mathematical studies sl curriculum review

Mathematical Studies SL Curriculum Review

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Principles of DP Curriculum Reviews

collaborative, working with teachers, examiners, consultants and IBCA staff

surveying teacher opinion via questionnaires on OCC

supported by the assessment division reporting to the diploma review committee aware of the impact of a subject or group

review on the hexagon as a whole scheduled on a seven year review cycle


7 YEAR REVIEW CYCLE

06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14

Teaching schedule

T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 Tr T1 T2

Review schedule

- - IY R1 R2 R3 R4 - -

Key:IY – investigation yearR1 – first year of subject reviewT1 – first year of new courseTr – teacher training year


Outcomes of the curriculum review

new guides published March-June 2012

new TSM material available May 2012

specimen papers available May 2012

subject specific workshops throughout 2012

begin teaching September 2012

first exams May 2014

last exams Nov 2020


Profile of participants

participants from each IB region a mix of publicly funded / privately funded schools gender balance a mix of experienced and relatively new teachers representative senior examiners representatives of the three IB working languages

(though meetings are normally held in English).


Group 5 Review Progress

whole group 5 review

initial group 5 questionnaire to schools in July 07

all group 5 meeting in October 07

subject specific questionnaires

two subject specific meetings each year

one IA meeting in Cardiff each year


Aims of meeting

To consider the subject specific questionnaire results To produce relevant syllabi for our students which will

be of use to them during their diploma studies, through university and beyond

To produce a syllabus full of practical applications to everyday life and to their other diploma subjects

To ensure that all the mathematical recommendations from the other diploma subjects were included


Reports on the OCC

After every meeting a report is produced and published on the OCC for teachers. Comments are invited from teachers as the review progresses.

Report on MSSL April 2010 Report on SL and HL April 2010


Group 5 aims and links

Diploma-wide issues, TOK (including ethical implications), and international mindedness have been addressed in the new group 5 aims

A column in the new syllabus provides useful links to these aims.

APPL- real life examples and links to other diploma subjects

Aim 8- moral, social and ethical implications

Int- international mindedness

TOK- suggestions for discussion


Assessment model for MSSL

The meetings recommended to retain the current assessment model for Mathematical Studies SL

Assessment model

Paper 1 (40%) : GDC required

Paper 2 (40%) GDC required

Internal assessment (20%)

Short response questions

Extended response questions

Project


Notes on the assessment model

Paper 1 would remain as it is with 15 short questions worth 6 marks.

Paper 2 would become 6 longer questions each worth approximately 15 marks.

Both papers would be graded in difficulty within the question and the paper.


Syllabus outline for MSSL

Topic 1—Number and algebra 20 Topic 2—Descriptive statistics 12 Topic 3— Logic, sets and probability 20 Topic 4—Statistical applications 17 Topic 5—Geometry and trigonometry 18

Topic 6—Mathematical models 20 Topic 7—Introduction to differential calculus 18

Project

25 Total teaching hours 150

Page 13


Summary of changes in MSSL

Topic 1-Introduction to GDC was moved to presumed knowledge as in practice this is intrinsic in the teaching of each topic. Extra time was given to certain topics to allow for this.

Topic 6- Statistics. This topic was split into two parts – descriptive and applications. Normal distribution was included.

Topic 8- Financial mathematics was subsumed into Number and algebra. Simple interest was excluded. Compound interest was included as an application of a geometric series.


Summary of changes continued…

Topic 4 -Functions has been rewritten and renamed ‘Mathematical models’. The aim of this topic is to develop an understanding of some mathematical functions that can be used to model practical situations.

The project was retained with some changes in the assessment criteria. It was also recommended to increase the teaching hours spent on the project up to 25.


Specimen papers

A set of papers has been produced to reflect the changes in the syllabus.


IA Meeting Recommendations

Current form of project was retained but the criteria were reviewed

A- increased to 3 marks to give credit to those students who provide a detailed plan which is followed

B- if information collected from a secondary source eg internet, there must be evidence of sampling for full marks to be awarded where appropriate

C- rewritten to ensure that simple mathematical processes were completed before any further processes were attempted.


Recommendations continued….

C- Any calculations performed using technology only would be considered as a simple process. At least one further process must be calculated showing full working.

D- no major changes E- reduced to maximum of one mark F- Notation and terminology removed G- commitment criteria was removed and replaced by

Notation and terminology


The new TSM

• plenty of exemplar student work marked according to new criteria

• Links to exemplars for each achievement level on each criterion

• new interactive document with annotated projects to indicate clearly why and where certain marks have been awarded. See ESS new TSM

• teacher guidance written for teachers by teachers. • examples of mini projects • a ‘common pitfalls’ section with exemplars


Mathematics SL

Topic 1—Algebra

Topic 2—Functions and equations

Topic 3— Circular functions and trigonometry

Topic 4—Vectors

Topic 5—Statistics and probability

Topic 6—Calculus

IA



Summary of changes in Mathematics SL

Assessment model

Paper 1 (40%) Paper 2 (40%) GDC IA (20%) Short & extended response

Short & extended response

Assessment model unchangedMatrices excludedRegression and correlation includedIntegration by substitution included


Mathematics HL

Topic 1—AlgebraTopic 2—Functions and equationsTopic 3—Circular functions and trigonometryTopic 4—VectorsTopic 5—Statistics and probability

Topic 6—Calculus

Total core hours 182

Option 48

IA



Summary of changes in Mathematics HL

Assessment model

Paper 1 (30%) Paper 2 (30%) GDC

Paper 3 (20%) GDC

IA (20%)

Short and extended response



Assessment model unchangedMatrices excluded moved to new topic Linear Algebra in Further Mathematics Option increased to 48 hours, core reduced by 8


Further Mathematics SL- the future

Further Mathematics SL an anomaly in the diploma Further Mathematics SL to be replaced by a new

higher level Further Mathematics course modeled on the existing SL course

Six topics of 48 hours = 240 hours as one will be taught as part of HL course.

Four existing options to become 48 hours plus geometry and a new topic – linear algebra


Further mathematics HL- the new course

Statistics, Sets and Discrete to remain broadly as they are at present but augmented to make 48 hours

Series will be renamed ‘Calculus’ and be less series-based

Geometry ‘topic’ in Further Mathematics will be augmented from 30 to 48 hours. The additional content is less abstract and more accessible while still demanding.

Linear algebra will include an introduction to matrices (excluded from core) and extended to look at vector spaces and applications to geometry.

Page 23


Further mathematics HL

Sets, relations and groups

Discrete mathematicsStatistics and ProbabilityLinear algebraGeometry

Calculus

Each option 48 hours 240

Paper 1 GDC Paper 2 GDC

50% 50%

Short & medium response

Medium & extended response


Problems with present IA portfolio

Investigations should arise out of classroom experience as topics are introduced not be generated by the IB

Teachers reluctant to produce their own tasks due to perceived problems with moderation

Teachers reluctant to share their own developed tasks with the IB as then they would have a limited shelf life

Plagiarism and the perception of plagiarism


Mathematics SL/HL IA- Mathematical Exploration

The mathematical exploration is a written submission, which will address one or more of the group 5 aims , 6-9 which cannot be assessed in examinations.

The intended audience is their mathematics class. The emphasis is on communication by means of

mathematical forms (e.g. formulae, diagrams, graphs etc) with accompanying commentary.

A list of stimuli may or may not be provided.


The new TSM

• exemplar student work marked according to new criteria

• guidance on marking ‘explorations’ written for teachers by teachers.

• examples of mind maps from given stimuli


Draft criteria

Communication Mathematical Context Mathematical Presentation Personal Engagement Reflection Mathematical Sophistication ( HL only) For more details see Report on SL and HL April 2010

mathematical studies sl curriculum review

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