"Developing thinking skills is a key feature of the constructivist approach that so heavily influences all IB programmes. In this approach, the teacher is seen as a facilitator who “guides the student, stimulating and provoking the student’s critical thinking, analysis and synthesis throughout the learning process” (Briner 1999: 1). Being “thinkers” is explicitly identified as one of the IB learner profile attributes, and is defined in terms of exercising initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions. . . . The term thinking skills refers to a cluster of a large number of related skills, and in the DP particular focus is placed on skills such as metacognition, reflection and critical thinking. Many categorizations of thinking skills also emphasize related behaviours such as “curiosity, flexibility, posing problems, decision making, being reasonable, creativity, risk taking, and other behaviours that support critical and creative thought” (Costa and Kallick 2009). In this way, while a crucial element of developing students’ thinking is helping them to build up a toolkit of skills, it is equally important to cultivate dispositions such as open-mindedness and curiosity. "
"The term communication skills is very broad and consists of a cluster of different skills and forms of communication. The University of Melbourne, in association with Cisco, Intel and Microsoft, produced an influential white paper as the foundation document for their “Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills” (ATC21S) project, in which they state that the most essential communication skills for adolescents are as follows (Binkley et al. 2010):
All of these communication skills play a crucial role in the DP. For example, within the three elements of the DP core, students need to communicate in a number of different ways: in TOK, students undertake both an essay and an oral presentation, and need to be able to formulate arguments clearly and coherently in both formats; in the extended essay, the skill referred to above of monitoring the writing process from drafting to proofreading is particularly vital; and in CAS, students often, for example, undertake service activities that require effective interaction and communication with members of the local community."
"To function effectively in the school environment, students need to be adept at both peer-related and teacher-related social communication and behaviour. These skills are closely linked to communication skills and also to attributes of the IB learner profile, such as being caring (for example, through students being aware of the impact of their behaviour on others).
Learning itself can also be seen to have a strongly social element. This idea is particularly associated with Vygotsky, who argued that “human learning presupposes a specific social nature and a process by which children grow into the intellectual life of those around them” (Vygotsky 1978: 88). In this approach, learning is a fundamentally active social process, and collaboration is a crucial way of constructing understanding and making meaning."
"One of the most crucial skill sets needed for success in the DP are organizational skills, and within that the particular skill of time management. Students at both secondary and tertiary levels are very aware of their own deficiencies in this area, but often do not have effective strategies to overcome them (Weissberg et al. 1982).
Good time management is a feature of self-managed or self-directed learning (McCombs 1986): it can alleviate stress (Lay and Schouwenburg 1993), increase academic performance (Campbell and Svenson 1992) and contributes significantly to successful “strategic” study (Kirschenbaum and Perri 1982). Time management is not something we can assume that students will do naturally—as with all ATL skills, it is a specific skill that must be taught and also modelled. If we expect our students to be well organized and punctual, to work methodically throughout the year and to meet all deadlines without last minute panic, then we must model strategies to help them achieve this goal. DP teachers can help students organize their time by coordinating their deadlines for students so that assessments are well spread throughout the school year. If teachers also help their students learn how to break down assignments into achievable steps and to timeline each step, plan out revision and study plans for tests and examinations, and build study timetables, then much poor time management will be alleviated."
"The development of affective skills is a key part of the development of self-management skills. This can enable students to gain some control over their mood, their motivation and their ability to deal effectively with setbacks and difficulties. There is also an important link between this area of ATL and the crucial area of student health and well-being, which historically has tended to be “mostly separated from other aspects of school life” (Konu and Rimpelā 2002).
Affective self-management skills are teachable and they can make a huge difference to a child’s motivation, resilience and, indeed, academic success; for example, relaxation training can help reduce examination anxiety and increase grades (Hembree 1988). For DP students, three important affective skills that are needed to handle the challenges of this level of study are resilience, self-motivation and mindfulness."
"The development of research skills is given a central place in the DP, as can be seen, for example, through the importance placed on the extended essay. The extended essay provides the opportunity for students to undertake personal research into the study of a topic of their own choice, yet with the support and guidance of a supervisor. The extended essay is a demanding task, which is intended to help students to develop sophisticated research and writing skills. Yet the completion of such a task in a school environment, with the support and guidance of a supervisor, is intended to serve as excellent preparation for university studies, where students are likely to have to undertake similar tasks without the same level of structure, scaffolding and support. ... There is also an important connection between effective research skills and academic honesty. While the IB does see some cases of students engaging in deliberate academic malpractice, it sees a far greater number of examples of students unintentionally committing malpractice because they, for example, lack research skills such as citation and referencing skills. All DP students are expected to acknowledge fully and in detail the work, thoughts or ideas of another person if they are incorporated in work submitted for assessment. The IB does not prescribe which style(s) of referencing should be used by students; this is left to the discretion of the school. However, it is expected that students will use an appropriate style, and use this consistently. More information on academic honesty can be found in the document Academic honesty, available on the online curriculum centre (OCC). "
All text courtesy of the IB Approaches to Teaching and Learning Website.