Inside the Course: DP Visual Arts

Send us Fan MailWhat does it mean to understand the world through the people, societies, and events that shape it? In this episode of IB Matters, we launch our exploration of the Middle Years Programme (MYP) subject groups through our Inside the Course series.Our guest, experienced IB educator and department head Vikas Pahwa, takes us inside MYP Individuals and Societies, a subject group that brings together history, geography, economics, politics, and other social sciences to help students understand the connections between people and the world around them.Vikas explains how the MYP moves beyond memorizing facts to develop inquiry, research, communication, and critical thinking skills. We explore the four assessment criteria, how expectations progress from MYP Year 1 through Year 5, and why formative feedback is essential to student growth.Through classroom examples, including an interdisciplinary investigation of the Aral Sea environmental disaster, Vikas illustrates how students connect historical events, geographic conditions, economic decisions, and human consequences.We also discuss how Individuals and Societies prepares students for the Diploma Programme while encouraging curiosity, empathy, and the confidence to question assumptions.Whether you're an MYP teacher, coordinator, student, parent, or simply interested in an inquiry-based approach to education, this conversation offers a practical look at what makes Individuals and Societies such an important part of the IB continuum.Inside the Course features IB teachers explaining the courses and subject groups they know best. Produced by IB Matters.Email IB Matters: [email protected] (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIBIB Matters websiteMN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) websiteDonate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil EvansIB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing) To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

Send us Fan MailWhat does the growth of IB in India tell us about the opportunities—and challenges—of bringing IB philosophy into different educational cultures?In this episode, Jon talks with longtime IB educator Gayatri Mehta about the place of IB within India’s remarkably diverse educational landscape. Their conversation moves from families seeking rigorous, internationally recognized education to the challenges students and teachers face when moving from finding the “right answer” to inquiry, questioning, and making meaning for themselves.Gayatri also reflects candidly on the adjustment teachers make when they stop seeing teaching primarily as explaining and begin creating space for students to think.Ultimately, the conversation moves beyond how IB might grow in India to a more interesting question: What can IB and India learn from each other—and how can education give students the confidence and agency to challenge ideas for themselves?Course resources:Description on the IB Website Subject BriefEmail IB Matters: [email protected] (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIBIB Matters websiteMN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) websiteDonate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil EvansIB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing) To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

Send us Fan MailIn this second conversation about the new MYP themes, Adrian Von Wrede-Jervis takes us beyond the framework itself to a bigger question: How do we help students make meaning for themselves?Adrian challenges the idea that concepts are simply transferable from one subject to another. Instead, he suggests thinking of concepts as places where disciplines—and students—can meet, compare perspectives, and translate meaning.That leads to a powerful metaphor: Our goal shouldn't be to give students better maps of the world. We should be helping them become mapmakers, able to make sense of unfamiliar situations long after a teacher is there to provide the map.We also explore the first three new MYP themes, relevance and reflection, and what all of this might mean for concept-based teaching across subject areas.Links:LinkedIn post "Against learning: Reclaiming a language for education in an age of learning" link to the Immordino-Yang study on how she discovered "transcendent thinking"           Follow-up to this article in Scientific AmericanThe Affective Learning Lab - Influential in Adrian's thinking Finally, Adrian's article in LinkedIn writing about how his thinking on concepts has changedEmail IB Matters: [email protected] (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIBIB Matters websiteMN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) websiteDonate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil EvansIB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing) To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

Send us Fan MailWhat is the IB Diploma Programme really like from a student perspective? How are IB DP students navigating CAS, the Extended Essay, TOK—and now AI in education?Twin sisters Avantika and Anantika Nair, rising seniors at Washtenaw International High School in Michigan, share an unusually thoughtful look at their IB student experience. They discuss their transition from the MYP to DP, challenging HL courses, Extended Essays in physics, and how IB has encouraged them to think creatively and become more open-minded learners. We also explore their CAS-inspired community leadership and their evolving relationship with artificial intelligence. Their perspective on AI in IB education is especially compelling: use AI to generate practice, review concepts, and improve efficiency—but not as a substitute for thinking, creativity, or doing the learning yourself.Links:LinkedIn - Anantika, AvantikaWebsite: Wellness4Washtenaw Instagram: Wellness4WashnetawEmail IB Matters: [email protected] (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIBIB Matters websiteMN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) websiteDonate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil EvansIB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing) To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

Send us Fan MailFour years ago, IB Matters first spoke with Jiana Shah when she was a 14-year-old MYP student. We caught up with her again as she entered the Diploma Programme. Now, Jiana returns for a third conversation, having completed an IB education that began in kindergarten.Jiana reflects candidly on the challenges and rewards of the DP, from Math AA and a surprisingly useful Chemistry IA to her Extended Essay, CAS experiences, and a remarkable change of heart about Theory of Knowledge. She also shares a student’s perspective on using AI without allowing it to do the thinking for you.As she prepares for university studies in Milan and Paris, Jiana looks back on how IB shaped the way she learns, questions, researches, and sees the world—and why, despite the challenges, she “would not have it any other way.”Here is the link to Jean's episode when she was 14 (S3:E9)Here is the episode when she was 16 - entering the DP (SEmail IB Matters: [email protected] (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIBIB Matters websiteMN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) websiteDonate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil EvansIB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing) To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

Send us Fan MailWe are re-connecting with Adrian Von Wrede-Jervis to get his thoughts on the changes occurring in the MYP. Specifically, Adrian and I begin a conversation about the MYP themes and how we might think of them in the context of the students' learning arc.We are planning on at least three episodes where we will start to unpack the actual themes. This will allow a little more time to help listeners find out about what's going on in those themes. We will take the first three themes in the next podcast, but we'll also talk a bit about how concepts can be used in those themes and how we can link learning to those transdisciplinary concepts that Adrian is suggesting. In general, how do they use concepts? In the final podcast, we think about the future - where does AI position itself in that future of our education?Links:LinkedIn post "Against learning: Reclaiming a language for education in an age of learning" link to the Immordino-Yang study on how she discovered "transcendent thinking"           Follow-up to this article in Scientific AmericanThe Affective Learning Lab - Influential in Adrian's thinking Finally, Adrian's article in LinkedIn writing about how his thinking on concepts has changedEmail IB Matters: [email protected] (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIBIB Matters websiteMN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) websiteDonate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil EvansIB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing) To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

Send us Fan MailIn this series, which I’m calling the IB Course Description Project, we’re building an audio catalog of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) courses and Career-related Programme (CP) core experiences for students, parents, counselors, teachers, and colleges around the world.Each episode brings the syllabus to life by exploring the learning, teaching, and student experience behind every course. These conversations can support course registration, help colleges better understand IB courses, introduce new teachers and counselors to the curriculum, or simply provide a deeper understanding of what makes each course unique.Want to be part of the project? Use this form to enter your information or to nominate someone for the podcast.Contact me (Jon Peterson) at [email protected] Our teacher guide for Business Management is Brad Opfer - IBEN Certified trainerOur teacher guide for both History and Economics is James Jones - IBEN Certified trainerSubject brief links: DP Business Management SLDP Business Management HLDP History Guide (first exams 2028)DP Economics SLDP Economics HLEmail IB Matters: [email protected] (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIBIB Matters websiteMN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) websiteDonate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil EvansIB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing) To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

Send us Fan MailIn this series, which I’m calling the IB Course Description Project, we’re building an audio catalog of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) courses and Career-related Programme (CP) core experiences for students, parents, counselors, teachers, and colleges around the world.Each episode brings the syllabus to life by exploring the learning, teaching, and student experience behind every course. These conversations can support course registration, help colleges better understand IB courses, introduce new teachers and counselors to the curriculum, or simply provide a deeper understanding of what makes each course unique.Want to be part of the project? Use this form to enter your information or to nominate someone for the podcast.Contact me (Jon Peterson) at [email protected] Our teacher guide for History is James Jones - IBEN Certified trainerLinks: DP History Guide (first exams 2028)Email IB Matters: [email protected] (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIBIB Matters websiteMN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) websiteDonate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil EvansIB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing) To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

Send us Fan MailIn this series, which I’m calling the IB Course Description Project, we’re building an audio catalog of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) courses and Career-related Programme (CP) core experiences for students, parents, counselors, teachers, and colleges around the world.Each episode brings the syllabus to life by exploring the learning, teaching, and student experience behind every course. These conversations can support course registration, help colleges better understand IB courses, introduce new teachers and counselors to the curriculum, or simply provide a deeper understanding of what makes each course unique.Want to be part of the project? Use this form to enter your information or to nominate someone for the podcast.Contact me (Jon Peterson) at [email protected] Our SEHS teacher guide is Anthony De GiorgioLinks:Sports Exercise and Health Science subject guideEmail IB Matters: [email protected] (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIBIB Matters websiteMN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) websiteDonate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil EvansIB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing) To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

Send us Fan MailIn this series, which I’m calling the IB Course Description Project, we’re building an audio catalog of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) courses and Career-related Programme (CP) core experiences for students, parents, counselors, teachers, and colleges around the world.Each episode brings the syllabus to life by exploring the learning, teaching, and student experience behind every course. These conversations can support course registration, help colleges better understand IB courses, introduce new teachers and counselors to the curriculum, or simply provide a deeper understanding of what makes each course unique.Want to be part of the project? Use this form to enter your information or to nominate someone for the podcast.Contact me (Jon Peterson) at [email protected] Our teacher guide for Visual arts is Abeera AtiqueLinks: Visual Arts SL Subject guideVisual Arts HL Subject guideEmail IB Matters: [email protected] (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIBIB Matters websiteMN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) websiteDonate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil EvansIB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing) To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.