Empowering MYP teachers and students ManageBac as a training (and teaching) tool in MYP and towards the DP Giuseppe Redaelli International School of Milan
Empowering MYP
teachers and
studentsManageBac as a training (and teaching) tool
in MYP and towards the DP
Giuseppe Redaelli
International School of Milan
Aims of this session
Explore ways in which ManageBac can be used:
As a training tool for teachers
As part of teachers’ continued professional development
To create continuum from MYP into DP
Explore how ManageBac can become a teaching
tool to:
Help students understand IB MYP key elements
Help students take charge of their learning
Help students start to familirize with basic ToK concepts
and thinking patterns.
Help students be prepared for CAS
Format of the session
Implicit reference to the IB Standards and Practices
document – sections C1 – C4
Focus on teacher training
Reference to adaptations to student training
In IB MYP
In preparation for IB DP
ManageBac as a training toolWhat are the tools that turn ManageBac into a
good teacher training tool?
Description of each
Key concept facilitates
planning and
coversion of content-
based curricula.
This works for both
teachers and students.
Conceptual understanding can:
1. strengthen the translation of a content-
based unit to the MYP framework
2. help teachers make better sense of
teaching concepts through content
3. Support the creation of interdisciplinary
teaching and learning
Global contexts’
descriptions,
instructions and
“possible areas of
exploration” can be
used to guide
teachers and students
to a deeper
understanding of
teaching and learning
through context.
Lines of inquiry can help teachers:
1. Understand how articulated inquiry can
move from the statement of Inquiry
towards content.
2. Build a stronger structure to scaffold
students’ inquiries toward independence.
The ATL page can be used to:
1. Clarify the role of objectives
and objective strands in
teaching and learning.
2. Align objective strands and ATL
skills
3. Create meaningful learning
experiences leading toward
the ATL-strand alignment
The Tasks tab can be
used to:
Design assessment
tasks
GRASPS
Aligning assessment
with objectives and
ATL skills
Task specific rubrics
Possible scenarios
A. Introduction to the IB MYP
B. Development of Approaches to Learning in the writtenand taught curriculum
Requires choice of Objectives/Obj. Strands for ATL alignment
Can be adapted for students
Can be used to introduce students to ToK
C. Developing assessment practices
Requires alignment of ATL skills
Can be adapted for improving student skills and understanding of IB assessment
D. ATL skills alignment and development
E. Service towards CAS for students
A. Introduction to the IB MYPTraining teachers in the basics of the IB MYP
Training teachers in basic unit planning on
ManageBac
Aims of this session
Restructuring teaching practice as conceptual
teaching and learning
Using contexts for focussed teaching and meaningful
connections to real-life situations
Structuring and strengthening student inquiry through:
Conceptual understanding
Statement of Inquiry
Lines of Inquiry
Inquiry questions
Structure of the mini-workshop
Follows the basic Cat. 1 workshop structure
Led by the IB MYP coordinator or HoD
Set in a conference room/PC lab
WSL works on a projector
Each teacher works 1:1 directly on ManageBac
Hands-on practice on MB is:
Preceded by discussion on IB philosophy and practice
Followed by presentations/positive feedback/Q&A
Length of session usually 2 hrs
Session can be broken down into multiple sessions depending on availability
These sessions follow the basic structure of the Cat. 1
workshop “Introduction to the MYP”, merging it with
ManageBac practice.
Cat. 1 IB MYP WSI. IB Standards and the
new millennium
II. Aims, objectives and a plan
III. Concepts
IV. Context
V. Summative Assessment
VI. Approaches To Learning
VII. Inquiry
VIII. Teaching and Learning
IX. Assessment practices
X. MYP Projects and eAssessment
MB session
1. Inquiry
2. Teaching concepts in
context
3. Inquiry
4. Assessment
1. Summative Assessment
2. Differentiation
3. Formative Assessment
5. Approaches to Learning
Instructions and explanations
Are short and to the point.
Move from teachers’ prior experience /
training.
Are immediately followed by practical,
hands-on application.
Housekeeping
At the beginning of the session, teachers are:
Given their access credentials to MB
Shown how to log into ManageBac
Quickly talked through the MB user interface
Asked to click on their class list
Starting the session
“Think of a topic – ANY topic – within your
subject that you would like to teach”.
“Pick a year / grade level to which you
would like to teach your topic”.
On MB, click on the class you have chosen.
Create your new unit.
Structure of the Unit Planner
• What is the purpose of the unit
• How is teaching rooted in “real life”?Inquiry
• How do we teach and learn throughinquiry?
• How do we guide students to becomeindependent learners?
Action
• Metacognitive element to strengthencurrent and future inquiry.Reflection
Conceptual learning
Concepts are powerful organizing ideas
relevant across subject areas
universal, timeless and enduring
Conceptual understanding is at the
root of MYP teaching and learning
IB MYP programme design uses two kinds of concepts:
A. Key concepts
B. Related concepts
Key concepts
The core element of the unit
Provide interdisciplinary breadth to the inquiry
Contributed from each subject group
* On ManageBac the key concepts
from your subject group are listed in
bold. Read through the explanation
for each concept on the list.
* Choose one key concept from the
list to form the core and the heart of
your Unit’s topic.
Related concepts
Key concepts
Re
late
dc
on
ce
pts
Related concepts…
...add depth to the inquiry
...are subject-specific
* From the list of Related Concepts on
ManageBac, choose the two conceptsthat will allow students to best explore
the topic in depth.
Conceptual understanding (1)
Combines the key concept and the related concepts
into a statement that:
Is meaningful
Defines the relationship between concepts at the root
of the inquiry
Represents a transferable idea
Conceptual understanding is not present in the MYP unit
planner, but it is a useful tool to give a more stable,
stronger structure to the conceptual element of the Unit.
1. Read the list of Global Contexts on ManageBac
2. Choose the context that best identifies the direction you
want to give to learning in your unit
3. Choose ONE from the “possible explorations to develop”
4. Add the exploration you have chosen to your
conceptual understanding.
Statement of Inquiry
a. Meaningful statement
b. Contextualizes conceptual understanding
c. Gives focus to student inquiry
Lines of Inquiry
- a powerful tool from ManageBac, through the PYP
Dfferent directions the inquiry will take
Not on the “official” UP, but useful tool
Give order and clarity to inquiry
1. Think of how the concepts and context
can be unpacked in terms of the content
of the Unit;
2. Use (1) to define multiple directions /
paths inquiry can take;
3. Name a line of inquiry for each of the
“directions” / “Paths” and annotate it on
a separate sheet.
How to create lines of inquiryKC – Aesthetics
RC(1) – Context
RC (2) – Point of view
GC – Personal and cultural expression
1. Students will investigate the quest for physical beauty
in contemporary Italian society (Aesthetics).
2. Students will investigate beauty and its relation to
health and fitness in the context of sports (Context).
3. Students will investigate different cultural perspectives
on beauty in its relation to movement and physical
activities (Point of view).
Inquiry questions
Statement of inquiry
Factualquestions
Conceptualquestions
Debatablequestions
Shape and scope
a unit of study
Starting point for
inquiry
Deepen inquiry
and
understanding
Provide
scaffolding for
inquiry
How to design inquiry questions
Factual Can begin with “What…”
Open question on which a Google search
would yield many variations
e.g. What are the main rhetorical
devices?
Conceptual Begins with “How” or “Why”
Open-ended question addressing a
concept or a relationship between
concepts
e.g. How do rhetorical devices affect
communication?
Debatable Aimed at provoking debate and
discussion.
e.g. Can communication be effective
without recurring to rhetorical devices?
* Using the lines of inquiry you have designed…
...for each line of inquiry formulate...
1. A factual question
2. A conceptual question
3. A debatable question
Aims of the session
Give students an insight into the backstage to their
learning
Allow students to deepen their understanding of Key
concepts
Allow students to deepen their understanding of
subject-specific related concepts
Strengthen student-led inquiry through the scaffolding
offered by MB and the IB MYP
Guide students to appreciate multiple perspectives on
the same topic (the “infinity of learning”)
Preparation
Create a number of “fake” teacher accounts.
Assign each “fake” teacher account to a “fake” class
within a subject group.
Create a unit assigned solely to each “fake” account
Select a topic from the units students are currently
studying or have just finished studying.
Essential agreements with students regarding
behaviour and use of ManageBac as “fake” teachers.
Lesson plan Have students work in groups of 3-5
Assign a title/topic to the unit and ask studentsto:
Discuss the topic
Choose KC, RC and GC
Formulate CU and SoI
Formulate lines of inquiry and inquiry questions (1 per type per line)
Ask students to present their work and explaintheir choices to the class
Facilitate a whole-class discussion on the outcome of the exercise
NB: Remember NOT to disclose the fakeaccount passowords to students, or changethem after the lesson!
B. Assessment in the MYP• Continuing the “introduction to the MYP”
• Standalone session on backward planning and
assessment
Setting up the activity
Teachers work in Departments or Subject groups
Each group works on an existing Unit Planner
Each group will be using MB as a group
Each group will:
Discuss on Assessment practice and requirements
Design a Summative Assessment task
Design a series of Formative Assessment activities / tasks
connected to the “Teaching and Learning” section of
the UP.
Backward planning
Summative assessment
What do I want students
do:
Know?
Understand?
Do?
Planning for teaching and learning
Key concept
Related concepts
Global context
ATL Skills
Content
Summative assessment task
Relate to the Statement of Inquiry
Address (at least one of) the objectives
Create meaningful performances and understanding
Students will demonstrate knowledge
skills ATLSubject-specific
attitudes LP
…all developed through the unit!
Ensuring depth and complexity:
GRASPS
G = Goal (Statement of Inquiry)
R = Role Roots the task in real-life
A = Audience Roots the task in real-life
S = Situation Roots the task in real-life
P = Product (What students create)
S = Standards for success (Assessment criteria)
Sample Activity
Creating task-specific rubrics
Task Objective (Strands) ATL Skills
Task-specific clarifications
showing the concepts
Skills required to reach
the objective
Instructions
1. Start from the highest band and move downward
(backward planning)
2. Instructions open enough to encourage student
inquiry (avoid checklists within or next to the “value
statements”!)
3. Consider command terms (where applicable)
4. Consider using the 2nd person to make
communication more direct.
Preparation
Use the “fake” teacher accounts (or create new ones)
Assign each “fake” teacher account to a “training”
class within a subject group and to a training unit with
title, conceptual understanding, context and SoI.
Log each group in their accounts.
Talk students through GRASPS.
Essential agreements with students regarding
behaviour and use of ManageBac as “fake” teachers.
NB: Remember NOT to disclose the fake account
passwords to students, or change them after the lesson!
Lesson plan Have students work in groups of 3-5
Moving from an existing unit, ask students to:
Discuss how they would assess understanding of
content, concepts and skills
Choose Objectives and Assessment criteria
Choose ATL skills and LP attributes
Complete the GRASPS
Design a Summative Assessment Task
Ask students to present their work and explain their
choices to the class
Facilitate a whole-class discussion on the outcome of the
exercise
NB: ”GRASPS” is particularly useful for students preparing for the
Personal project, as it creates a distinction between Goal and
Product.
IB MYP requirements
Standard & practice Descriptors
A9(a) The school supports access for students to the IB
programmes and philosophy. (The school encourages
participation for all students)
B1.5b The school has developed and implemented an
inclusion/SEN policy.
B2.8 The school provides support with learning and/or SE
needs and support for their teachers.
C1.6 Collaborative planning and reflection incorporates
differentiation for students’ learning needs and styles.
C3.10 Teaching and learning differentiates instruction to
meet students’ learning needs and styles.
Four principles of differentiation(see FPIP p. 68)
1. Valuing prior
knowledge
2. Affirming identity
and building self-
esteem
3. Scaffolding
4. Extending learning
What can we differentiate?
• Written curriculum (C2)
• What do we teach?Content
• Teaching & Learning (C3)
• How do we teach?Process
• Assessment (C4)
• What do we assess?Product
Now you!
Add details for each of
the three components
of differentiation
In the UP, refer to:
The Inquiry section
The Assessment section
IB Requirements:
Formative assessment should be:
Diagnostic – assessing prior learning
Aid the learning process
Meant for learning
Learning experiences
Teaching strategies
aligned to formative assessment
Look on ManageBac
Formative assessment
Diagnostic assessment
* Answering the guiding
questions, define diagnostic
and formative assessment
practices.
*Don’t forget the learning
experiences for ATLs!
Setting up the activity
Teachers work in Departments or Subject groups
Each group works on an existing Unit Planner
Each group will be using MB as a group
Each group will:
Discuss which ATL skills students need to meet the
objectives
Design Learning experiences for practicing ATL skills
Planning for ATL
ATL Skills
Objectivestrands
Learning experiences
Summativetask
1. ATL skills are
developed through
learning experiences.
2. Learning experiences
are guided practice
of ATL skills to achieve
the objectives and
access learning
Aligning ATL skills and objective strands
The “official” IB MYP way
“In order for a student to (strand), students must (ATL skill)”
“In order for a student to show understanding of written
information, main ideas and supporting details, students
must collect, record and verify data from written texts.
Learning experience
ATL skill(s)
Objective strand
Backward planning
1. Choose one (or more) objective strands
2. Choose one (or more) ATL skills you need to reach the strand
3. Define a learning experience to practice the skill
1. Select objective strand(s)
2. Scroll down, select ATL
skill(s) and define the learning
experience(s)
Aims of the session
Allow students to:
unpack critical thinking skills
apply critical thinking skills to inquiry
define multiple perspectives in which critical thinking
skills may be viewed
Introduce ToK’s “Ways of Knowing”
Preparation
Use the “fake” teacher accounts (or create new ones)
Assign each “fake” teacher account to a “training” classwithin a subject group and to a training MYP unit.
Log each group in their accounts.
Prepare a Unit Planner on ManageBac (you can use an existing one or create one for this session). The plan shouldinclude only:
Concepts in context
One line of inquiry + 3 Inquiry questions for that line
Summative Assessment
Split screen on display:
On the right side Unit planner (inquiry section)
On the left side The ATL planning screen on ManageBac
Click on Add ATL connection
Click on the ”Critical thinking skills” tab
Lesson plan
Assign to each group 3-5 critical thinking skills
Each group discusses the following:
What each skill entails
What activities can help develop it
How the skill can be understood from the point of view of:
Emotion Reason Memory Faith
Language Sense perception Intuition Imagination
Each group develops an activity for each assigned skill
involving two ways of knowing and write these in the
“Learning experiences” box.
Groups share their ideas with the class and discuss the
outcomes of the session.
Preparation
Use the “fake” teacher accounts (or create new ones)
Assign each “fake” teacher account to a “training”
class within a subject group and to a training MYP unit.
Log each group in their accounts.
Show students a MB Unit Planner (Inquiry section)
Essential agreements with students regarding
behaviour and use of ManageBac as “fake” teachers.
NB: Remember NOT to disclose the fake account
passowords to students, or change them after the lesson!
Lesson plan
Students work in groups of 3-5
After discussing the Unit on display, students complete the “Service” box on MB by following the instructions.
After completing the task, students share their work to giveand receiveconstructivefeedback.