International Baccalaureate (IB) and Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) have many similarities in their capacities and attributes. However, they also have differences in their aims, outcomes but similar results.
IB shares similarities with CfE as they both aim to encourage students to be thoughtful individuals. IB focuses on creating caring individuals, where CfE encourages children to be respectful of others and teaching how to care for other people’s feelings and understand the needs of others. The four capacities for learners that CfE create mirrors the values that IB strives to achieve.
CfE and IB teach pupils to be kind, enthusiastic, polite and knowledgable. IB tries to focus children on using initiative, fairness, appreciative and having consideration for surroundings. Whereas CfE uses the four capacities, where in order to become a successful learner you need to be enthusiastic, motivated and determined. Confidence stems from having secure values, ambition and self-respect while being an effective contributor focuses on having the appropriate attitude and being resilient. CfE also focuses on making learners responsible citizens which comes from respect and commitment.
This shows that IB and CfE do have some differences in their focus, where IB tries to ensure that their learners are open-minded and can appreciate cultures, values and traditions. Where CfE focuses on being a successful learner by being determined to achieve and being motivated. IB also differs from CfE as IB learners are encouraged to inquire into their learning and develop their curiosity and learning. CfE focuses on being open to new thinking and ideas rather then researching.
I have experienced IB attributes in my own learning when I was at school and we would be given a topic (e.g. rivers) to research and make a presentation on individually and in groups. This showed the IB attributes of ‘inquirers’, ‘thinkers’, ‘communicators’ and ‘knowledgeable’, these projects were effective as they allowed for group work as well as playing to everyones strengths as there was an area of the project that everyone would be able to do.
I have also experienced IB teaching on my MA1 placement, where the children had visited the high school and we reflected on their feelings about moving to their school and what they are nervous about and what they were looking forward to. We used the thinking hats to further the ideas and opinions and to help give suggestions so that all areas were covered.
