An article in Australia's Sydney Morning Herald looks at what supporters and critics have to say about the IB.
According to the newspaper's reporter Colleen Ricci, supporters of the IB "suggest it produces well-rounded citizens with a depth of learning."
Ms Ricci's article introduces the IB and argues for its global relevance. She writes:
Many theorise that as our world becomes more globalised, an internationally flavoured education necessarily becomes the more favourable option. Consequently, the International Baccalaureate is the preferred choice for an increasing number of parents: its global nature, which encompasses academic breadth; open-ended inquiry; community involvement; focus on personal development, and the compulsory inclusion of a foreign language has become highly prized.
The article notes that more than 150 schools in Australia offer one or more IB programmes, "echoing overseas trends."
Ms Ricci looks at what some supporters say about IB programmes. "From a curriculum standpoint," she writes, "some comment that IB programs have the advantage of having drawn on the best practice of international education frameworks."
She goes on to say that supporters of the IB: "declare that a curriculum fostering genuine global understanding has more value in the modern world than the more "inward" and "parochial" nature of traditional state-based systems."
You can read the full article on the website of the Sydney Morning Herald.
