Parents and students at schools around Beijing received a shocking notice yesterday that the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) cancelled their May IB Diploma Programme examinations due to COVID-19. Likewise, Cambridge Assessment announced that they too would be cancelling Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge O Level, Cambridge International AS & A Level, Cambridge AICE Diploma, and Cambridge Pre-U.
The IBO website stresses that the cancellation of the exams is due entirely to the safety and fairness for its students and schools. “As an organization, it is critical for us to ensure that the options we provide our global community of IB World schools are based on compassion for our students and teachers and fairness for the difficult circumstances our students and educators are experiencing. We are grateful for your patience and consideration. As a result, the IB with considerable advisement from stakeholders across the globe including schools, students, universities and official bodies has determined the most responsible and ethical way forward.”
As a result, the exam that was originally scheduled between April 30 and May 22 will no longer be held. IBO states that, “Depending on what they registered for, the student will be awarded a Diploma or a Course Certificate which reflects their standard of work. This is based on students’ coursework and the established assessment expertise, rigor and quality control already built into the programs.”
As schools, parents, and students wrap their minds around this historical decision, the IBO has updated their list of FAQs to reassure those who are affected that life, and their college career, will continue as normally as can be.
At the moment, Cambridge Assessment has not yet announced how they will provide guidance to schools or how students will receive their grades, but will update the information as soon as possible, as well as offer support and resources for schools, teachers, and students on their website.
We spoke with Hamilton Gregg, founder of International Educational Consulting and contributing writer for beijingkids, on how the cancellation of IB exams will impact students.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.
I have been in education since 1986 working in schools in the US, Korea, Japan, and China. I have mostly been a college counselor but held different positions – Dean of Students, Academic Dean, AP/IB Coordinator at various schools. For the last ten years, I have also been an Independent Educational Consultant. I have held leadership positions in the International Association of College Admission Counselors Int’l (ACAC), been on committees for the National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC), and I am currently on the Board for the Independent Educational Consulting Association (IECA). Currently, I work part-time as College Advisor for Harrow Beijing and work as well with Shang Nancy Friends as partner and lead consultant.
Students and parents were just notified that IB exams will be canceled this year. What does that mean for students and their academic career?
In these trying and new times, everyone is having to adjust. As organizations like College Board, ETS, IELTS, IB, and the A Level exam boards respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has caused a disruption to exam invigilation. Unfortunately, this has meant that in the case of SAT, IELTS, and most recently IB, exams for this Spring have been cancelled.
These cancellations have most definitely upset the admissions cart. Students who have been planning to take any of these exams are now wondering what does this mean.
Focusing on IB, this means most likely that a student’s internal school grades now bear all of the weight in the final assessment of a student. For students, please remember that in the case of US schools, IB results really only determine two main things.
Results are used to ensure that you have met the conditions under which you were admitted and that you perform to the standards expected by that university. Results are used to award academic credit.
As it pertains to #1, this is why internal grades will now have more weight. So, despite a student’s school-specific procedures of conducting “school” online, it is terribly important that students continue to show up online, do homework and other assignments and other important school tasks. Perform at the highest level expected, using the virus is not an excuse to not work to one’s full potential.
To the final point of the question, colleges and universities are not going to hold students accountable for the cancelation of exams. Through all of the emails I have been receiving from universities, every one of them has indicated that they will work with students, and ensure fair and appropriate accommodations. In short, a student’s admission decisions will not be affected. Poor internal grades may have undesired effects, however.
Instead of an exam, this year the IB Diploma or DP Certificate will reflect the standard work of students. Is this a more fair decision than basing a student’s score on one exam?
“The IB will use a range of evidence to award the Diploma or course certificate including coursework already completed by the student…. Where the IB has 50% of a student’s assessment components for any given subject, there is a long-standing process—the missing mark procedure, which can be used. The missing mark procedure allows us to estimate how a student would have performed on any missing assessment component (like an examination paper) based on the other elements of the assessment they have completed.” IB.org
It is hard to tell if this is fair or not. Certainly, an exam is typically a relatively accurate representation of a student’s ability. You will note my hesitancy due to the fact that some students perform better under different circumstances. It is fair to evaluate a student based on components received and making an “estimate” on performance can be a bit tricky. However, if we assume the cumulative nature of learned material, student and teacher assessments and other materials, it should be possible to “guesstimate” how a student might perform on an exam within reason.
I am still a bit hesitant to say if this is fair or not. It all sounds reasonable and most likely IB has spent a great deal of time considering this decision plan and how they will go about determining a particular mark in each subject. I am sure there will be some students who will be satisfied and others who won’t.
Should students view this as a hurdle in their college application?
Absolutely not, in the case of Seniors. As mentioned previously, if a student is performing at their best, given the circumstances, colleges will be understanding.
The real hurdle is the emotional and psychological effects this event is having on students. Mental health, particularly depression and helplessness, as well as time management, will be some of the hurdles students need to be aware of. This is a time of crisis and some rise to the challenge while others do not. It is important that all students be aware of their own circumstances as well as those of others. I recommend creating virtual communities online, study groups just as if you were at school. Acting as if you were going to take IB exams. Check-in with classmates and encourage everyone to do their best. This is an opportunity to come together, as best as possible.
Are there any other challenges you predict high school upper-class students will face this year?
Yes, there are some, but from the sounds of improvements around China, schools are beginning to open slowly. This is a good sign and should bring some hope to everyone that we will get through this.
Will COVID-19 affect any other aspects of college applications?
COVID-19 has changed a lot of things and this may affect Junior students more. We may see more schools go test-optional. We have already seen schools adopt Duolingo as an English assessment. Virtual college presentations and school visits are and may become the new normal. This may change the overall recruitment process colleges and universities use. AP and TOEFL are considering online assessments that students can take at home. Lots of possible changes.
What I hope will not happen is the person to person interaction that makes education so invigorating and valuable. Being a bit of an old school person, online education has never appealed to me. Face-to-face interaction is more engaging and I think more promising than what can happen over the Internet. But that is just me.
Photos: ibo.org
