Developing Competence

Primary Years Programme (PYP)

Transferable Ideas through Conceptual Understandings

Key concepts provide a lens for conceptual understandings associated with a transdisciplinary theme; related concepts provide a lens for conceptual understandings within a specific subject. 

Key Concepts 

The PYP identifies seven key concepts that facilitate planning for a conceptual approach to transdisciplinary and subject-specific learning. Together, these key concepts, Form, Function, Causation, Change, Connection, Perspective, and Responsibility, drive inquiries that lie at the heart of the PYP curriculum. In addition to these concepts driving the homeroom units of inquiry, specialist teachers are able to connect to the transdisciplinary units through these key concepts. 

Related Concepts

Related concepts in the PYP explore key concepts in greater detail and also add depth to the programme. In contrast to the broad key concepts, related concepts are more narrowly focused. All subjects have associated concepts and conceptual understandings that reflect the nature of its specific content. For example, in science, “adaptation” could be a related concept connected to the key concept of “change”; in individuals and societies, “sustainability” could be a related concept associated with “change and responsibility”.

Transferable Skills through Approaches to Learning (ATLs)

Approaches to learning (ATL) are an integral part of an IB education and complement the learner profile, knowledge, conceptual understanding and inquiry. Formerly known as “transdisciplinary skills” in the Primary Years Programme (PYP), these skills are now referred to as “approaches to learning”.

Although the ATL are relevant from 3 to 19 years of age, it is particularly important for PYP teachers to interpret these skills in ways that are appropriate for early and primary years learners. All teachers foster and support the development of these skills by providing opportunities embedded in authentic learning experiences.
 

Middle Years Programme (MYP)

Transferable Ideas Through Conceptual Inquiry

Conceptual learning focuses on powerful organising ideas that have relevance within and across subject groups. Concepts reach beyond national and cultural boundaries. They help to integrate learning, add coherence to the curriculum, deepen disciplinary understanding, build the capacity to engage with complex ideas and allow transfer of learning to new contexts. PYP students encounter key and related concepts, and students in the MYP, CP and DP further develop these conceptual understandings.

Key and related concepts 

A concept-driven curriculum encourages idea-centred learning and teaching. The MYP prescribes key concepts (overarching) and related concepts (subject-specific) to better ensure a common basis of conceptual understanding is developed in MYP schools that will provide students with a sound foundation for future learning. According to Erickson (2008), concepts range from macro to micro in terms of scope, but all concepts meet the following criteria: 

• Valued and meaningful across time, place and space 
• Abstract 
• Concise (represented by one or two words or a short phrase) 
• Express common attributes of specific examples

Transferable Skills through Approaches to Learning (ATL)

Learners develop their competencies to think critically and creatively, to research efficiently and to communicate effectively to a wide range of audiences for multiple purposes. In the IB, these competencies are called Approaches to Learning (ATL). The development of skills such as thinking skills and communication skills is frequently identified as a crucial element in preparing students effectively for life beyond school. 

The term “skill” is used in a broad sense in the MYP to encompass cognitive, metacognitive and affective skills. Cognitive skills include all the information-processing and thinking skills, often called “study skills” in a school environment. Affective skills are the skills of behaviour and emotional management underpinning attitudinal factors, such as resilience, perseverance and self-motivation, which often have a large role to play in educational achievement. Metacognitive skills are the skills that students can use to monitor the effectiveness of their learning skills and processes, to better understand and evaluate their learning. 

Diploma and Career-Related Programmes (DP/CP)

Transferable Ideas through Conceptual Understandings

DP courses have always had a focus on developing conceptual understanding, but within DP subject guides and teacher support materials the focus on teaching through concepts is becoming increasingly explicit. Some DP subjects explicitly construct their subject guides around concepts. This can be an effective way of framing course content, as well as inspiring more explicitly conceptual assessment tasks. In all subjects teaching through concepts can be a very powerful teaching strategy. DP courses are based on an interrelationship of concepts, content and skills, all viewed as equally critical to student learning. 

Concepts are powerful, abstract ideas with many dimensions and definitions. They have important interconnections and overlapping concerns that engage students in higher-order thinking, helping them connect facts and topics with more complex conceptual understanding. Concepts create “intellectual synergy” (Erikson 2007) and provide points of contact for transferring knowledge and understanding across disciplines and subject groups. 

Transferable Skills through Approaches to Learning (ATL)

By developing ATL skills and the attributes of the learner profile, DP and CP students can become “self-regulated learners” (Kaplan 1998). Self-regulated learners have learned how to set learning goals, ask good questions, self-interrogate as they learn, generate motivation and perseverance, try out different learning processes, self-monitor the effectiveness of their learning, reflect on achievement, and make changes to their learning processes where necessary (Zimmerman and Schunk 1989; Wolters 2011; de Bruin et al 2011)