Moalims

LAHORE: Not satisfied with simply maintaining the status quo, Beaconhouse is geared up to bring about a change in the educational landscape of the country.
Beaconhouse, a household name in the field of education, will be offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) in five authorised IBDP schools across Pakistan starting September 2015. This makes Beaconhouse the pioneer in establishing a network of authorised IB schools in the country as well as the very first to introduce the system in Lahore. The IBDP is being offered by Beaconhouse at its state-of-the-art TNS campus since 2014. It will soon be joined by the Gulberg campus in Lahore, the PECHS and Defence campuses in Karachi and the Margalla campus in Islamabad.
The IBDP is a two-year educational programme, equivalent to the A Level, for students aged 16 to 19 and serves as an exciting and challenging new option for students who have completed their Matriculation or O Levels. IB Programme Manager Minka Peeters Weem at the Beaconhouse Head Office explains, “The programme provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is preferred by many of the top universities worldwide.”
The new educational
powerhouse: “The IBDP has been very well received and continues to gain international recognition,” said Minka. “The programme aims to develop students who have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge – students who flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically.”
“IB education is a step towards bringing in contemporary inquiry and research-based schooling. The IB learning experience encourages stepping out of content parameters and recognises practical and real life applications,” she shared. “IB offers the students self-expression in the most liberal forms, and provides them the freedom to choose, discover and invest in their potential.”
In the United Kingdom, The Guardian newspaper claims that the IBDP is “more academically challenging and broader than three or four A Levels.” Furthermore, qualitative data from a 2014 study on the IB Diploma Programme (DP) in the USA suggested that students who participated in the DP during high school are more academically adjusted to the rigour and expectations of college.
“Unlike a national curriculum, IB programmes are accepted as leaders in developing good teaching and learning practices and in educational innovation,” Minka clarified. “They encourage students to be internationally-minded and to think beyond their immediate environment.”
What does the DP entail? The DP curriculum is made up six subject groups and the DP core, comprising Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay (EE). Each student must choose one subject from each subject group which includes studies in language and literature; language acquisition; individuals and societies; sciences; mathematics and the arts. It is possible to choose another subject from the list instead of the arts.
Students will take some subjects at higher level (HL) and some at standard level (SL). HL and SL courses differ in scope but are measured according to the same grade descriptors. Students are expected to demonstrate a greater body of knowledge, understanding and skills at higher level. Each student takes three subjects at higher level and three at standard level. Standard level subjects take up 150 teaching hours and higher level entails 240 teaching hours. “This methodology ensures that the students get a much broader and in-depth base of knowledge,” explained Minka, “giving them a much more well-rounded experience and preparing them far better for the university life ahead”.
“Through IB, students ‘learn how to learn’, by studying the unique Theory of Knowledge course. They are encouraged to try different approaches to learning and to take responsibility for their own educational progress,” she added. “IB students are always supported in asking challenging questions instead of just listening and noting down what they need to know. Thinking critically and developing integral research skills is what will be invaluable to them in higher education and invariably in life, which is a distinct shift from rote memorisation.”
What does IB assessment look like? Student work is assessed as direct achievement against the stated goals of the Diploma Programme (DP) courses. DP assessment procedures measure how much students have mastered advanced academic skills such as analysing and presenting information, evaluating and constructing arguments and solving problems creatively.
Basic skills are also assessed, including retaining knowledge, understanding key concepts and applying standard methods. In addition to academic skills, DP assessment encourages an international outlook and intercultural skills, wherever appropriate.
“Student results are determined by performance against a set standard and not by each student’s position in the overall rank order,” Minka stresses. This approach to achievement helps students work to improve their own performance rather than attempt to outdo each other.
“Our teachers have undergone extensive IB training to ensure international quality standards are maintained,” Minka added, “both in the classroom during learning sessions and during the assessment timeframe.”
The IBDP uses both internally and externally assessed components to measure student performance. For most courses, written examinations at the end of the programme form the basis of the assessment. This is because these examinations have high levels of objectivity and reliability.
Externally assessed coursework, completed by students over an extended period under authenticated teacher supervision, forms part of the assessment for several programme areas, including the Theory of Knowledge essay and the Extended Essay. In most subjects, students also complete in-school assessment tasks. These are either externally assessed or marked by teachers and then moderated by the IB.
In the DP, students receive grades ranging from 7 to 1, with 7 being highest. Students receive a grade for each DP course attempted. A student’s final Diploma result score is made up of the combined scores for each subject. The diploma is awarded to students who gain at least 24 points, subject to certain minimum levels of performance including successful completion of the three essential elements of the DP core.
The TOK and EE components are awarded individual grades and, collectively, can contribute up to 3 additional points towards the overall Diploma score. Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) – the remaining element in the DP core – does not contribute to the points total but authenticated participation is a requirement for the award of the diploma.
A change for the better
Beaconhouse is extremely optimistic about the impact the IB system will have on the educational framework of the country. This initiative enables students who are so inclined to work within a research and inquiry-based framework that prepares them for the rigors of higher education in Pakistanand abroad.
Beaconhouse DP schools in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad are accepting applications for enrolment, provided the students meet the qualifications and have the requisite aptitude for the programme. The interview process has already begun to determine if applicants possess the ability and mind-set to meet the requirements of the IBDP.
Minka clarifies, “Not only is a candidate’s academic performance scrutinised but also how well-rounded they are in terms of their extracurricular activities such as sports and debate.”

News Reference: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/18-Jun-2015/beaconhouse-ready-to-change-the-game