Group 3 Individuals & Societies

Group 3 subjects are more commonly known as the ‘Social Sciences’, ‘Human Sciences’ or the ‘Humanities’. These courses explore the interactions between people and their environment in a cultural and social context.

At the Australian International School we offer the following group 3 subjects:

• Business Management

• Economics

• Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS)

• Geography

• Digital Society

• Psychology

Business Management

Prerequisite knowledge and prior learning

The Business Management course requires no specific prior learning. No particular background in terms of specific subjects studied for national or international qualifications is expected or required. Business Management is less theoretical and more practical than DP Economics.

Course description

The Business Management course covers the key characteristics of business organization and environment and the business functions of human resource management, finance and accounts, marketing and operations management

Course content

• Unit 1: Introduction to Business Management

• Unit 2: Human Resource Management

• Unit 3: Finance and Accounts

• Unit 4: Marketing

• Unit 5: Operations Management

Assessment SL & HL

External assessment (70% SL and 80% HL)

• Paper one (35% SL and 25% HL) is based on a case study issued in advance

• Paper two (35% SL and 30% HL) consists of structured questions based on stimulus material and an extended response question that assesses students’ understanding of the key concepts of the course.

• Paper three (25% HL Only) based on unseen stimulus material about a social enterprise.

Internal assessment (30% SL and 20% HL)

• Students provide a research project ablut a real business issue or problem facing a particular organization using a conceptual lens. Maximum of 1800 words.

Economics

Prerequisite knowledge and prior learning

The Economics course requires no specific prior learning, although those who have taken IGCSE Economics will have an advantage in the first semester. The ability to understand and explain abstract concepts in a logically structured manner are distinct advantages in Economics. For the HL option, a good ability to work with basic mathematical concepts, graphs and calculations in context is important.

Course description

The study of Economics is essentially about how markets work to allocate scarce resources and some of the ways in which governments may attempt to correct market failures on local, national, and international levels. The Economics course encourages students to develop international perspectives, foster a concern for global issues and have a better awareness and understanding of current events.

Course content

Section 1: Introduction: What is Economics? How Economists approach the world.

Section 2: Microeconomics: Demand, Supply and Equilibrium, Elasticity, Government Intervention, Market Failure, Environmental Sustainability (HL)

Section 3: Macroeconomics: Measuring Economic Activity, Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply, Price Level, Growth, Unemployment, Fiscal, Monetary and Supply-side Policies

Section 4: The Global Economy: International Trade, Exchange Rates, The Balance of Payments, Economic Integration, Measuring Economic Development, Sustainable Development, Growth and Development Strategies

Assessment SL

External Assessment:

• Paper 1 (30%): Students answer one out of three extended-response questions. Each question has a part (a) worth 10 marks and a part (b) worth 15 marks.

• Paper 2 (40%): Data-response paper; answer one out of two structured questions.

Internal Assessment (20%):

• Students are required to produce a portfolio of three commentaries, each 700-800 words linking economic theory to a news article.

Assessment HL

External Assessment:

• Paper 1 (20%): Students answer one out of three extended-response questions. Each question has a part (a) worth 10 marks and a part (b) worth 15 marks.

• Paper 2 (30%): data-response paper; answer two out of four structured questions.

• Paper 3 (30%): calculation paper, answer two out of three structured calculation questions.

Internal Assessment (20%):

• Students are required to produce a portfolio of three commentaries, each 700 –800 words linking economic theory to a news article.

Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS)

Prerequisite knowledge and prior learning

Students will be able to study this course successfully with no specific previous knowledge of Science or Geography. However, before choosing ESS, some students are under the misapprehension that it is an ‘easy science’ – it is not – students who struggle with Science will struggle with ESS. Also, as ESS aims to foster an international perspective, awareness of local and global environmental concerns and an understanding of the scientific method, a course that shares these aims would be good preparation.

An interdisciplinary subject: group 3 or 4 (SL only)

ESS is both a Group 3 and a Group 4 subject.

Course description

The Environmental systems and societies course places great emphasis on human attitudes to the environment and on an understanding of the interrelationship between the environment and human societies. It also places great emphasis on the concepts of sustainability and is studied using the scientific method.

Course content

The course is divided into eight compulsory topics:

• Foundations of environmental systems and societies

• Ecosystems and ecology

• Biodiversity and conservation

• Water and aquatic food production systems and societies

• Soil systems and terrestrial food production systems and societies

• Atmospheric systems and societies

• Climate change and energy production

• Human systems and resource use

In addition, students are required to take part in a practical programme of work that accounts for 20 hours of lesson time in addition to the 10 hours prescribed for the internal assessment task.

Assessment (SL only)

External assessment

• Paper 1 (25%): analysis and evaluation of data in an unseen case study

• Paper 2 (50%): short answers and structured essay questions

Internal assessment (25%)

• One practical investigation (fieldwork or lab-based) planned, carried out, analysed and evaluated by the student. The purpose of the internal assessment investigation is to focus on a particular aspect of an ESS issue and to apply the results to a broader environmental and/or societal context. The investigation is recorded as a written report of 1,500 to 2,250 words.

Geography

Prerequisite knowledge and prior learning

Geography requires no specific prior learning. No particular background in terms of specific subjects studied for national or international qualifications is expected or required. While the skills needed for Geography are developed within the context of the course itself however, Geography taken at IGCSE and/ or a familiarity with geographical concepts would be an advantage.

Course description

Geography focuses on the interactions between individuals, societies and the physical environment in both time and space. It seeks to identify trends and patterns in these interactions and examines the processes behind them. It also investigates the way that people adapt and respond to change and evaluates management strategies associated with such change. Geography describes and helps to explain the similarities and differences between spaces and places. These may be defined on a variety of scales and from a range of perspectives.

Course content

Part 1: Geographic themes – seven options (two at SL, three at HL).

• Freshwater—drainage basins

• Oceans and coastal margins

• Extreme environments

• Geophysical hazards

• Leisure, tourism and sport

• Food and health

• Urban environments

Part 2: Geographic perspectives – global change (SL and HL core).

• Population distribution—changing population

• Global climate—vulnerability and resilience

• Global resource consumption and security

Part 2 extension: Geographic perspectives – global interactions (HL only).

• Power, places and networks

• Human development and diversity

• Global risks and resilience

Assessment HL

External assessment

• Paper 1 (35%) on part 1, 45 minutes per option question. Each option has a structured question and one extended answer question from a choice of two.

• Paper 2 (25%) on part 2, Section A three structured questions, based on each SL/HL core unit; Section B visual stimulus with structured questions; Section C one extended answer question from a choice of two

• Paper 3 (20%) Syllabus content: Higher level extension. Students answer one of three essay questions on HL extension topics.

Internal assessment (20%)

• Students complete a written report based on fieldwork.

Assessment SL

External assessment

• Paper 1 (35%) on part 1, 45 minutes per option question. Each option has a structured question and one extended answer question from a choice of two.

• Paper 2 (40%) on part 2, Section A three structured questions, based on each SL/HL core unit; Section B visual stimulus with structured questions; Section C one extended answer question from a choice of two

Internal assessment (25%)

• Students complete a written report based on fieldwork.

Digital Society

Prerequisite knowledge and prior learning

No specialised prior learning in the subject area is required for students to undertake the digital society course. However, it would be beneficial for students to have some knowledge and understanding of basic IT terminology, concepts and how digital systems are changing our world and transform how we think, communicate, and collaborate.

Course description

This course allows students to better understand this changing world and to imagine where we might go next as technology continues to evolve. Students explore the impacts and implications of digital systems for people and communities in diverse real-world contexts. Based on the interdisciplinary perspectives and skills of the social sciences and humanities, the course encompasses attributes of the IB learner profile while preparing students for further study in a variety of fields and professions. The passions, interests and experiences of students are key to the course, which aims to empower them to become citizens who not only participate in digital society but lead it as well.

Course content

The course integrates concepts, content, and contexts through inquiry.

Concepts

Concepts invite young people to “think like a practitioner” by considering, for instance, how a geographer, sociologist, anthropologist or ethicist might approach the impact and implications of different digital systems in the world.

The starting concept is the one that is most applicable to the context and content of the inquiry. Also, when starting an inquiry with a content focus, such as databases or artificial intelligence, or a context focus, such as care for elderly people or education, the concepts will provide different ways to explore impacts and implications, and where to go next with future developments and interventions.

Content

When studying digital society, it is important to have an understanding of the underlying technologies and terms associated with the digital system being used in society today. It is important that students must gain a more precise understanding of the terms and technologies used by digital systems in the content section.

Content aids inquiries with details related to digital systems. Each content topic must be addressed. Students are not expected to develop an in-depth knowledge of every aspect related to digital systems. It is not possible, for instance, to fully explore every digital system relevant to the course.

Contexts

When studying digital society, it is important to have an understanding of a range of real-world contexts and how they relate to the content and contribute to our overall understanding of the major concepts. By the end of this section, students must be able to understand, analyse and evaluate unseen real-world examples as well as the impacts and implications of digital systems relevant to each context.

HL Challenges and Interventions

In the HL extension, students conduct extended inquiries to address challenge topics and interventions in a digital society. Steps taken to complete the HL extension challenges:

1. Students create an extended inquiry focus that integrates a prescribed area for inquiry from one of the challenge topics – Global well-being, governance and human rights and sustainable development.

2. Students explore sources and investigate their extended inquiry focus.

3. Students must identify at least one intervention for each prescribed area for inquiry. Interventions studied in the HL extension must involve digital systems, but they do not need to always refer to discrete devices, services, apps or platforms. A policy or rule change, for example, may also be considered as an intervention that involves digital systems.

4. Students must evaluate at least one intervention for prescribed area for inquiry and consider recommended steps for future action.

Assessment HL

External assessment

• Paper 1 (35%)

• Paper 2 (20%)

• Paper 3 (25%)

• Internal assessment (20%):

Assessment SL

External assessment

• Paper 1 (40%)

• Paper 2 (30%)

• Internal assessment (30%):

Internal assessment – Inquiry project

Students conduct an inquiry into impacts and implications of digital systems for people and communities. The requirements for the project include:

• an inquiry process document not to exceed 1500 words

• a recorded multimedia presentation that does not exceed 10 minutes

• a list of references.

Psychology

Prerequisite and prior learning

No prior study of Psychology is expected. While the skills needed for the Psychology course are developed during the course itself, the ability to understand and explain abstract concepts, the interest to read a considerable amount of text and do research, and the ability to write in a logically structured manner are distinct advantages in Psychology.

Course description

Psychology is the systematic study of behaviour and mental processes. Psychology has its roots in both the natural and social sciences, leading to a variety of research designs and applications, and providing a unique approach to understanding modern society.

IB Psychology examines the interaction of biological, cognitive and sociocultural influences on human behavior.

Course content

Part 1: Core

Biological approach to understanding behavior, Cognitive approach to understanding behavior, Sociocultural approach to understanding behavior, Approaches to researching behavior.

Part 2: Options

Abnormal psychology, Developmental psychology, Health psychology, Psychology of human relationships.

Part 3: Experimental study

Assessment HL

External assessment

• Paper 1 (40%)

• Paper 2 (20%)

• Paper 3 (20%)

Internal assessment (20%)

• A report of an experimental study conducted by the student.

Assessment SL

External assessment SL

• Paper 1 (50%)

• Paper 2 (25%)

Internal assessment (25%)

• A report of an experimental study conducted by the student.