To Be An Inquirer

With the development of globalization and the rapid shift of industrial structure,the need and attention for global education have been on the rise.The birth of 21st century skills demands intellects in twenty-first century to develop new skills and abilities to deal with the challenges along the way.International Baccalaureate,one of the most prestigious models for international education,gains particular attention and criticism from multiple groups.Established in Geneva,Sweden in 1968,International Baccalaureate is a non-profit educational organization,providing a continuum of programs for students aging from 3 to 19 and helping students achieve academic excellence as well as personal development.It boasts four programs,namely Primary Years Programme,Middle Years Programme,Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme.Since this essay focus on the culminating inquiry practices in the three academic programs,it will not elaborate on Career-related Programme.The National Long-term Education Reform and Development Plan(2010-2020)and the new round of curriculum reform in China since 2001 urge more research emphasis on inquiry teaching and learning,which serves as the core through all three of the International Baccalaureate programs.With the introduction of three culminating inquiry activities within the programs,we can have a better understanding of the inquisitive nature encased in the course of International Baccalaureate.There are mainly four parts in this essay.The first part is the introduction part,which includes the research background and research purposes.The second part focus on the research overview from home and abroad on the topic of International Baccalaureate as well as identification of some' key terms,such as the International Baccalaureate programs,learner profile and inquiry-based learning.The third part is divided into three chapters,with each chapter introducing and analyzing one program and its inquiry practice.Meanwhile,some case studies will be brought up to consolidate the theory basis.Apart from students,teachers,school administrators who participate in students' inquiry practices directly or indirectly,school library and librarians also play an important role in facilitating the inquiry activities in school,providing their expertise in resources and information literacy.The last part is conclusion,in which some comparisons will be made.The essay will analyze 1)how the inquiry is developed through the progression of three programs;2)how the inquiry-based teaching and learning compares to traditional teaching and learning;3)how the inquiry activities in International Baccalaureate shed lights on inquiry programs in Chinese education,including the guiding value these culminating inquiry activities symbolize as alternative assessment models,the link between IB inquiry practices and "21st century skills" and the goal set by the new curriculum reform,the function of school library and librarian in aiding the inquiry courses,etc.By analyzing the cases,this thesis tries to present the positive impacts these inquiry practices exert on student during primary school,middle school and high school.With the comparison among the programs and between the programs and traditional way of graduating in China,this thesis presumes that the inquiry practices in the three academic programs in IB will provide an alternative in Chinese graduating models.Also,it aims to think more on how to unite different forces to strengthen the inquiry practices in China.