Research suggests that students in International Baccalaureate (IB) programs perform better than students taking other qualifications. A recent release by IB on the research is summarized below.
NOTE: Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is Michigan’s only Catholic school offering the IB-Diploma Program (DP), IB-Middle Years Program (MYP) and IB-Primary Years Program (PYP).
A global study investigating performance in the Primary Years Program (PYP) and Middle Years Program (MYP) found that IB students outperformed their non-IB peers in mathematics, reading, narrative writing and expository writing.
Qualitative data from a 2014 study on the IB Diploma Program (DP) in the USA suggested that students who participated in the DP during high school are more academically adjusted to the rigor and expectations of college.
The IB regularly publishes this kind of research. Its website has several studies looking at the impact of IB programs, and many currently in progress.
Studies are conducted in collaboration with universities and external research organizations, as well as by the IB Research team.
Find out more about the four IB programs and implementing an IB education.
Studies on school culture
As part of its program impact research, the IB publishes a number of studies looking at culture in IB World Schools.
A 2013 study, for example, looked at the perspectives and beliefs of IB teachers, with focus groups held in Hong Kong, Peru, Spain and the USA.
It found that IB teachers, like other teachers, see nurturing as the dominant perspective in what it means to be a good teacher – but that IB teachers have a greater focus on the remaining four perspectives in the analysis, including social reform.
Further, an analysis of the DP suggested that the program's heavy reliance on discussions, debates, oral presentations, written assignments and teamwork enables students to develop many of the skills necessary for civic engagement.
About IB research
Read about the different kinds of research done at the IB, including program quality assurance and development.
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." The Marist Fathers and Brothers sponsor NDPMA's Catholic identity and manages its educational program. Notre Dame is accredited by the National Association of Independent Schools, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.