International Baccalaureate Middle Years Progamme

Overview

In Years 7-10 within the Middle Years Programme, the students’ learning is enriched by integration of holistic learning, intercultural awareness and communication skills. In Year 9 and 10 students commence work on a Personal Project, which is the culminating activity in students appreciating the Areas of Interaction (Approaches to Learning, Health & Social Education, Environment, Homo Faber, and Community & Service).

As part of the MYP requirements, students complete assessment tasks and assignments, which are marked against MYP criteria and sent overseas for moderation. The IBO awards grades on a scale of 1-7. The general grade descriptors are Grade 1 (very poor), Grade 2 (poor), Grade 3 (mediocre), Grade 4 (satisfactory), Grade 5 (good), Grade 6 (very good), and Grade 7 (excellent).

From 2007/8:
At the end of Year 10, students who have completed their Personal Project and Community and Service requirements will receive an IBO MYP Record of Achievement that gives a final grade for each subject studied to the appropriate level.

Furthermore, in order to earn a MYP Certificate, students must have:

• studied at least one subject in each of the eight subject areas as defined by the IBO (Arts, Humanities, Language A, Language B, Mathematics, Physical Education, Sciences, Technology);
• gained a minimum of a MYP grade of 2 in every MYP subject;
• gained at least a grade of 3 for the Personal Project;
• gained a grade total of at least 36 from the eight subject groups and the Personal Project combined, out of a possible maximum of 63. If more than one subject has been entered in a given subject group, only the single best grade will count towards certification, although all subjects will appear on the MYP Record of Achievement;
• completed Community & Service expectations (2 activities in Year 7, and 3 activities per year in Years 8-10)

Personal Project

The Personal Project is a key aspect of the IBMYP. It is the culmination of the program and is produced in Grade 10.

It is the student’s application of those understandings and skills developed as a consequence of undergoing the IBMYP.

The skills required for the Personal project are the focus of Grades 6, 7, 8 and 9 and throughout the Primary years, through the Information Literacy program (i.e. Approaches to Learning).

The Personal Project must reflect the Areas of Interaction and must be an original work of research by the student.

The Personal Project is an essential part of the overall assessment.

• Aims
  The aims of the personal project are to allow students to:
  • demonstrate the personal abilities and skills required to produce and present an extended piece of work
  • engage in personal inquiry, action and reflection on specific topics and issues
  • focus on, and demonstrate an understanding of, the areas of interaction
  • reflect on learning and share knowledge, views and opinions.
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• Objectives and Assessment Criteria
  The objectives of the personal project listed below relate directly to the assessment criteria.
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• A Planning and Development
  Students should:
  • identify a clear and achievable goal
  • describe and justify a focus on the chosen area(s) of interaction
  • describe the steps followed to achieve the stated goal
  • adhere to the stated goal throughout the project.
•  
• B Collection of Information/Resources
  Students should:
  • select and utilize adequate, varied resources
  • identify and use relevant information critically
  • acknowledge sources of information appropriately.
•  
• C Choice and Application of Techniques
  Students should:
  • choose techniques relevant to the project’s goal
  • justify this selection
  • apply the chosen techniques consistently and effectively.
• Aims and Objectives
• MYP Personal Project, January 2004 19
•  
• D Analysis of Information
  Students should:
  • analyse the information in terms of the goal and the focus of the project
  • express personal thought
  • support arguments with evidence
  • respond thoughtfully to ideas and inspiration.
•  
• E Organization of the Written Work
  Students should:
  • organise their work in a coherent manner according to the required structure
  • present information clearly
  • present references, bibliography and symbolic representations appropriately.
•  
• F Analysis of the Process and Outcome
  Students should:
  • identify the strengths and weaknesses of the project at different stages of development
  • where appropriate, suggest ways in which the project could have been tackled differently
  • assess the achieved results in terms of the initial goal and the focus on the chosen area(s) of interaction
  • show awareness of the overall perspectives related to the chosen topic or piece of work.
•  
• G Personal Engagement
  Students should:
  • meet deadlines
  • follow agreed procedures and work plans
  • make appropriate use of a process journal or log book
  • show initiative, enthusiasm and commitment to the task