IBNA Level 3 Workshop

IB Americas Category 3 Workshop

Programme Evaluation

Diploma Programme

Middle Years Programme

Primary Years Programme

Savannah, Georgia

2 – 5,February, 2012

Cynthia Ballheim

Suzanne Geimer

Contact information for your workshop leaders:

Cynthia Ballheim

AP/IB Coordinator

Upper Arlington High School

Upper Arlington, Ohio

Jan Lotter

Principal

Wheeling Elementary School

Aurora, Colorado

Table of contents

Table of contents

What should our IB World School know and be able to do?

Introduction to the workshop and each other

Review of documents applicable for all IB programmes

The IB programme evaluation process and forms

Programme evaluation submission guidelines

How will we know when we have met the standard?

How to organize the work of the self-study

Identifying strengths and practices in need of strengthening

The IB visit or self-evaluation review

The IB evaluation report (PYP, MYP, Diploma Programme)

What will we do if we do (or do not) reach our goals?

Determining next steps for your programme’s further development

Sample Summaries from Standard C2 (collaborative planning) 2005

Sample Summaries from Standard C4 (assessment) 2005

Sample Summaries from Standard A2 (international-mindedness) 2005

Required schoolwide policies for IB World Schools

Workbook extras

Ideas from research and experience in school change and school improvement

Core documents

IB rules and regulations for authorized schools

IB programme standards and practices

Programme evaluation in the 2011 coordinators’ handbooks

List of primary and secondary core documents

Bibliography of resources

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What should our IB World School know and be able to do?

Day One (three sessions)

Session one topics:

• Organization of workbook
• Workshop aims and objectives
• Ground rules for discussion
• Starting with what you know: comparison of authorization and evaluation processes
• Introductions of presenters and participants
• Name, school, school location, programme, experience with programme, & burning question for the workshop
• Seasonal partners
• 4-square evaluations
• What is my role in the evaluation process?

Session two topics:

• Common elements within the continuum of IB programmes
• Review of documents applicable for all IB programmes: rules for authorized schools and general regulations; IB learner profile; IB programme standards and practices
• What is it?
• Why doesit exist?
• Why is it important to schools?
• Review participants’ questions, confirmations and surprises

Session three topics:

• Who is the audience for your programme evaluation
• Overview of the programme evaluation forms and published guidelines
• Checklist and rubric for completing the programme evaluation self-study
• Supporting resources on the OCC
• How programme evaluation “action plan” compares to school authorization and other planning processes
• Submission guidelines from IB Americas

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Programme Evaluation Workshop: Day 1

Introduction to the workshop and each other

Workshop purpose, aims and objectives

The overall purpose of workshops in category 3 is to provide a forum for experienced educators to build on andenhance their professional development portfolios. Participants will engage in-depth investigation into specificareas of interest and expertise.

IBA category 3 workshop goals

• Provide a forum for exploringeducational ideas and areas ofinterest
• Provide opportunities for investigation into specific areas ofexpertise

IBA category 3 workshop objectives

• Participants will engage in detaileddiscussion around topics such as:
• Learning theory
• Pedagogy
• Assessment
• Other scholarly interests
• Participants will engage in detaileddiscussion around topicssuch as:
• Subject specific seminars (i.e. changesto the IB curriculum)
• Subject specific content
• Administrative leadership
• Pedagogical leadership

Programme evaluation workshop purpose

To provide participants with a firm understanding of completing the process of programme evaluation and its required documents.

Aims/Objectives:

• Understand the purpose of IB’s programme evaluation.
• Learn how to organize and plan the IB programme evaluation.
• Learn how to complete the IB programme evaluation forms.
• Develop a firm knowledge of the IB programme standards and practices.
• Reflect on the connections between the three programs and their common elements.
• Understand how the IB’s programme evaluation compares to authorization and other school evaluations.
• Evaluate how well schools current practices meet the IB programme standards.
• Learn how to use the results of the IB programme evaluation to improve school practices.

Programme evaluation workshop aims and objectives (PYP style)

What is our purpose?

a) Central idea: Schools can improve through self-evaluation.

b) An inquiry into: Completing the programme evaluation process and its required documents.

• The IB programme standards and practices, self-evaluation forms, and other documents common to the three programmes (What is it like?)
• The purpose of the IB programme evaluation (Why is it like this?)
• How to complete the IB programme self-evaluation forms (What is our responsibility?)
• The IB evaluation report and site visit (What is it like?)
• Similarities and differences to authorization and other school evaluations (How is it connected to other things?)
• How schools can use the IB standards and evaluation results throughout the whole school (How do we know?)

Additional “burning questions”?

What I really want to know is . . ..

1)

2)

3)

Starting with what you know: application and evaluation processes

• Timetable
• Consideration Phase
• Candidate Phase (with trial implementation for MYP & PYP)
• School Visit (i.e., verification visit)
• Authorization Report

• Timetable
• Self Study
• School Visit (MYP & PYP for sure and possibly DP)
• Evaluation Report

• School Information
• Philosophy
• Organization
• Curriculum
• Supporting documents
• Charts (including action plan)

• School Presentation
• Philosophy
• Organization
• Curriculum
• Student (2005 only)
• Conclusions
• Supporting documents
• Charts (including action plan)

Remember: programme evaluation is not reauthorization.

Based on your experience with IB authorization or evaluation or similar self-study, make a prediction of what might be the most challenging element of IB programme evaluation.

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Programme Evaluation Workshop: Day 1

Seasonal Partners

Make an appointment with 4 different people – one for each season of the year. Be sure you both record the appointment on your page. Only make the appointment if there is an open slot at that season on both of your calendars.

Source: Robert Garmston and Bruce Wellman. (1999) The Adaptive School: A Sourcebook for Developing Collaborative Groups.Christopher-Gordon Publishers

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Programme Evaluation Workshop: Day 1

Four square evaluation: please complete one of the above every day to provide the presenters with your formative feedback.

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Programme Evaluation Workshop: Day 1

Suggested group norms for the workshop

All suggested ground rules or group norms should support this overarching principle:

“Do not prevent yourself or others from participating or learning during the workshop sessions.”

The workshop leaders and participants agree to . . .

1) Start and end on time.

2) Remember my school’s particular experience may be different from all other IB World Schools.

3) Express disagreement with ideas, not individuals.

4) Listen respectfully to all ideas.

5) Avoid interrupting others when they are speaking.

6) Conduct personal business (e.g., phone calls, e-mails, health and beauty) outside of the meeting room.

7) Pay attention to “air time” yours and everyone else’s so all are heard.

8)

Establishing group norms is good idea for any group that is coming together for the purpose of discussion and planning. You may want to use the group norms provided above as the start of a list for your own programme evaluation planning

What is my role in programme evaluation?

Everyone has a role to play in their school’s IB programme evaluation. You may be actively involved in the process or may simply be an observer. Since you are at this workshop you will likely be more than just an observer. Your school and your programme evaluation planning will benefit if you meet with people who may be involved with your programme evaluation (teachers, administrators, support staff, students, parents) to clarify roles and expectations.

My role is . . .

Add your thoughts to what participants have said in the past:

District’s role

• Link schools with what is needed to maintain the standards
• To be available to lobby for staff, training, etc. to the “enablers” in the district who can help produce the needed resources
• Help everyone be “accountable” for doing what they said they were going to do in the implementation of a programme

Administrator’s role

• Support the programme coordinator
• Provide a schedule allowing for collaboration
• Be good communicators

Coordinator’s role

• Archivists
• Initiators of tasks to do
• To be a guide but not an enforcer

Teacher’s or other’s role

• Being reflective of their teaching in light of the programme
• Being a direct connection to the families of students
• To support the programme coordinator

Everyone’s role (not just the principal or coordinator):

• Make sure the self-study is done correctly (i.e., that the documents are correctly completed and that they match the reality of your school)
• Reflect and contribute thoughtfully during the self-study
• Communicate with others about the self-study process

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Programme Evaluation Workshop: Day 1

Review of documents applicable for all IB programmes

Towards a continuum of international education

The new IB publication Towards a continuum of international education (2008) provides an introduction to the three IB programmes, the similarities in their approaches, and the unique features of each programme.

Its division into sections provides insight into the areas of overlap.

1. Introduction
2. The three programmes
3. Implementing the continuum
4. Programme structures
5. Teaching and learning
6. Assessment
7. Leading the development of the continuum: pedagogic leadership
8. The language continuum
9. Special education needs
10. Action, community and service, and CAS
11. The culminating experience
12. Programme evaluation
13. Bibliography

The publication summarizes the common elements and the differences between the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP) and provides some practical guidance as to how schools can implement the IB continuum of international education effectively in order to develop a coherent, meaningful educational pathway for students.

Excerpts on the following pages are taken from the document.

(Towards a continuum of international educationpublished September 2008, page 8)

Programme structures

While there are significant differences in the structures of the PYP, MYP and DP, there are also key principles that connect them.

• In all three programmes, the student is at the centre of the curriculum, as expressed through the IB learner profile.
• While each academic discipline has its own methodology, body of knowledge and nuances, students learn better when meaningful connections are made between the disciplines.

There is a gradual transition from the transdisciplinary approach of the PYP to specifically identified disciplines in the MYP and DP, supported by approaches that foster connections.

(Towards a continuum of international educationpublished September 2008, pages 39-40)

Programme evaluation

Programme evaluation in the PYP, the MYP and the DP is both a requirement of and a service provided by the IB for all IB World Schools. The main purposes of programme evaluation are:

• to assess the implementation of the programmes in each school
• to assist the school in developing and maintaining dynamic programmes that reflect the philosophy and the programme standards and practices of the IB.

Programme evaluation is not a re-authorization of the school (Ed: emphasis added). It allows the regional office to work closely with the school in its ongoing development of the programmes; it is also an opportunity for the IB to ensure on a regular basis that the standards and practices of the programmes are being maintained.

The three IB programmes are not static systems. They are essentially evolutionary, requiring adjustment and development in the light of experience. The IB supports schools in all stages of development of the PYP, the MYP and the DP by providing documentation, information seminars and professional development events. For the PYP and the MYP, there are organized visits by IB staff and/or nominated, experienced practitioners.

Programme evaluation does not seek to appraise or assess individual teachers or students. It will be successful in achieving its aims only if a multiplicity of stakeholders is included: teachers, programme coordinators, administrators, students, parents, board members.

Programme evaluation occurs between three and five years after official authorization to offer the programme, and every five years thereafter. It involves three important stages.

The self-study (PYP, MYP and DP)

The important process of self-study, guided by a questionnaire, involves the whole school in its own assessment of its delivery of the programmes. The responses to the self-study should be the outcomes of discussions and of reflections on the evidence gathered in the process. For the PYP and the MYP, the self-study precedes and contributes to the programme evaluation visit.

There is no mandatory on-site evaluation visit for the DP, but in addition to the self-study, where necessary, the regional office may seek further information or organize a visit.

The school visit (PYP and MYP, DP possible)

The programme evaluation visit is mandatory for all IB World Schools that offer the PYP and/or the MYP. It ensures the quality of programmes, while offering feedback to each school. The programme evaluation visit aims to be diagnostic and constructively critical, and is intended to:

• support the school’s self-evaluation processes
• inform the school’s curriculum development activities
• assist effective management and allocation of resources.

The evaluation report (PYP, MYP and DP)

The regional office will respond formally to the school—upon receipt of the completed self-study questionnaire in the case of the DP, and after the programme evaluation visit for the PYP and the MYP—with commendations, recommendations and, where appropriate, matters to be addressed by the school.

Evaluation of the programme continuum

Schools that offer more than one consecutive IB programme may request a cross-programme evaluation. This would mean all programmes in the school, including the DP, undertaking the process of self-study, completing the Programme evaluation self-study questionnaire and receiving a joint evaluation visit simultaneously. Schools may choose to opt for this process as a means of reflecting on whole-school development, and planning for whole-school improvement. Each programme will be as carefully and thoroughly evaluated as it would be under a single programme evaluation and the teams will also address the articulation of the programmes. This process is not available for schools that offer only the PYP and the DP.

For a cross-programme evaluation the guiding principles remain the same as for the single programme evaluations, except that the DP will also receive a visit.

The IB Learner Profile

The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

IB learners strive to be:

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