The information is updated for our students and parents who suffer from the daily ‘ifs and buts’ due to the uncertainty in the IB exams posed by the global pandemic. Based on the feedback from the IBO, I’ve tried hard to collate the information and help my students optimize their preparation time and grades battling the odds.
The IB timeline for exam dual-route
What happened with the IB exam in May 2020? (Statistical bulletin published by the IBO)
Inference-There was no exam in May 2020. A significant improvement in the pass rate by an incredible 8%, rise in the overall and mean scores tilt the fulcrum of demand towards the non-exam route.
However, there is another side of the picture. If you analyse critically, you would find cogent reasons for a lot of hue and cry due to the unpredictable jumps in the predicted grades. This is where the algorithm of standardization is questioned and finally abandoned.
With an open minded and balanced approach in encountering the prior feedback, the IBO has been gutsy enough to conduct the November 2020 series with a dual route, giving the schools to take up decisions in alignment with the government.
What happened with the IB exam in Nov, 2020?
The average grade point for Nov 2020 was fair round 29.81, which is good. This shows that is it is plausible to conduct exam, the IBO can do away with all kinds of possible discrepancies which might impact the career of a candidate.
Why an exam dual- route for May 2021?
The IBO has been rational in authorizing the schools of different regions to own the discretionary power of adopting either of the pathways for the IBDP exam, May 2021 with the consent of the country’s government. If you analyse the reasons for the IBO’s moves in handing over the decision-making gear to the schools, you would get an understanding that why the IBO issued its brief statement on the 6th of January, 2021. It is, in fact, the most reasonable move which the IBO could take up-talking to school leaders, teachers and government regulators “regarding their local context, restrictions and the impact of COVID-19 on their students”.
The reasonable move is an aftermath of many comparable and contrasting parameters- right from the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 in different regions, the huge outcry for the algorithm based grading system of 2020 causing the disparity between the final and the predicted grades, the insufficiency of data with the 94 new IB schools whose students’ performance was adjusted with their previous school records to a completely different picture of confidence shown by the established IB schools in sharing the predicted grades of their students.
Approximately, 170,000 (almost 17%) students across 3000 IB schools (55%) out of 5400 in the world are responding in a diverse and complex manner, being susceptible to the local pandemic conditions. Hence, the onus lies with the region specific schools to consult their government in deciding on the path to be followed. The current data based on the survey conducted by the IBO, shows a higher percentage of schools adopting the exam route for May 2021.
What are the changes in the IB exam for May 2021?
The changes are in the IAs, modified paper, marks, weightings, in session mitigations, and examination times.
You can see that except Language and Performance, all the subjects have a same or a higher weightage assigned to the IAs, for reducing the pressure on the exam, if taken. Whether the route is exam or non-exam, the IAs are extremely important for you.
IAs would be uniformly weighed on the prescribed IB scales by the IB examiners and not the class teachers. This ensures a moderation with a better control of the IBO on your scores, which might not be amenable to random school specific inflations.
Do not hurry with your IA, unlike other times where there used to be often unnecessary early pushes from the schools.
15 March 2021 – Submission of eCoursework for Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge
20 April 2021 – Internal Assessment and Predicted Grades submission
30 April 2021 – Submission of externally assessed eCoursework for film, dance, music, theatre and visual arts
It’s likely that you may have apprehensions on the safety, fairness or equitability in grading system, moderation, deadlines, IAs, teachers’ predicted grades, university recognition and admissions. Yes, the overall canvas is a bit rugged right now with discontentment shown by the Hong Kong students in facing the May 2021 IBDP exams. A couple of petitions and almost 50,000 people in Hong Kong feel that it is a much-needed shot to annul the IBDP exam, May 2021.
When we critically evaluate the scenario, we get to see both sides of the coin. On one hand, we see that couple of 2020 DP takers’ sufferance from the disparity and inaccuracy of the newly introduced algorithm based grading system, for which there have been a few amendments. In fact, in Hong Kong the Independent Schools Foundation Academy’s appeal to the IB could improve 39 out of 50 candidates’ (78%) grades by at least one significant point. On the other hand, we also see the frustration being piled up in the Hong Kong students for the loss of constructive time and opportunity, interrupted learning process, and impact on the mental health due to the pandemic. The BIG question raised by the Hong Kong students is when the complete learning process had to be different from the so called usual mode, then why should the exam be as usual? The current scenario at Hong Kong needs a discussion, for Hong Kong is one amongst the top countries following the IB curriculum. Also, the students are so competent that even in the face of 2020 pandemic, 23 of them were perfect scorers. So, probably the schools do not want to take chances with predicted grades, while the students do not want to end up with the exam-stress due to a lack of seamless studies.
UK, with a significant number of DP (97) and CP (47) schools, is reluctant to take any chance in banking upon the algorithm based standardized scores, rather go with the coursework grades and the teachers’ predicted scores. After a discussion with the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, UK, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man have decided to go with the non-exam route.
Many are sceptical with a doubt that probably the IBO has adopted a ‘blanket approach’ in offering the dual pathway to schools. Well, if you zoom through the critical lens, you would get to comprehend that it is not at all a blanket approach, rather a fair and equitable customized attitude shown by the IBO. The act is solely contingent on the unbiased and rational approach of the Organization in ensuring safety, health, and the best academic interests of the students.
Also, the IBO has assured a uniformity in the marking scheme for both the routes.
There cannot be any comparative discrepancy between the peer mates of the same school, as taking up the exam or not is not at all a student’s choice.
I would sincerely suggest you to have a good cushion of high predicted grades in bolstering your overall score. Concentrate on your school exams just the way you would perform in your final external assessments (EAs).
CAS is important but not a required component of your Diploma this time, for IB would be flexible and considerate in assessing the feasibility of completion of CAS on a subjective level.
Your result looks the same- whether you are an exam or non-exam candidate. You will be recognized by the university on the unanimous parameter of reliability, authenticity, and validity of your score card, which would emphasize highly on your skills along with your scores.
