Assessment updates
Yesterday, IB released the updated guide and an FAQ page on My IB. I recommend downloading the guide to replace the original copy. This new version will be the only version used in assessment, unless there is a future revision. This sometimes happens after the first exams, but there is no guarantee of a further update.
In addition to updates to the learning objectives, there are some updates regarding assessment. This includes the practicals (which are assessed on Paper 2, Section A), the internal assessment, and the assessment rubric for Paper 1, Section C.
Key updates
Exams
For exams, they have clarified that animal research may be used to answer questions. The FAQ states that, “both animal and human research or examples will be equally acceptable when answering a question, even if it specifies human behaviour.” Unlike in the “old curriculum,” students will not be required to make an explicit link between the example and human behavior.
There is a significant change to the rubric for Paper 1, Section C. In the original guide, it said that students were assessed on “links between concepts are included throughout the response." The new indicator says, “Links between the area of study and the concept are included throughout the response and fully explained.” Therefore, links between concepts are not required in the assessment of Paper 1, Section C.
Practicals
There is a change on page 30 of the guide. It now says that the link between the context and the practical is “recommended.” It is not required to use specific research methods within specific contexts. A student may complete all four practicals in a single context if desired.
There is also a clarification about double-dipping between the IA and the practicals. The FAQ states that, “the internal assessment proposal and the class practical may be based on the same topic, but they should not be the same study.”
Internal Assessment
It is clarified on p 56 that students may not use a pre-existing interview guide, observation checklist, or questionnaire/survey. They have changed the assessment criteria from “choice of data collection tool” to the “creation of one data collection tool.”
The use of experiments in the IA is now clarified. The requirement that there be “five items” is not relevant to experiments. This is a requirement for observation checklists, interview guides, and questionnaire/surveys.