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Focus and Purpose
History is an exploratory subject, which poses questions and provides opportunities for the students to engage in the selection, interpretation and critical evaluation of primary historical sources and the work of historians so that they can understand the past. History is a subject through which students gain an understanding of the world today and of different perspectives and cultures that help develop understanding of the present as well as the past.
The study of history develops the students understanding of and empathy for people living in other periods and contexts. It aims to foster student’s understandings of major historical events in a global context. History provides the opportunity for students to make comparisons between different cultures, political systems and national traditions in a non-judgmental manner. The student’s will be empowered to learn through the process of historical inquiry and develop the understanding that explanation and interpretation is a never- ending activity.
Through the study of History the students will appreciate the relative nature of historical knowledge and understanding. They will develop an understanding of why each generation rewrites its own history and how new evidence and subsequent events and processes influences the way each generation reflects its own world.
Process
A variety of teaching and learning strategies will be used throughout the IB Diploma History course that will meet all learning styles and abilities, such as;
- Discussion based upon readings, stories in the news and journal reflections
- Journals will be kept and added to regularly. Journal entries may be based upon class discussions, on specific tasks set, on the students own reflections, on items (news cuttings, advertisements etc) collected by the student
- Essay writing: essays will help students to prepare for their summative (final externally assessed essay) assessment
- Peer editing of essays, essay drafts and essay plans will help students become familiar with IB assessment criteria
- Video documentaries, taped advertisements and extracts from films
- Group work – discussion, debate, role playing, simulations, games
- Note making
- Class Lectures
- Use of Information Communication Technology
- Geographic Information System Historical Projects
- Use and evaluation of historical sources (documents, films, pictures, documentary programmes, monographs
- Problem solving historical investigations
- Presentations / Seminars by students which will historical understandings and applying ‘TOK’ thinking to issues
- Keeping up to date with world events / news and making connections and links to past events
Topics
The core of the programme 20th Century World History constitutes the Standard Level course and part of the Higher Level course.
Topic 1: Causes, practices and effects of war
Topic 2: Peace making, peace-keeping: international relations 1918 – 1935
Topic 3: The Arab-Israeli conflict 1945 – 1979
Topic 4: Communism and crisis: reform, revolution, reaction 1976-1999
Topic 5: Democracy, discrimination and dissent
In addition to the above higher level students will undertake an in-depth study of;
Topic 6: Aspects of the history of Asia and Oceania from circa 1770 to the 20th Century (2000).
IB Assessment
Formative Assessment
This is designed to develop the skills and knowledge needed by students to meet the requirements of the summative assessment. These assessments evaluate student’s knowledge and understandings of the past and of historical processes.
Formative assessment will be undertaken using a variety of methods such as; analytical essay writing, document analysis and evaluation, film reviews, presentations and seminars. These will provide opportunities to evaluate the student’s level of understanding and will be assessed according to IB assessment criteria.
Summative (Final) Assessment
This consists of a historical investigation that is incorporated into the course work and two or three external IBO examinations.
Student following the IB Diploma History course at a Standard and Higher Level will be expected to meet the following assessment objectives;
- comprehend, analyze, evaluate and integrate source material critically as historical evidence
- demonstrate historical understanding of 20th century world history through the acquisition, selection, effective use and synthesis of knowledge
- explain different approaches to, and interpretations of, historical events and topics
- place events in their historical context
- explain the causes and effects of historical continuity and change
- present arguments that are clear, coherent, relevant and well substantiated
- present historical explanations from an international perspective
- plan, organize and present an individual historical investigation
- (Higher level only) demonstrate an in-depth historical understanding of aspects of the history of Asia and Oceania circa 1770 – 2000, through the acquisition, selection, effective use and synthesis of knowledge.
The following table provides an overview of the IB Diploma History Programme summative assessment.
Paper One: (SL 30%, HL 20%)
Candidates will complete an in-depth study of 20th Century World History subjects;
Prescribed subject 1: Peace-making, peace keeping and international relations 1918-1991
Prescribed subject 2: The Arab-Israeli conflict 1945-1979
Prescribed subject 3: Communism and crisis: reform, revolution, reaction 1976-1991
The purpose of paper one is to give the students the opportunity to demonstrate their skills of comprehension, analysis, evaluation and application when answering for questions from one prescribed subject.
Paper Two: (SL 45%, HL 25%)
The students will complete an in-depth study of the causes, practices and effects of wars and democracy, discrimination and dissent in 20th Century World History and will be required to complete two analytical essays.
Paper Three: (HL only 35%)
The students will complete an in-depth study of aspects of the history of Asia and Oceania and will be required to complete three analytical essays.
Internal Assessment: (SL 24%, HL 20%)
The students are to complete a historical investigation. This is a problem-solving activity which enables the students to demonstrate the application of their skills and knowledge in an area which interests them. Students are expected to apply the skills of a historian, such as making sense of source material and managing conflicting interpretations. The students are required to search for, select, evaluate and use evidence to reach a decision or solve a problem. The internal assessment is assessed internally and moderated externally.
VIS Assessment
The VIS grade will be based on the differentiation of tasks and assignments from the above list. These differentiated tasks and assignments will be handed out with the course outlines at the beginning of the school year.
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