When do students need to decide if they want to take this course?

Subject option forms are due in the first week of February 2024.

Where can I get information?

The new course will be launched as part of our Grade 10-11 transition process in November 2023, involving assemblies, coffee mornings, and additional information sessions (details are published separately for each campus). From November, information on all aspects of our Grade 11-12 learning programme will be available on our transition sites. For students there will be some demonstration lessons in Week 2 aer the December break, where they can get a better idea about the project based nature of the course.

How can students register for this course?

Every student can select this course. Students will need to see the Head of Department to discuss their reasons for joining, and will require the Head of Department's signature on their Subject Selection form.

What if I change my mind?

Our aim is that all students are able to make informed decisions about their learning programme when they submit their subject option form in February 2024. However, we know that sometimes thinking shis in the subsequent months, or even in the first few weeks of a new course: for this reason, we support students in making changes to their subject package up until the October break of Grade 11 - at which point transitions can become much more challenging. These changes are always dependent on the possibilities of the timetable, and on space being available in the new subject classes.

Do universities recognise Systems Transformation?

Universities the world over highly value the breadth and rigour of the IB diploma, and the quality holistic education represented by the UWCSEA High School diploma. Diploma students opting to take Systems Transformation will receive the same IB qualification, and an overall score out of 45 points, which is well understood by universities in a very wide range of countries and systems (see more at the IB University Recognition website ).

Beyond this, university requirements for IB course selections will depend on the institutions and courses students are applying for (more details on our Transitions website, IB Subjects Prerequisites Matrix)

UWCSEA and the IB have been engaging with universities over the last year to share our work on Systems Transformation, to ensure that they understand the content and rigour of this new option. Both the ability to dive deeply into an area of particular interest and the opportunity to develop skills as part of a real-world engagement have been highlighted as valuable opportunities afforded by the course.

How can students get advice on whether this course suits their university aspirations?

We encourage students to make their initial subject selections for Grade 11 by reflecting on their interests and strengths; the kinds of learning they enjoy, and the experiences they want to have in the learning programme as a whole. Aer submitting their subject options form, all students will meet 1:1 with a University Advisor to review their choices through the lens of keeping doors open for the countries and courses they are considering. Information is provided to families via the Transitions Site, where the IB Subject Prerequisite Matrix provides general guidance about required and recommended subjects and levels for popular courses in popular countries. Parents are also welcome to bring their questions to one of the upcoming regular engagement sessions with University Advisors. Cup of College runs on East campus and UAC Conversations runs on Dover campus, more details and how to register are found in the eBrief.

What if students don’t know what they want to study at university? How can they make a decision about this course?

That’s ok! We don’t expect students to have a clear idea in Grade 10 or what they want to do at school. One of the strengths of the IB diploma is its breadth, and much of that is maintained in this pilot model, which will still require students to choose, in addition to Systems Transformation, three higher level subjects and one standard level subject, from across a range of subject groups. As well as broadening students’ knowledge and skills, the baccalaureate model allows for flexibility and students’ developing curiosity, leaving many options open for future study. Students should be guided by their strengths and interest in making subject choices, and should consider requirements of specific country systems where they might want to apply (eg. evidence of language proficiency).

How is Systems Transformation different from existing IB diploma course options?

Envisioned as a bold and innovative pilot course, there are some key differences between Systems Transformation and other IB subjects:

1. Currently, UWC Atlantic and UWCSEA are the only schools in the world invited by the IB to develop and run this pilot
   course. A pioneer cohort of 24 students at UWCA began their studies in August 2023 (you can find out more about their
   journey here).

2. Systems Transformation counts for two standard level subjects: meaning students will have four lessons per week, and
   be awarded two identical grades 1-7.

3. Selecting Systems Transformation opens up greater flexibility in the other course options for diploma students (seemore below).

4. Systems Transformation is designed for students seeking to take action, show initiative, and make change. In
   offering students a transdisciplinary, project-based learning experience, and a progressive, authentic assessment model, Systems Transformation offers a different kind of challenge for our students.

What does learning look like on this course?

With 4 blocks a week (including a double lesson), students taking Systems Transformation will benefit from an intensive, action-focused course, with opportunities to take learning outside of the classroom, working with community partners, service providers, or Systems Transformation students on other campuses (including UWC Atlantic)

The course is facilitated through two types of project: teacher-guided projects, and an extended Independent Engagement Project which will be student-driven, but teacher supported. Classes will be structured around taught content, shared experiences and inquiry, including collaborative and individual projects, deep dives to promote specific skill development, structured peer feedback sessions, and dialogue with mentors and thought partners

Classes will build key skills for changemaking, including design and systems thinking, leadership, and project management, with opportunities to connect to the UWC mission (for example, to service learning, peacebuilding, sustainable development and intercultural understanding).

How will students be assessed?

This pilot course has been developed as an alternative assessment pathway for the IB. This means that, while Systems Transformation students will be graded using the same 1-7 system, and work towards the same IB diploma qualification (should they choose), with the same requirements, they won’t be assessed through traditional exam models. Instead, assessments on this course will include comparative case studies, a portfolio, systems mapping, and an individual engagement project. Assessment is designed to be:

●  Balanced: the assessment model reduces the number of formal assessment components from six to four. Students will demonstrate skills and transdisciplinary understanding through a process portfolio, written interim reports, case study comparative analysis, and a systems mapping task. 50% is assessed externally by IB examiners; 50% is assessed by UWCSEA teachers, and moderated by the IB.

●  Authentic: Teacher-led projects, and the individual engagement project, will tackle pressing, real-world issues, with students designing interventions or artefacts for authentic audiences. This could include community partners, external experts, UWC alumni, or service providers.

●  Iterative: Ongoing, formative assessment, including peer review and targeted self-reflection, is a key feature of the project-based approach on this course. Students will revisit, re-evaluate, and refine their approach.

With a smaller cohort size, will it be harder to achieve the top grades? (i.e. will the IB apply a bell curve to our cohort?

The IB understands that students selecting this course - highly committed and engaged, with strong approaches to learning - will not be representative of the global cohort of IB students, and examiners do not expect the same distribution of grades as they might see in other subjects. The IB regularly runs pilot courses, and we know from our experience that students are not at all disadvantaged by being part of a small cohort.

IB assessment includes a range of methods to ensure comparable challenge and rigour across its courses, including moderation, pairs analysis, ongoing assessment research, and an Enquiry Upon Results service for candidates.

Will a 7 in this subject be more difficult than a 7 in a separate SL subject?

No, the level of difficulty in this (dual award) course - to achieve a 7 or any other grade overall - will be no more difficult than in other (single) subjects. Assessment objectives and marking criteria have been co-written with the IB to ensure consistency and appropriate challenge. Grade boundaries are set by the IB’s Principal Examiner for the subject, and there are established processes (e.g. pairs analysis) whereby the IB considers performance across subjects, to ensure comparable levels of difficulty. Though in this case two identical grades will be awarded by the IB, the level of knowledge, skills, and understanding needed to reach a 7 will be the same as in a single grade course.

Why are we introducing a new course?

Young people need a different and complex set of skills to thrive in a challenging future. There is a need for learning which takes students beyond traditional academic disciplines and settings; which equips them the ability to navigate complexity and change, working collaboratively for peace and a sustainable future. The decision to partner with the IB to develop this new course is the product of many years of discussion, at UWCSEA and in the wider UWC movement, to address these challenges, and empower our graduates as agents of change.

It is also our experience that the IB diploma model, with its traditional subject group requirements, does not accommodate the interests and ambitions of all students. This new course unlocks greater flexibility for students’ subject choices, while still offering students the highly-regarded IB diploma, should they choose.

For the IBO, Systems Transformation is part of an ambitious, multi-year project to re-think 16+ education, and design new assessment pathways. They are partnering with UWCSEA in this project to understand how IB courses can assess complex competencies, and how we can re-imagine learning for an uncertain future; one which traditional learning and assessment models have not been designed to address.

From Jenny Gillett, Assessment Design Lead at the IBO (‘The Evolution of the IBDP’ Dunia June 2023):

“This is such a large undertaking that we were looking for a trusted partner who was eager to collaborate and co-develop the curriculum together. UWCSEA already works in close partnership with the IB on a number of projects and pilots, with its experienced faculty involved in writing curriculum, delivering workshops, and producing example work. The College was eager to partner on this and it is a perfect and natural progression for their already established Grade 9 and 10 programme which introduces students to different forms of project-based assessment.”

How has the Systems Transformation course been developed?

The course has been developed by a cross-campus steering committee, comprising HS principals, VPs (11&12) and DP coordinators, Directors of teaching and learning, the Head of Curriculum and Research, and two course designers. Throughout, we have worked in partnerships with the Assessment Design Lead at the IBO, Dr Jenny Gillett, who is in charge of this pilot. Students have been involved in focus group discussions regarding content, language, and selection for the course, and they will be invited - along with alumni, parents, and other UWCs - to generate ideas for projects, to be developed by the course designers. Consultation has also been sought from external partners, and this process is ongoing.

Will this replace the existing IB Diploma?

No. Systems Transformation is a course option - not an alternative diploma. The IBO is committed to adding more flexibility to its diploma programme, and to that end has embarked on a multi-year review, involving a number of pilot projects, and a great deal of research. The aim is to expand the options currently available, to better meet the different needs of IB students around the world.