Programme Development (Academic Division)

A robust research agenda to inform the development of the IB’s three programmes and the continuum includes five interconnected areas. Accordingly, four programme development research projects have been developed and scheduled for 2010.

Programme Development Research Areas

Research Area 1: Strengthening the IB’s three programmes – focusing on the curriculum framework of the three programmes, and examining influential elements involved in the developmental process of each programme.
Research Area 2: Fostering curriculum implementation and instruction - exploring and analysing strategies, challenges and lessons learned throughout the implementation of the IB’s three programmes, considering schools’ incorporation of their school-based curricula with the curriculum framework of each programme, concerns and strategies for differentiated instruction, use of technologies in teaching and learning, and the development of teacher support materials.
Research Area 3: Promoting the continuum of the IB’s three programmes – exploring the articulation and alignment of continuum between and across the three programmes.
Research Area 4: Building capacity for global lifelong learners in the 21st century – addressing the promotion of the IB’s learner profile in IB world schools and how it relates to students’ development towards holistic individuals, lifelong learners, and global citizens. As such, the analysis to some degree indicates students’ possible contributions to local, national, and world societies and environment.
Research Area 5: Enhancing research capacity and curriculum development process -explaining the need of and capacity building for rigourous educational research throughout the continuous curriculum development process of the three programmes, and looking at feasible approaches and strategies for more effective curriculum development initiatives.