Canadian Academy

Course Overview & Assessment Profile

Dr Peter Anthony & Mr James Lindop

Success as an IB Economics Student @ CA

IB Economics is a dynamic social science that involves formulating theories about economic behavior and applying them to understand real-world events. Economics is everywhere: in our daily lives, in the decisions of businesses, and in the management of a nations economy as it operates in an increasingly globalized world. This course is designed to give you a basic understanding of the economic theories that drive your personal economic decisions and the decisions of businesses and governments. Politics and economics are connected. We cannot fully discuss the science of economics without acknowledging the political systems, which house the world's economies. Therefore, while our study will be of economics, the course will take into consideration the various political systems and current political situations existing today as well as the historical development of national and the international economy. With any field of study there is a particular vocabulary and economics is no different. This course will focus on the language of economics. A firm grasp of the appropriate vocabulary and concepts related to our study is of essential importance. The course also aims to give you opportunities to think critically especially about how economics can promote international cooperation and mutual understanding. To be successful in IB Economics, you must keep up to date with all reading and assignments and more importantly learn to think like an economist. You will be required to generate challenging and meaningful questions and reflect on what you have learnt.

Course Aims and Objectives

The aims of the economics course at higher level and standard level are to:  provide students with a core knowledge of economics  encourage students to think critically about economics  promote an awareness and understanding of internationalism in economics  encourage students' development as independent learners  enable students to distinguish between positive and normative economics  enable students to recognize their own tendencies for bias. Having followed the Diploma Programme course in economics, candidates will be expected to:  have an understanding and knowledge of economic concepts and theories  apply economic theory to a range of circumstances and a variety of situations  analyze information through the use of economic concepts and theories  evaluate concepts and theories from different economic perspectives.

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Syllabus Outline
Year 1 Section 1: Introduction to Economics Section 2 Microeconomics Section 3 Macroeconomics Year 2 Section 4 International Economics Section 5 Development Economics The complete IB Economics Course Guide can be downloaded from the IB Economics class blog (www.peteranthony.org/ecomimics)

The Learner Profile and IB Group 3 Courses at CA

The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

IB learners strive to be:

Inquirers They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives. Knowledgeable They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines. Thinkers They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions. Communicators They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others. Principled They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them. Open-minded They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience. Caring They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment. Risk-takers
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They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs. Balanced They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal wellbeing for themselves and others. Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development. In particular IB Learners at CA strive to:  Read and study their text  Read widely outside the text  Periodically reflect on their progress  Communicate to classmates and a wider audience (Class discussions, seminars, Blog postings, VoiceThread)  Show open-mindedness and respect in any communication (Class discussions, seminars, teacher conferences, comments on classmates' blogs and active listening in class)  Pose questions and research issues of importance (Class discussions, seminars, writing, voicethreads and blog posts)  Be open-minded when considering alternative explanations and points of view

Assessment in the IB Group 3 Course at CA

Rationale
Assessment in IB History, Geography and Economics aims to build our understanding of your learning. This will enable your teacher to assist you master the concepts and theories associated with the course and identify what you need to do to progress further. On your side, you will be better able to see how your knowledge and skills are developing and what you need to focus on so that you can continue to improve. In this light your teacher hopes that you see each assessment task as an opportunity to know yourself better as a learner and build your confidence in the course.

Principles 1. Formative and Summative Assessment

A clear distinction will be made between formative (=practice) and summative (=the real deal) assessment. Formative assessment provides you with a chance to learn skills, make mistakes, take risks and improve your performance over time in the knowledge that these individual results will not be directly counted towards your final semester grade though they will appear in Power School. Formative Assessment can included items such as quizzes, practice essays and data responses, document based questions, blog posts, voicethread presentations, wiki work and oral assessments including presentations and seminars. Summative assessment will be fewer in number and counted in your final semester grade. They will be closely modeled on the assessment mandated by IB and graded in accordance with IB criteria. These grades will be entered into Power School and count towards your semester grade. These assessment items will help you gauge your progress towards the IB end of course examination. The Social Studies Department's hope is that you can undertake these exacting exams with the confidence that is built on your success throughout the two-year course.

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2. Proficiency Learning A proficiency principle will be applied. If you receive a grade under 80%, you will have the opportunity to retake the test to enable you to reach 80%. This will apply to all summative tasks except the end of year 11 exam and the mock exams taken before May of your second year. You will however have to "earn" the right to retake a test by showing concrete evidence of study before you sit the retake test. 3. Work and Study Habits Your work ethic and your participation in all aspects of the course is an essential ingredient of your success and you will have a number of opportunities to reflect on your progress. We hope you understand that the responsibility to learn rests with you and that your decisions about learning have consequences. Your teacher will also provide feedback and share this with you and your parents in the form of a comment once per semester. The usual late policy of the Social Studies Department will apply. If a summative assessment item is scheduled in advance and you attend a school-sponsored event you will need to consult with your teacher in advance of your absence from school. 4. Conferences The Social Studies Department believes in the power of regular student conferences that focus on particular items of assessment or more general progress in the course. We hope that you will take advantages of this opportunity even if we need to schedule conferences outside of class time.

Assessment Profile
Semester 1 Year 1 1. Extended Response and Data Response (80%) Extended response requires you to explain economic concepts and theories and evaluate them. Data response requires you to apply your knowledge of concepts and theories to the real world. They will be graded using IB criteria but adjusted to better reflect a grading scale that uses the A-D system. 2. Learning and Reflection Portfolio (20%) You will keep a written or electronic portfolio of your formative work which could include blog posts, oral participation and presentations, quizzes and tests, homework activities or any formative writing that demonstrates your learning within the course and reflections on your progress. This will be presented in a conference held once per semester and receive a grade. The focus of the conference is you being able to provide concrete examples that show your progress towards the aims and objectives of the IB Economic Course: Semester 2 Year 1 1. Extended Response and Data Response (60%) 2. Learning and Reflection Portfolio (20%) 3. End of Year Examination (20%) Semester 1 Year 2 1. Extended Response and Data Response (80%) 2. Learning and Reflection Portfolio (20%)
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Semester 2 Year 2 1. Extended Response and Data Response (60%) 2. Learning and Reflection Portfolio (20%) 3. Mock Examination (20%) You will also complete the Internal Assessment as required by IB Economics. Testing and Grading Policy

Classroom Performance
Class Preparation and Participation: Participation, homework, in-class activities, extension projects, current events papers, and tests are the basis for your evaluation at CA. Since much of the knowledge you will be gaining builds on what has been previously learned, you will be at a great disadvantage if you fall behind. Written assignments must be in your own words and should contain thoughtful and reflective responses. Classroom Behavior: It is necessary for students to behave in a fashion that promotes a good learning environment for all members of the class. Respect for one another is essential for optimal learning. Make-up Policy: If you sick and/or your absence is excused, you may make up all summative work for full credit. Otherwise, late work will receive a grade reflective of the school policy. Text Books: The course will also integrate the Triple A Interactive Textbook delivered through Moodle. This will require you to be more active in working through material independently and testing your knowledge on an ongoing basis. Technology: The course will integrate PowerPoint presentations with Internet resources. Students are expected to access the Class Blog IB Economics @ CA website on a regular basis and fulfill assignments. Students will maintain their own blog.

To Parents: I look forward to the opportunity of meeting you on the Back to School night or during parent teacher conferences held during the year. You can also follow the classes by visiting the class blog www.peteranthony.org/economics Please do not hesitate to contact me at panthony@canacad.ac.jp if you have further questions. Students Name: Parents Signature:

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