IB Programmes at KCISXA
IB Programmes at KCISXA
Introduction to the IB programmes at KCISXA
The Kang Chiao International School Xi’an Qujiang Campus (KCISXA) follows the tradition of the Kang Chiao International Schools – providing the various learning environment to satisfy the different learning needs. KCISXA has been the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme candidate school since September 2019. It aims to develop the balanced, qualified, and challenging curriculum to the Kang Chiao students in Northwest China.
Note. The schools authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization offer only four programmes: Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP), Career-related Programme (CP). The candidate schools do not guarantee accreditation.
Students’ IB Journey at KCISXA
Educational Philosophy about IB
Introduction to IB Organization
The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a non-profit educational foundation founded in Geneva in 25 October 1968. It offers four highly respected programmes of international education, including Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-related Programme (IBCP). These four programmes help develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills needed to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world. More than 4,000 schools so far have chosen to teach International Baccalaureate programmes, with its unique academic rigour and its emphasis on students’ personal development. The IB World schools employ over 70,000 educators, teaching more than one million students worldwide.
.jpg)
IB Mission Statement
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.
IB Learner Profile
The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) generates ten attributes, IB Leaner Profile, that the IB students should be cultivated during their study. It includes inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective. The aim of IB Learner Profile is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planed, help to create a better and more peaceful world.
Links
http://www.ibo.org – International Baccalaureate Organization（IBO）
https://www.ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/ – International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme（IBDP）
https://www.ibo.org/university-admission/recognition-of-the-ib-diploma-by-countries-and-universities – University Recognition of Diploma Programme
IB Diploma Programme
Introduction to the IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) founded in 1968 aims to provide the strict curriculum of the university preparation for students at the ages from 16 to 19. Because of the standardized syllabus, extensive examination arranged by the IBO, the same assessment criteria descriptors, the academic performance of the IBDP students is assessed equally. This two-year high school curriculum encourages students to become not only knowledgeable intellectuals and inquirers but also caring global citizens. Through the high academically challenging curriculum, the IBDP expects students to have the learning skills and intercultural understandings then be able to live in this complex world. It contributes to create a better and more peaceful world.
IBDP Curriculum
With the IB missions statement “develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect”, all the courses are designed to foster the international mindedness and the responsible global citizens. To achieve the goals, the IBDP students need to learn broadly and deeply the subject knowledge connecting with the local and global issues. Six subject groups and three core elements of the DP:
.png)
The second circle – six subject groups. The students in the DP are required to learn tow modern languages (or one modern language and one classical language), one subject in individual and societies, one subject in sciences, one subject in mathematics, one subject in arts. The learning difficulties are increasing because of the balanced subject allocation. Meanwhile, the DP students can choose the subjects related to the majors in the university. The third circle – three element cores, including Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS), Extended Essay (EE). TOK inquires the learning process of the knowledge and develops the critical thinking. CAS provides opportunities to improve personal and social issues then bring a more profound understanding of the subject through the engagements. EE investigates one meaningful topic then develops own perspectives from one or various subjects.
The visions of IBDP at KCISXA
I. Balanced development in liberal arts and sciences. The students are required to take liberal arts and science subjects which enables to learn a comprehensive system of knowledge and to strengthen personal expertise.
II. Differences respecting and success encouraging. The students can pursue success based on their personal strength and weakness by the selection of the subjects and academic levels.
III. Dissemination of the knowledge and ability training. The course provides not only the deep and broad subject knowledge but also the opportunities for self-management and research skills in the learning process, where it enhances the interdisciplinary training, comprehensive thinking and critical thinking.
IV. Scientific evaluation and quality education. The assessment is not the only way to evaluate academic achievement; the process of learning is used for other aspects, such as cognition, emotion, meaning, and action. Besides, the academic ability, innovative capacity, and research skill trained by the three element cores in the IBDP prepare students for the university study.
DP Advantages
Countries and Schools that Recognize the IBDP
5,088 IB world schools are widely located around the world, for example, 1,835 IB world schools in the United States, 368 in Canada, near 1,000 in United Kingdoms, near 1,000 in the Asia-Pacific Region (till June 2019). The IBDP graduates can continue their study in over 4,000 universities, especially the well-known universities in the United States, Canada, United Kingdoms, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc. Based on the rigorous academic training and independent thinking ability, the IBDP graduates are more easily accepted by the top universities. From research published by the IBO in 2011, the IB students’ acceptance rate is higher than the average:
.jpg)
The IBDP is highly recognized by the leading universities around the world, especially the top universities. Some of them set up a variety of application limitation (for example, the DP biology grades must be higher than six to apply the major in biology), and some of them the admission incentives (for example, one DP subject in higher level is worth credits of one course in the university). It strongly recommends getting more information about university majors and its application requirements from the IBO website and the KCISXA Counselling Office.
Five more extraordinary features in IBDP
The IBDP graduates show the extraordinary features in the college admission process, which include:
1. Highlight your advanced writing skills. Completing multiple essays comes easily to IB students given the emphasis the programme places on self-reflection and written expression. IB students can capitalize further on this by using the interdisciplinary model of learning to respond to admissions questions from multiple perspectives.
2. Consider universities that accept individual portfolios. Some universities allow students to submit individual portfolios of work. The DP programmes place emphasis on the development of a student’s abilities over time. IB students will have amassed a significant body of work in their personal portfolios. Portfolio-based applications allow admission officers to understand how an IB student is reflective and critical in their work.
3. Nail the interview. DP students give multiple presentations over their two-year course work. The confidence and experience they develop in these public speaking opportunities will translate into a big advantage when interviewing for university admission, internships and work. Don’t forget to mention your creativity, activity, service (CAS) project in addition to your academic credentials.
4. Recommendation letters that pack a punch. The recommendation letter remains a pivotal component of the application package. When soliciting recommendation letters that stand out, consider providing your teachers with an easy-to-reference profile of your high school history beyond academics. Include your extended essay topic, your personal project topic, your CAS project, foreign language abilities, and participation in any international programmes of study, extra-curricular activities and course workload.
5. Show global perspective. IB students have a strong sense of their cultural identity and respect the values and differences of other cultures. Trained to think globally and act locally, IB students are required to participate in civic engagement through a community service project that ties into some aspect of their coursework.
Ten Reasons
1. It increases academic opportunity. Research shows that DP graduates are much more likely to be enrolled at top higher education institutions than entrants holding other qualifications.
2. IB students care about more than just results. Through Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) you learn outside the classroom and develop emotionally and ethically as well as intellectually.
3. It encourages you to become a confident and independent learner. For example, the extended essay requires independent research through an in-depth study.
4. It’s an international qualification. The DP is recognized globally by universities and employers.
5. Graduates are globally minded. Language classes encourage an international mindset, key for increasingly globalized societies.
6. The IB encourages critical thinking. Learn how to analyse and evaluate issues, generate ideas and consider new perspectives.
7. DP students have proven time management skills. Take good study habits and strong time management to further education and the working world.
8. It assesses more than examination techniques. Learn to understand, not just memorize facts or topics and prepare for exams.
9. Subjects are not taught in isolation. Theory of Knowledge (TOK) classes encourage you to make connections between subjects.
10. It encourages breadth and depth of learning. You are able to choose courses from six subject groups and study subjects at different levels.