reflects the more widely held belief that in relation to tackling issues of global significance the boundaries between knowledge areas, such as history, economics, geography and biology for example, are no longer clearly defined. Issues such as climate change, migration and sustainability can rarely be understood within the confines of discrete disciplines; and more than this, the solutions to today’s complex problems necessitate understanding diverse and sometimes competing perspectives. The challenging but rewarding experience the WSEE offers students is in exploring these issues through an interdisciplinary approach in which they are able to ‘integrate knowledge and modes of thinking from two [...] disciplines in order to [...] offer explanations in ways that would not have been possible through single disciplinary means’ (Boix-Mansilla and Dawes, 2007: 219). As a consequence they develop their ability to think critically and creatively about these issues, developing the intellectual rigour of synthesising multiple perspectives in tackling real, locally grounded and personally relevant research questions. In many respects, at this level it is a unique and exciting opportunity – one that the DP seeks to develop and promote in a complementary role to its more disciplinary tradition. However, it is not without its challenges, challenges that will be explored in the next issue of the ISJ. Footnotes 1.
Project Zero is an educational research group based at Harvard University. They have undertaken extensive work on interdisciplinary learning and thinking.
2.
Personal communication – September 2012.
3.
The second-part of this paper will be published in the November 2013 issue of the International Schools Journal.
4.
All extended essays are assessed using 11 generic criteria, each assessing a different aspect of the essay. The generic criteria for the EE and WSEE are as follows: A: research question; B: introduction; C: investigation; D: knowledge and understanding of the topic studied; E: reasoned argument; F: application of analytical and evaluative skills; G: use of language appropriate to the subject; H: conclusion; I: formal presentation; J: abstract; K: holistic judgement. For more detailed information of the assessment criteria please refer to the Extended Essay Guide, IB 2012 available on the OCC (Online Curriculum Centre).
5.
If you are an IB World School with access to the Online Curriculum Centre (OCC) you can learn more about The Next Chapter on the MYP pages. If you do not have access to the OCC please go to: www.ibo.org
6.
The areas of interaction provide the MYP with its unique core: the contexts through which subjects are taught. They are: approaches to learning; community and service; health and social education; environments and human ingenuity.
7.
These traits were discussed in more depth and in relation to the WSEE earlier in the article.
8.
Many thanks to Gabriela Gonzalez-Vaillant for her insights into the MYP.
9.
If you are an IB World School with access to the IB OCC (Online Curriculum Centre) you will be able to find more information on the ‘approaches to teaching and learning’ initiative in the DP there. If you do not have access please go to: www.ibo.org
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