The History of the IB

The history of the IB

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

Traditional Progressive

Memorization Critical analysis Same content for all Student choice Hermetic subjects Transdisciplinarity IQ tests Range of skills testing Didactic Constructivism Teacher-centred Child-centred Academic intelligence Education of the whole child Norm-referenced Criterion-referenced Machine-scored tests AV and AL (languages) Translation (languages) Open plan rooms Closed classrooms Multiple perspectives National perspective

John Dewey A.S Neill Jean Piaget Jerome Bruner

1883 – 1973 1859 – 1952 1896 – 1980 1915 – present Scottish progressive educator, American philosopher, Swiss developmental American psychologist and author and founder of psychologist and psychologist and philosopher author of The Process of Summerhill School educational reformer Education Director, International Bureau of Education, 1929 – 1967 Key insight: Key insight: Key insight: Key insight: Learning by doing and Personal freedom for children The importance of tapping into Academic intelligence self-discovery of information – students developing in an students’ natural curiosity develops in children through makes students better environment free of a cognitive cycle problem solvers constraints

• Atlantic College founded • International Schools Association (ISA) conference of teachers of social studies recommends that International 1962 Passport to Higher Education be called “International Baccalaureate”, following Bob Leach report

• IB Organization registered in Geneva 1968

• First official IB Diploma Programme exams taken by students at 12 schools from 10 countries – including two state schools (Germany and France) 1970

• Recognition of the IB programmes negotiated in many countries 1970 - 1980

• North American Regional Office opens in New York 1975

Robert Leach John Goormaghtigh Alec Peterson Kurt Hahn

The original promoter of the IB Belgian lawyer Instrumental in the formation Founder of Atlantic College of the International in 1962 (Wales) Organised the Conference of Treasurer, International Baccalaureate Organization Internationally-minded Schools Schools Association (1968) His theory of “Outward Bound” (1962) where the term (1957 – 1962) Four Pillars inspired the CAS “International Baccalaureate” Chair, Board of the Driving force behind IB curriculum element of the IB DP: was first mentioned International School of Geneva design (1960 – 1966) 1. physical fitness Developed a contemporary First Director General 2. expedition of challenge and history syllabus and exam, President , International (1968 – 1977) adventure which promoted critical inquiry Schools Examination Syndicate 3. project to develop self- (1965 – 1967) First honorary member of the reliance and self-discipline This pedagogy was applied to all organisation's Council of 4. sense of compassion IB Diploma Programme subjects President, IB Council of Foundation (1983 – 1988) through service and later to the MYP and PYP Foundation (1968 – 1980)

1976: First inter-governmental IB Conference, The Hague; Piet Gathier 1970s

1977: Heads Standing Conference, Palais des Nations, Geneva 1978: Standing Conference of 1980s Governments London - 32 countries represented 1982: Regional offices open in Buenos 1983: IB Diploma Aires, London and Singapore Programme becomes available in Spanish

1994: Middle Years Programme 1990s introduced 1997: Primary Years Programme introduced

1997: IB becomes available in Chinese 1998: IB develops mission statement 2006: IB develops Learner profile 2000

2012: Career-related Programme (CP) introduced Opening of Washington DC (2010), The Hague (2011), Singapore (2012) and Cardiff (2016) IB Global Centres

Alec Peterson authors: Arts and Science in the Sixth Form (Oxford Department of Educational Studies, 1960)

Ideas incorporated into the IB curriculum:

• Broader education with some degree of specialization • Ethics in science • Humanities specialists ought to know about “the beauty of mathematics” • Critical analysis and learning to learn rather than to accumulate encyclopaedic knowledge and learning through memorization • Moving from three specialized subjects to four, spread over humanities and sciences

Philosophy, structure, content and Pedagogy Creativity, Activity, Service of the IB Diploma Programme developed (CAS) introduced 1962 1968

Theory of Knowledge (TOK) introduced Extended Essay introduced 1967 1974

1980 1992 1994 International Schools Association IB formally takes over IB introduces the Middle Years Conference (ISAC) at Moshi IS, Tanzania responsibility for ISAC Programme (MYP) recommends the development of a pre-IB course to meet the needs of students aged 11-16 years with a focus on six ‘needs’:

1. GLOBAL

2. INTELLECTUAL

3. PERSONAL

4. PHYSICAL

5. CREATIVE

6. SOCIAL

1990 1992 1997 Idea for a programme for students aged Frankfurt IS steering committee, IB introduces the Primary Years 3-12 is first discussed at the ECIS led by Kevin Bartlett (Vienna IS), Programme (PYP) (European Council of International started the International Schools’ Schools) Conference in Rome Curriculum Project (ISCP) ages 3- 12

Curriculum based around six transdisciplinary themes:

1. WHO WE ARE 2. WHERE WE ARE IN PLACE AND TIME 3. HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES 4. HOW THE WORLD WORKS 5. HOW WE ORGANIZE OURSELVES 6. SHARING THE PLANET

2000s 2010 2012 IB identifies a need to develop a career- IB pilots CP in schools around the world IB introduces the CP related approach to learning Result of global trends and attempts to The CP incorporates the vision and educational bring academic and career-related study principles of the IB into a unique programme closer together specifically developed for students who wish to Recognition that the development of an IB engage in career-related learning career related certificate to support local Flexible educational framework allows schools to vocational/career-related studies would meet the needs, backgrounds and contexts of broaden access to an IB education students Each school creates its own distinctive version of the CP

1971 2016

681 DP exam 161,104 DP candidates exam candidates

Estimate of Estimate of 749 students 1,250,000 students

7 schools 4,538 IB World Schools

Private Private schools schools State 44% schools State 100% 56% schools 0%