IBEC Curriculum Planning & Instruction 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the IB framework, what does 'vertical alignment' in curriculum planning primarily ensure?
- Consistency of teaching styles across classrooms
- Progressive development of concepts and skills across grade levels (Correct answer)
- Alignment of classroom furniture with learning objectives
- Uniform assessment rubrics at each grade level
Correct answer: Progressive development of concepts and skills across grade levels
Vertical alignment ensures that concepts and skills build progressively from one grade level to the next, creating coherent learning sequences.
Question 2: An IB teacher is designing a unit using the 'concept-based curriculum' model. Which element is MOST central to this approach?
- Memorization of factual content
- Transferable big ideas that transcend specific topics (Correct answer)
- Standardized test preparation
- Chronological coverage of textbook chapters
Correct answer: Transferable big ideas that transcend specific topics
Concept-based curriculum centers on transferable big ideas (concepts) that help students make meaning across different contexts and disciplines.
Question 3: When using backward design in an IB classroom, what is the FIRST step a teacher should take?
- Select engaging activities and resources
- Identify desired learning outcomes and understandings (Correct answer)
- Create a daily lesson schedule
- Choose a textbook chapter to follow
Correct answer: Identify desired learning outcomes and understandings
Backward design (Wiggins & McTighe) begins by identifying desired results before planning assessments and instructional activities.
Question 4: Which IB document serves as the primary guide for what students are expected to know and do in a subject?
- The teacher's personal syllabus
- The subject guide published by the IBO (Correct answer)
- The school's mission statement
- The national curriculum standards
Correct answer: The subject guide published by the IBO
IB subject guides, published by the International Baccalaureate Organization, define the curriculum requirements, assessment criteria, and aims for each subject.
Question 5: A DP teacher wants to foster 'international-mindedness' through curriculum planning. Which strategy BEST achieves this?
- Teaching only international literature from Europe
- Incorporating multiple cultural perspectives and global contexts into all units (Correct answer)
- Requiring students to learn a second language
- Limiting discussions to universally agreed-upon facts
Correct answer: Incorporating multiple cultural perspectives and global contexts into all units
International-mindedness is fostered by embedding multiple cultural perspectives and global contexts throughout curriculum planning across all subjects.
Question 6: In the MYP, what is the purpose of the 'statement of inquiry' in unit planning?
- To list all the topics to be covered in a unit
- To articulate the conceptual understanding students will explore through a contextualized inquiry (Correct answer)
- To outline the grading criteria for summative tasks
- To identify which textbook pages correspond to the unit
Correct answer: To articulate the conceptual understanding students will explore through a contextualized inquiry
The MYP statement of inquiry expresses the conceptual understanding to be explored, connecting key and related concepts with the global context.
Question 7: Which instructional approach is MOST aligned with IB's emphasis on student agency?
- Direct instruction where the teacher delivers all content
- Student-led inquiry where learners co-construct understanding (Correct answer)
- Rote memorization drills for factual recall
- Standardized scripted lessons with fixed pacing
Correct answer: Student-led inquiry where learners co-construct understanding
IB programs emphasize student agency through inquiry-based approaches where learners take ownership of their learning process and co-construct understanding.
IBEC Curriculum Planning & Instruction 2
In the IB framework, what does 'vertical alignment' in curriculum planning primarily ensure?