Key findings from research on the impact of IB programs in the Americas

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Global Research department collaborates with universities and independent research organizations worldwide to produce rigorous studies examining the impact and outcomes of the IB program, which has been part of Notre Dame's curriculum for eight years. In addition, many researchers—independent of the IB—produce quality studies on the effects of IB programs. The information below provides a brief overview of key findings from recent research, both external and commissioned, on IB programs from 2012 to 2015. 

Notre Dame was the first Catholic school in Michigan to offer the IB program and continues to be the only Catholic school in the United States to offer IB at the elementary, middle and high school levels. 

Primary Years program (PYP) and Middle Years program (MYP) studies

• A study investigated the mathematics self-efficacy and self-regulatory skills of PYP students in three schools in the United States. Findings indicated that teachers were aware of IB curriculum elements and implemented them in the classroom. Goal setting, monitoring, collaboration and reflection appeared to be beneficial self-regulatory practices that supported student learning. Additionally, high achieving students were found to be more likely to engage in strategic thinking before, during and after mathematics problem-solving than average and low achieving students (Kitsantas and Miller, 2015).

• Utilizing a mixed-methods case study, an investigation explored the perceptions of administrators, teachers and students within four PYP schools in Colombia. Student interviews identified teachers as the primary drivers of their positive learning experiences. In an accompanying survey, 89.3% of PYP students indicated that they enjoyed being a student at their school while over 90% reported that they were proud to be a student of their school (Lester and Lochmiller, 2015).

• An externally conducted quantitative study in the United States compared the science performance of PYP and MYP students (n=50) with that of their non-IB peers (n=50). The study, based on the science portion of the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP), found that IB students performed significantly better on the CSAP than their non-IB peers at the 5th, 8th, and 10th grade levels (Healer, 2013).

• Systematic observation of 85 classrooms within eight Texas PYP and MYP schools in the United States was utilized to investigate instructional practice and student behaviors. Generally, IB teachers were observed utilizing active and engaging instruction while students were found to exhibit many positive learning behaviors. For example, IB students were observed as being “on task” 87% of the time, a much higher percentage than the 73% observed in a similar study of non-IB students (Alford, Rollins, Stillisano and Waxman, 2013).

Diploma program (DP) studies

• A study, which included all DP candidates who graduated from high schools in the United States in 2008, indicated that 78% of students enrolled in postsecondary institutions immediately after high school (the US average is 69%). Additionally, 98% continued on to their second year of study. Of former DP students, the four-year graduation rates at all four-year institutions (79%) were higher than the national average (39%) (see Figure 1) (Bergeron, 2015).

• Investigating the relationship between enrollment in the DP and students’ university preparedness in Mexico, a mixed-methods case study found that DP students often enroll in top-ranking universities in Mexico. The study also suggested that academically stronger students tended to enroll in the DP, reportedly due to a lack of satisfaction with other high school options. In interview responses, most students, teachers and administrators indicated that the DP does a better job of preparing students for university studies than non-IB programs because of the DP’s rigor and unique curriculum (Saavedra, Lavore and Flores, 2013).

• A study exploring “academic civic-mindedness” and “model citizenship” in the United States found that, compared with nationally representative samples of 12th grade students, the DP sample scored higher on 9 out of 10 items that tested their knowledge of US government structure, functioning and history. Additionally, interview data indicated that the DP strongly promotes students’ knowledge of public policy and understanding of effective advocacy techniques (Saavedra, 2014).

• Comparing matched samples of DP and non-DP graduates, a study examined the impact of Chicago’s IB programs on the postsecondary outcomes and experiences of Chicago Public School graduates. During the 1990s, Chicago Public Schools introduced the DP into 12 high schools serving mostly low income, minority students with little or no family history of college-going. DP graduates were more likely to enroll in college, to enroll in selective colleges, to stay enrolled and to perform better than similar non-DP graduates (Coca, Johnson, Kelley-Kemple, Roderick, Moeller, Williams, Moragne, 2012). 

• A study examining the learning benefits and outcomes of the extended essay on students’ research skills at a university in Canada found that IB graduates rated themselves higher on measures of self-efficacy for inquiry learning and were less likely to associate learning with memorization, in comparison with non-IB graduates. IB graduates also reported that the skills they learned from completing the extended essay were helpful in meeting the academic demands of university coursework (Aulls and David Lemay; Aulls and Sandra Peláez, 2013).

• The impact of the DP on academic and non-academic college readiness was investigated by examining DP and non-DP graduates at the University of Oregon’s Honors College in the United States. While researchers found no difference in college grade point averages between the two groups, DP graduates were significantly more likely to persist and to complete college than their non-DP counterparts. Qualitative data indicated that DP graduates were also better able to adjust to university coursework, specifically highlighting a number of skills gained through participation in the DP that were helpful in college, including critical thinking, time management and research skills (Conley, McGaughy, Davis-Molin, Farkas and Fukuda, 2014). 

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