The level given when the student work reflects the corresponding descriptor. Achievement levels are shown in the left-hand column of the assessment criteria.

Aspects of visual appearance.

Aims state, in a general way, what the teacher may expect to teach or do, what the student may expect to experience or learn and how the student may be changed by the learning experience.

To identify parts and relationships, and interpret information to reach a conclusion.

Of, or relating to, the measurements and proportions of the human body.

One of the areas of interaction; it is concerned with the development of thinking skills, strategies and attitudes and the ability to reflect on one’s own learning.

This is the best product/solution that the student can produce, taking into account the resources available, the skills and techniques they have used, their educational development, how the product/solution addresses the identified need, and aspects of safety and ergonomics.

Schools may designate leaders for each of the areas of interaction; they are entrusted with liaison between the teachers involved, parents, students and, if necessary, the community.

The five central elements of the MYP, embedded within and across the subject groups of the programme. They are:

• approaches to learning (ATL)

• community and service

• human ingenuity

• environment

• health and social education.

Criteria against which a student’s performance is measured as evidenced by work produced. Subject guides provide assessment criteria to be used for final assessment for each subject group, and for the personal project.

A matrix used to assess a student’s performance according to specific criteria. Rubrics consist of a fixed number of levels and specific descriptors of performance for each level.

A teacher-designed assignment used to measure student success with meeting objectives. The task will generate work that can be assessed using previously agreed assessment criteria.

A creative-thinking technique, usually used by groups, to generate as many ideas as possible in response to a question or problem.

A description of the task as it is presented to the students. It should describe the problem to be addressed and may refer to key features included in the design specification.

One of the areas of interaction; it is concerned with developing community awareness and a sense of responsibility through service activities.

Computer software used in the design process of engineering projects.

The physical manufacture of products using a machine controlled by a computer.

The scenario within which the technology project will take place. This may be real or imaginary but should always be authentic (represent needs and processes experienced in the real world). It will often contain elements to be considered in the design specification, and may reflect a chosen area of interaction.

The sum of the levels awarded in each criterion for final assessment in each MYP subject. The levels total is then converted to a grade from 1 to 7 by applying the grade boundaries.

An assessment process based on awarding grades against previously agreed criteria. MYP assessment is criterion referenced.

To give a detailed account.

These describe the achievement levels that are assessed within each criterion.

The student’s response to the challenge, showing how they intend to solve the problem they have been presented with. This will guide their investigation as they work to develop a more detailed design specification.

Design brief:  A short paragraph explaining the problem to be solved. It should include these three parts:

Background: A short sentence that describes what has caused or created the problem or opportunity.
Challenge - The actual problem: One short sentence describing the main problem to be solved
Response: One sentence about how you intend to solve the problem. (What sort of thing will you make?)

The series of stages students use in all MYP technology-related learning. The four stages of the design cycle are: investigate, plan, create and evaluate.

A compilation of evidence that accompanies the final product for a unit of work. Students formally organize the results of their investigations, their various designs, plans and evidence for creation, their reflections during the creation stage and their evaluations of the final product/solution.

A detailed description of the conditions, requirements and restrictions with which a design must comply. This is a precise and accurate list of facts such as conditions, dimensions, materials, process and methods that are important for the designer and for the user. All appropriate solutions will need to comply with the design specification.

Design specification: A detailed description of the conditions, requirements and restrictions with which a design must follow. This is an accurate list of facts such as conditions, dimensions, materials, process and methods that are important for the designer and for the user. All your designs will need to follow the design specification

The use of computer software to produce printed documents where the emphasis is on layout of text and images.

To give an account including, where possible, a range of arguments for and against, the relative importance of various factors and comparisons of alternative hypotheses.

To “document” work is to fully credit all sources of information used through referencing and the bibliography according to one recognized academic convention.

One of the areas of interaction; it is concerned with the interdependence of human beings and their environments, and with sustainable development.

The study of the interface between humans and their man-made environment.

To assess the implications and limitations; make judgments about the value of ideas, works, solutions or methods in relation to selected criteria.

Evaluate: To write about your product, an idea or the design process, after carefully thinking, “What is good about it?” and “What is bad about it?”

To give a clear account including causes and reasons or mechanisms.

Explain: To write about in detail and include reasons why

See moderation.

The summative assessment of student work at the end of the final year of the MYP.

Ongoing assessment aimed at providing information to guide teaching and improve student performance.

The basic educational principles of the MYP. They include holistic learning, intercultural awareness and communication.

Time chart that chronologically displays separate events or tasks that have definite start and end points. It is useful for planning time and resources and can provide a visual representation of project tasks and key milestones. Named after Henry Gantt who devised it.

The lowest and highest criterion levels totals corresponding to a particular grade in final assessment. These are determined for each subject group and published in the MYP coordinator’s handbook.

This refers to the number reached by converting the criterion levels total using the grade boundaries table, and can only be arrived at when all subject-specific criteria have been used for assessment. Final grades for student work in the MYP range from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). Schools may also use this scale for assessment other than final assessment.

One of the areas of interaction; it is concerned with mental and physical health, and the interactions between the student and community.

One of the fundamental concepts of the MYP; it stresses the interrelatedness of various disciplines and issues.

One of the areas of interaction; it is concerned with the evolution, processes and products of human creativity, and their impact on society and on the mind.

International Baccalaureate Curriculum and Assessment Centre.

A service that allows MYP coordinators to complete administrative procedures and obtain news and information from the IBO via a password-protected web server.

School-specific subjects that integrate elements of several disciplines within or across MYP subject groups.

The assessment of a student’s work that is carried out by the student’s teacher.

The process by which teachers of one subject or subject group in a school ensure a common understanding and application of criteria and descriptors.

The issue of MYP records of achievement and certificates by the IBO, following the moderation of the schools’ internal assessment. The documents are sent directly to schools following their submission of internal assessment results (this applies only to schools that request IBO-validated grades).

The consideration of a student’s work against an individual assessment criterion.

To write about in detail and include reasons why and show why/prove your explanation is correct

This is an indication of how a teacher has assigned levels to a particular task. In some cases, the markscheme may be the MYP criteria as published. In other cases, the teacher may need to provide an answer key, indicate question levels on a reading comprehension, or provide criteria that have been modified to be task specific, depending on the task and the purpose.

Refers to the awareness of and reflection upon one’s thinking and learning.

The IBO’s programme designed for students between the ages of 11 and 16 years. It is organized according to the fundamental concepts of holistic learning, intercultural awareness and communication.

Powerful graphical representations of related items, which can be used by teachers and students to organize ideas created through brainstorming, or to organize the different steps of a project. Also referred to as a “concept map”.

The procedure by which sample assessed work from teachers is reviewed and adjusted externally to ensure assessment has been carried out according to MYP criteria and standards (this applies only to schools that request IBO-validated grades).

A moderation factor is applied to the internal assessment results sent in by the school, where samples of students’ work submitted by the school show that the standards applied by the teachers vary significantly from MYP standards.

All schools requesting IBO-validated final grades for their students are required to register subjects for moderation using the IBIS online moderation registration form.

A service that provides support and guidance to MYP schools with regard to internal assessment procedures. It is offered to all schools, and required as part of the programme evaluation procedure for schools not submitting to moderation.

The official IBO document stating that the student has fulfilled a number of requirements, as stated in the MYP coordinator’s handbook.

The pedagogical leader of the MYP in the school who oversees the effective development of the programme. The MYP coordinator ensures effective communication about the programme within the school, and between the school and the IBO.

Norm-referenced assessment distributes students’ scores above and below a pre-set pass or fail line, and students are measured against each other. MYP assessment is not norm-referenced.

One of a set of statements for a subject or the personal project, describing the skills, knowledge and understanding that will be assessed in the course/project. The assessment criteria correspond to the objectives.

A web-based service to schools that aims to support the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme. Teachers can take part in online discussions, access selected IBO publications, exchange ideas and resources, read news and information from the IBO, and participate in special events.

Student discussions with fellow students to gain insight into the task, topic, concepts and skills at hand, and to provide feedback and suggestions on draft work.

The manifestation of a student’s experience of the areas of interaction. It is completed during the last year of the MYP.

The member of staff within a school who is responsible for working directly with the student on the completion of the personal project.

A folder provided by the IBO for each of a school’s graduating students, whether or not they have registered for IBO-validated grades. The school and the student include IBO documents as well as school-produced records and statements in this portfolio.

A stage in the design process where versions of products (for example, prototypes) are tested against the need, applied to the context and presented to the end-user or target audience.

A mandatory process for all authorized MYP schools, whereby the IBO assists schools in their own self-evaluation procedures as well as ensuring the quality of programmes.

The official IBO document issued to all students registered for IBO-validated grades. It lists final grades in each subject and the personal project and, where relevant, the satisfactory completion of community and service.

To acknowledge sources within text. This includes in-text documentation and footnoting. See also document.

See assessment grid.

Samples of students’ work are submitted by schools for moderation or monitoring of assessment, on the instructions of IBCA. They are then reviewed by IBO-appointed moderators/assessors.

Special educational needs students, as defined by the IBO, may display difficulties or conditions that are a barrier to learning and therefore need particular teaching strategies for classroom management and effective education.

All schools requesting IBO-validated final grades are required to register each student with the IBO using the IBIS student registration form.

The MYP programme model includes eight subject groups: language A, language B, humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education and technology.

A guide, published by the IBO for each of the subject groups, stating the mandated objectives and assessment details.

The culminating assessment for a unit, term or course of study, designed to provide information on the student’s achievement level against specific objectives.

An assessment grid adapted by the teacher, which better identifies how the general achievement level descriptors can be addressed by the students, for a given task.

Student discussions with the teacher to gain insight into the task, topic, concepts and skills at hand, and to provide feedback and suggestions on draft work.

Teacher support material published by the IBO includes examples of assessed student work for the subject groups and the personal project. This material may appear as paper documents or online publications. It is intended to give practical help to aid understanding and implementation of the theory in the subject guides.

The length of teaching periods varies from school to school. For practical reasons, the IBO refers to one teaching hour as the equivalent of 60 minutes.

A piece of equipment used to test aspects of product design.

A series of lessons, often linked by a topic or theme, designed to enable students to achieve some of the objectives of MYP technology.

A measure of the relative importance of each assessment criterion.