and knowledge that encourage global thinking when responding to local situations.
International Education in India
There is a growing demand for international education in India from parents cherishing the hope that it would give their children a head start while applying to prestigious foreign universities. Many parents appear convinced that international education paves the way for lucrative employment. This has resulted in the establishing of a number of ‘international’ schools offering either the Cambridge or the IB curriculum[1] or both, in many states of India.
My research paper explores specifically the challenges faced by international schools in India imparting IB education. The challenges have been considered for all the different IB programmes.
These challenges have been explored from six perspectives:
- Programmes
- Curriculum
- Assessment and Evaluation
- Transition
- Recognition
- Training of Teachers
IB Education – Background and History
The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is an international non-profit educational organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1968, the IBO is not associated with any country and is free of any national, political or educational agendas. It offers high quality programmes of international education to a worldwide community of schools.
Initially, the IB board was focused on providing education to children of diplomats and people working in multinational companies who would get transferred regularly. Since then, the number of parents other than career diplomats or people working across the globe, but choosing to enroll their children in IB schools, has been steadily increasing. As of 3rd September 2019, there were 6,812 programmes being offered worldwide, across 5,175 schools in 157 countries.[2]
Programmes
The IB Board offers three programmes for students in the age group of 3 to 19 years. These programmes help in developing the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills of students so that they learn to live, learn and work in an increasingly inter-connected, inter-dependent world.
- The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) was introduced in 1997 for children 3 to 12 years of age, to nurture and develop young students as caring, active participants in a lifelong journey of learning.
- The Middle Years Programme (MYP) introduced in 1994 is a challenging five-year programme that encourages students 11 to 16 years of age, to make practical connections between their studies and the real world.
- The Diploma Programme (DP) was launched at Geneva in 1968 for students 16 to 19 years of age, aimed at nurturing the physical, intellectual, emotional and ethical development of students.
- The Career Programme (CP) was launched in 2012 for students 16 to 19 years of age. While incorporating the unique values of IB education, the CP is geared to meet the needs of students interested in career-related education.
Curriculum
PYP curriculum
This is practical and application-based, with a broad spectrum of subjects that lead to all-round development of the child. Through its inquiry-led, trans-disciplinary framework, the PYP curriculum challenges students to think for themselves and take responsibility for their learning as they explore local and global issues and opportunities in real-life contexts.
MYP curriculum
The MYP curriculum framework comprises eight subject groups, providing a broad and balanced education for early adolescents.
DP curriculum
The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising theory of knowledge (TOK), creativity, activity, service (CAS) and the extended essay. In addition, all DP students must produce an Extended Essay (EE) from any subject and topic of their choice. Higher Level (HL) subjects are more rigorous than Standard level, requiring 240 teaching hours while Standard Level (SL) subjects require 150 teaching hours.
CP curriculum
CP students undertake a minimum of two IB Diploma Programme (DP) courses, a core consisting of four components and a career-related study. These courses provide the theoretical underpinning and academic rigour of the programme with practical, real-world approaches to learning that ensures development of skills and competencies required for lifelong learning.
Assessment and Evaluation
IB examinations test students’ knowledge, not their memory and speed. There are no externally evaluated examinations till the Middle Years Programme. Assessments are ongoing and students are given credits instead of marks.
In the final year of the programme, optional MYP e-assessment provides IB-validated grades based on examinations and course work. Students who undertake external assessment are eligible for MYP course results and the IB MYP Certificate.
Students take written examinations at the end of their IB Diploma Programme courses which are marked by external IB examiners. Theory of Knowledge is an essay with a word limit of 1,600 words written on a given title from a choice of six titles given by the IB Board in the second year of the Programme. The student also has to give a ten-minute presentation of the essay in class. The Extended Essay is an original independent research leading a DP student to produce a comprehensible written piece with a word limit of 4,000 words in any chosen subject and title.
Under Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS), (formerly known as Creativity, Action and Service), each DP student must complete at least 150 hours of work spread over one-and-a-half years, engaging in some form of creativity, participating in sport or other physical action, and doing social service. At the end of the two year programme, students are assessed both internally and externally in ways that measure individual performance against stated objectives for each subject.
Some assessment methods include portfolios/dossiers, written essays, studio-work, experimental work, oral commentaries, as well as written exams and are tailored for different learning styles. Assessments with oral and written components are assessed by examiners worldwide and monitored by chief examiners with ample experience.
The components of the CP core are assessed by the school.
Transition
After finishing the MYP, students are well-prepared for further education, including national and international courses of study for 16-19 year olds.
Although the PYP, MYP and DP form a continuous sequence, each can be offered independently too. A student can join the IB Diploma Program after completing the grade 10 level qualifications from CBSE, ICSE or any other State Board.
The Diploma program is equivalent to 10+2 level qualification through CBSE or any other National Board or Indian State Board.
Recognition
The rigour and high standards of the IBDP ensure that colleges and universities around the world recognize the IB Diploma as a superior academic programme. The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) rates the IB Diploma at par with Class 12 CBSE, ICSE, NIOS or State Boards.
Universities in over 110 countries recognize the IB Diploma and it will allow entrance to the most competitive universities around the world. Most universities in Europe, USA and Canada accept the full Diploma as a qualification for entry. Higher Level Courses are considered equivalent to British ‘four and a half’ A Level courses and American Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
Training of Teachers
All schools have to commit to ongoing IB professional development to run the programmes, as the IB demands that the staff have certain qualifications. Regular changes in the syllabus, generally every three years implies the need for constant investment in such training. The IB offers face to face training all over the world as well as online training and tutor-led training, to facilitate updating of the knowledge of teachers and empowering them to meet the high standards set for the teaching learning process.
Challenges in imparting IB education
In the Indian context, the sojourn in international education, particularly imparting the IB education has been fraught with numerous challenges and major stumbling blocks. Many Indian schools still primarily offer courses under the CBSE or ICSE board and offer IB programmes in addition.
Thus many students studying in so called ‘International’ schools could have studied either the CBSE or ICSE curriculum up to the Senior Secondary stage i.e. Grade X and have enrolled in the IB curriculum only at Higher Secondary i.e. Grade XI and XII i.e. IBDP programme. The number of schools in India with the IB programme firmly in place right from the beginning are less, compared to those offering it at the Higher Secondary level.
Students who have opted under the IB Board find it tough to secure college admissions within India.[3] The final results of the IB board are declared in August, whereas admissions in Indian universities and colleges begin in June. The IB teaching methodology is meant to develop inquiry and curiosity in students. Schemes of Work, Unit Planning, Weekly Lesson planning, Conceptual learning, Inquiry based learning, experiential learning are not just fancy terms bandied about in the school prospectus to increase admissions, but actual work that has to be done in a pre-specified time-bound manner. The amount of planning and work all this involves overwhelms many teachers, who feel pressurised and unable to keep up with the rigorous requirements. Thus teaching in IB schools is not a task for the faint-hearted.
Although the IB offers both face-to-face and online professional development throughout the year, all over the world, these programmes do come with a steep price tag. Each workshop or training costs approximately INR 60,000, based on the exchange rate prevailing at the time of registering for the training. Schools have to be on a strong footing financially, to ensure the continuous professional development and training of their teachers.
International boards do not have the compulsion of pressing students to score extremely high marks and assessment of students tends to look far beyond just content-based questions. Assessment objectives are given with knowledge and understanding having lesser weightage and analysis, application, evaluation and synthesis being given weightage.
The different subjects in the Diploma Programme tend to have two or more papers, so assessment and evaluation are thorough and do test the actual level of understanding of the students. Hence the setting of examination papers involves a lot of research and inquiry on the part of teachers to ensure that students do get examined according to the criteria set by the IB Board. It is a grim reality that teachers in India struggle with this component of their work.
In fact, teachers in Indian IB schools tend to gravitate towards a focus on completion of syllabus, submission of assignments in a timely manner and teaching the content of the syllabus, rather than conceptual and inquiry based learning, as envisaged by the IB Board.
Recruiting qualified staff is a challenge and retaining committed teachers is a problem. The class-size mandated by IB boards is usually between 20 and 25 students per class. Such a student-teacher ratio means more individual attention and focus on practical work, collaboration and projects. But this also means recruitment of more staff and higher costs of running such schools.
Students who have opted for international education find it tough to secure college admissions within India,[4] due to different schedules of declaration of results of Indian and international boards. International Boards give grades that have to be converted into marks using an equivalence formula. Colleges may choose to take them in or reject these applications.
The IB programme requires students to develop good study habits, effective time management and organizational skills. Some international schools might accept students who lack the necessary academic foundation to succeed, in order to make enrollment goals and fulfill the unstated objectives of earning profits! Indian students are used to being spoon fed and tend to procrastinate. It is the teachers who end up putting in tremendous efforts to coordinate major test and assignment deadlines.
The IB Diploma has earned universal reputation for rigorous assessment, giving students access to the top colleges and universities in India and the world. IB is fast becoming the programme of choice for Indian students preparing to pursue higher education abroad.
The IB curriculum equips students with the tools needed to succeed in higher education, such as self-confidence, preparedness, research skills, organizational skills and being actively engaged in self-learning. Universities while granting admissions are increasingly looking for evidence other than written examination grades such as exposure to quality curriculum, research abilities, an international outlook and social service, to evaluate whether a student will succeed in the university. All these are taken care of, even enhanced by the IBDP.
Embracing the IB philosophy whole-heartedly, collaborative planning and professional training are key factors in assisting teachers in transacting the IB curriculum. Networking with other IB schools would be beneficial in developing teacher expertise and nurturing a culture of learning. There is a need for promoting democratic and inclusive form of leadership to support the IB programme implementation.
Concluding remarks
There is the worry that international education, particularly IB world schools contribute to creating and perpetuating inequality. The English-speaking haves can and do pay for their offspring to enter the globalized English-speaking market, while the less fortunate have to settle for whatever opportunities remain, after the affluent have taken their pickings.
Disparities thus get accentuated as only the rich can access international education.[5] These are issues that offer no quick or easy solutions. Research is needed to explore the possibility of making world class education affordable to anyone who has the ability and strong desire to acquire it.
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References
- Aggarwal, R., & Wu, Y. (2019). Challenges in Implementing Experiential Learning in IB Education. Journal of Teaching in International Business, 30(1), 1–5. doi: 10.1080/08975930.2019.1637807
- Bates, R. J. (2011). Schooling internationally: globalisation, internationalisation, and the future for international schools. London: Routledge.
- Walker, A., Lee, M., & Bryant, D. A. (2016). International Baccalaureate Learner Profile Questionnaire. PsycTESTS Dataset. doi: 10.1037/t58088-000
- https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1047&context=jutlp
- https://www.definitions.net/definition/international+educationhttps://www.definitions.net/definition/international+education
- https://aiec.idp.com/intled
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/International-Baccalaureate-schools-in-India-post-10-fold-growth-in-10-years/articleshow/47349322.cms
- https://indianexpress.com/article/education/the-big-shift-global-classroom-local-playing-field-cbse-ib-board-international-baccalaureate-board-teaching-4667377/
- https://www.ibo.org/about-the-ib/facts-and-figures/
- https://www.careers360.com/articles/red-signal-ib-prog-hits-roadblock-in-india
- https://www.ibo.org/
- https://www.ibo.org/programmes/primary-years-programme/curriculum/
- https://www.ibo.org/programmes/middle-years-programme/
- https://www.ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/
- https://www.ibo.org/programmes/career-related-programme/
- https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1105394 https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1105394
- https://www.ibo.org/contentassets/4ccc99665bc04f3686957ee197c13855/executivesummary_williams_final.pdf
- https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/publications/ib-research/pyp/indiapypreport_final.pdf
- https://digitallearning.eletsonline.com/2013/06/international-schools-in-india-challenges-and-opportunities/
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[1] The study conducted by the National University of Educational planning and Administration revealed that there were 478 international schools in India as of 2013, affiliated to the Geneva headquartered IBO and UK-based CIE and Edexcel, spread across 19 states.
[2] As per the statistics published in the Facts and Figures section of the IB website.
[3] In 2015, of almost 3 lakh applications that Delhi University received, less than 1,000 came from IB Board students.
[4] In 2015, of almost 3 lakh applications that Delhi University received, less than 1,000 came from IB Board students.
[5] According to Geo-JaJa and Majhanovich (2010) “Neo-liberalism creates social and economic polarization and furthers marginalization of those on the periphery.”
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