Economics HL

What makes this online course unique

Our online Economics HL course covers the same content and prepares students for the same assessments as a traditional face-to-face course. However, the online environment presents students with some very unique learning opportunities. We asked our course developers and teachers to tell us what they think is special about our online economics courses (both SL and HL), and to give us some concrete examples of how assignments take advantage of the online environment. Here are some of their answers:

"What is special about taking IB Economics online?"

Students develop independent learning skills:

• "Given the asynchronous nature of the course, students need to be able to schedule their time and take responsibility for their own learning and success in the course."

Students benefit from an international classroom:

• "The most exciting element of the online classroom is the demographic makeup of the students. Last year I had students from Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, China, Cuba, the United States and Korea. It was easily the most diverse class I ever had. The perspectives they shared and the experiences they brought in from other countries and cultures was invaluable. What made it absolutely unique (e.g. in comparison with an international school made up of students from around the world) was that the students were living in these countries while taking the course. When an assignment sent them into their communities to investigate, they were going into communities across the globe."
• "Of course, what I found most intriguing and delightful was the fact that students from such diverse backgrounds were able to share and communicate with one another, and in so doing demonstrate that for all of their diversity, they share a great deal in common."

The learning experience is extremely relevant:

• "This online course goes a long way towards achieving the goal of the IBO mission statement, which is 'to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.'"
• "The online learning process involves not only learning content but also requires students to develop communication skills, technical skills and research skills that will benefit them in their future lives."

This is a student-centred learning environment:

• "A significant difference in the delivery of the online course is in the manner of the class discussion. In a classroom where students are face-to-face, the discussion is synchronous and fluid. At the same time, it is very linear. Once a comment is made that moves the discussion in a certain direction, the conversation leaves previous themes behind. Due to the nature of the asynchronous online discussion, student responses can be more thoughtful, less rushed, and can address any element or comment without breaking the flow. As such, several strands of the discussion can be taking place simultaneously."

The course offers unique support structures:

• "In the Economics courses, we all learn how to share, help and support each other. For students to come together from different places, time zones and calendars as a team on group projects, they need to be organised, communicative and collaborative."
• "The Web 2.0 tools we use in this class can certainly be used in a traditional face-to-face class, but whereas in the classroom they serve as just another method of instruction or delivery, in the online classroom these tools are a necessity. As a result of the concentrated use of these 2.0 tools, the online classroom is, ironically, more collaborative. Students can easily share information and sources, they can build projects together in many different platforms and styles, and they can effectively review each other's work, providing effective feedback. As a source of effective collaboration, these tools help to create a much more inquiry-based learning environment than is often found in a face-to-face classroom setting. We have used Diigo, Voicethread, Blogs, Google docs, Podcasts, Netvibes/RSS, and are going to use Wimba this year."

"What specific online tools are used in delivery of the course, and in what ways?"

• Blogs provide effective means for students to comment upon news articles and current events, as well as a tool for peer feedback on internal assessment draft commentaries.
• Private voice-threads are used for teacher-student interaction in discussion forums on technical or content issues.
• Diigo® is used for bookmarking and sharing articles on current economic topics studied, while Wimba® and Voicethreads® serve well for class debates.
• Google Docs® is a practical platform for students to collaborate on group activities and presentations, while Podcasts are a good way of presenting research activities.
• Netvibes® allows students to share the latest online newspapers, and for integrating the RSS feeds of students' blogs so that students can access each other's input easily.
• Synchronous chat via Elluminate® is useful for students to get help during virtual "office hours" with the teacher.
• Collaborative learning takes place in the course discussion forums and in discussions on the Economic blogosphere; students can express their understanding, communicate and interact with each other and gain peers' feedback on concepts studied.
• Furthermore, a collaborative Wiki study guide serves students well when making summaries of important points and in supporting examination preparation.