I.B. teachers, trying to come up with an IDU concept? I have three suggestions here, and one is from an AI! I worked as a Tech Integrator at an I.B. school in Shenzhen, China. Our hallways were filled with students of different backgrounds and cultures, and the program turned out to be an excellent fit for the school and the teachers. One aspect of I.B. that was often challenging for new teachers was the Inter-Disciplinary Units (explanation added at the bottom if you’d like it - TL;DR it’s a project that spans two subjects. Think math isn’t useful? Try combining it with any other subject to see it’s immense use!).
It was a challenge to come up with interesting ideas that both teachers could equally support and would achieve the IDU objectives.
Here are three inter-disciplinary units that could be run between the Individuals and Societies course and the Mathematics course in a high school with an International Baccalaureate curriculum. These feel like classes that don’t intersect, until you see some obvious examples:
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Climate change and carbon footprint: This unit could explore the environmental and societal impacts of climate change, and how calculus can be used to measure complex measurements used to understand these issues. Simple Hawaiian Climate Example and Lots of Complex Examples
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Social inequality and economic mobility: This unit could examine the ways in which social and economic factors can impact individuals and societies, and how mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical analysis can be used to understand and address issues of inequality and mobility. New York Times Tool and Lesson Example
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Political polling and Decision Making: This unit could examine how polls and surveys are used to gauge public opinion and inform decision making in the political realm, and how mathematical concepts such as sampling and statistical analysis are used to interpret and present the results of these polls. Example: Just to be genuine, I couldn’t find an example easily! So I asked ChatGPT how it could be done; teaching algebra with a “voting systems” project. Pretty good answer!:
ChatGPT: One way to teach basic algebra using a lesson on voting systems and methods is to start by introducing students to the concept of algebraic variables, which are symbols used to represent unknown quantities. You could then have students use algebraic variables to represent different voting methods, such as first-past-the-post or proportional representation.
Next, you could have students use algebraic equations to represent different voting scenarios, such as determining the number of votes needed to win an election. You could also have students use algebraic equations to compare and contrast different voting methods and understand how they work.
To make the lesson more interactive and engaging, you could have students work in small groups to create and solve their own algebraic equations related to voting systems and methods. You could also have students present their findings to the class, encouraging them to use mathematical language and concepts to explain their thinking.
What are IDUs?
Please forgive the academic-lingo here. Inter-disciplinary units are educational units that involve multiple academic disciplines, such as math, science, and social studies. The purpose of inter-disciplinary units is to help students understand and apply knowledge and skills in a way that is more closely connected to the real world. By bringing together ideas and concepts from different disciplines, inter-disciplinary units can provide a more holistic and comprehensive understanding of a topic and help students see the connections between different areas of study.
In a high school with an International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, inter-disciplinary units may be used to help students develop the skills and knowledge required to meet the IB Learner Profile, which includes characteristics such as being a risk-taker, a reflective thinker, and a communicator. Inter-disciplinary units can also help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are important for success in both college and the workforce.
Credits: Diffusion Bee on Thufir (image), ChatGPT online (Algebra example), James Simpson (author)
My stab at a citation: Simpson, James, ChatGPT online, Diffusion Bee on Thufir. “International Baccalaureate IDUs: I&S+Math”. SteamHead Blog. 2023.