School FAQs - About the courses

In our online courses:

• Students in a single class section are drawn from IB World Schools around the globe.
• The main communication channel between teacher and students is via the Internet.
• Lessons are "asynchronous". In other words, students and their teachers are not necessarily online at the same time. (Given differences in time zones, some students may just be going to bed when others are getting up!) Through the use of Web 2.0 collaboration tools, students will nonetheless be able to carry on a lively dialogue, and collaborate actively, with their online teachers as well as their classmates. And even though the courses are designed to be asynchronous, our teachers generally make themselves available for "office hours" via an online conferencing platform. If students do find that they are online at the same time as their classmates, they can Skype or use the chat functions integrated in the course to communicate in real time. Students will have weekly assignments, but your school timetable and students' personal initiative determine when they log on to the course, access the course material, complete assignments, and communicate with their online teacher and classmates.
• A Site-based Coordinator ("SBC") at your school monitors student progress, and is there to provide support and guidance where needed. (For more information on the selection, roles and responsibilities of SBCs, please refer to the "How we work with schools" page on this website.) That said, a student's primary working relationship will be with his/her online teacher, who he or she will get to know well during the course.
• Students receive a performance report every two weeks. Your Site-based Coordinator also receives this information, so you will always know how your students are doing.

• Pamoja Education online teachers are experienced IB teachers and experts in their subject areas. All of our teachers have been specially trained in online teaching methods, and in many cases, they have already been using online tools in their classroom teaching. They know how to take full advantage of the online environment.
• We recruit our teachers worldwide. In most cases, they are currently teaching at an IB World School®. In a few cases, they have decided to devote their full teaching capacity to online teaching with Pamoja Education. In all cases, they are fully dedicated to making this a great learning experience for all of their students! (Please refer to the "Careers" page of this website for more information on our teacher recruitment profile.)

• Online class sizes range from 8-25 students. This is a size that allows for both a diversity of backgrounds and optimal working relationships.
• Students come from IB World Schools around the globe. Our current classes have students from 56 countries, on all continents except Antarctica (we're working on that). We expect to have even more countries represented in our classes beginning September 2012.

• The "asynchronous" nature of the courses (see the first FAQ about differences between traditional and online courses) means that students (and teachers) don't need to be online at the same time. The use of Web 2.0 tools, and the design of our courses, ensures that there is still a very high level of communication and collaboration - a bit different, but every bit as intense (sometimes even more so) as they would experience in a traditional classroom. Of course, students do find it fun to Skype with classmates on the other side of the world if they discover that they happen to be online at the same time.

• Pamoja Education online IB courses are developed in close cooperation with, and approved by, the International Baccalaureate. In the eyes of the IB they are the full equivalent of courses taken in a traditional face-to-face environment. Accordingly, the IB certificate or Diploma does not distinguish between online and face-to-face courses.
• Students taking IB Courses online develop additional skills which will help them in their university careers. Therefore, they may wish to mention that they have taken a Pamoja Education online course on their university applications.

• Neither the IB nor Pamoja Education limit the number of courses an individual student can take online. At present, most of our students take one course online; some take two.

• At present, enrolment is limited to Diploma Programme or Certificate students attending IB World Schools®. If your school is not an IB World school, please go to the last point in this section.
• For IB World Schools: The "Enrolment Information"  page of this website provides information on enrolment procedures. However, our Oxford-based Course Managers would be very happy to speak with you in person, to answer any questions you may have, and when you're ready, to guide you through the simple enrolment process. Just contact us by phone, email, or using the "Expression of Interest" form on the "Enrolment Information" or "Contact Us" pages. We can continue the dialogue by email, or call you at a time of your convenience.
• For schools which are not IB World Schools: Beginning in 2013, and in close collaboration with the IB, we hope launch a pilot programme to offer enrolment in individual IB courses to a limited number of students who do not attend IB World Schools. These students would be supported by an "Open World School", which is an IB World School specially authorised by the IB to support "external" students. This programme is still being developed. We will announce further details on our website, as soon as they are available.

• The cost of enrolment in Pamoja Education online IB courses is paid by the student´s school. The per-student cost charged to the school depends on the number of students it has enrolled. For details, please refer to the "Enrolment Information" page on this website.
• Some schools choose to seek reimbursement from parents for some or all of the enrolments costs. This decision is made by the school, and may depend on the way in which, and the level at which, the school receives its own funding. We are happy to discuss reimbursement options with you in more detail.

• At present, all of our courses are of two years' duration, and prepare students for the May IB external assessments. That means that students starting classes in September 2011 will sit their external assessments in May 2013. In January 2013 we plan to start additional course sections to target the November 2014 assessments.

• Pamoja Education offers schools the opportunity to participate in its Global Access Partnership programme. This programme offers schools which could not otherwise afford enrolment an opportunity to have their students participate in Pamoja Education online IB courses at no cost (except for registration, examination or any other fees paid directly to the IB). For further information please see the "School scholarship programme" link on our "Home Page".

• Our approach is similar to that in any school, with planned absences handled on an individual basis. Especially in light of the diverse nature of our student body, teachers will make every effort to be flexible if there are valid reasons for the absence. However, just like in a traditional class, the teacher needs to balance the individual student's needs with requirements for group work, etc. If a student expects to be absent, it is essential that he/she contact his/her online teacher as early as possible in advance, in order to discuss appropriate arrangements.
• In case of illness, students should try to let their teachers and Site-based Coordinators (SBC) know as soon as possible. If they are unable to do this, their parents or guardians can contact your SBC, who will contact us.
• As with a traditional IB course, online students are of course responsible for making up any work missed during their absence.

• The requirements for, and scope of, internal assessments are the same as for a traditional course.
• External assessments are handled in the traditional way (i.e. not online), and are taken at the student's IB World School. Students in online courses sit the exact same exams as students in traditional courses.

• As in a face-to-face school, Pamoja Education will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the course material and assessments previously completed by the student, alignment with the Pamoja online course syllabus, and subject availability.

• Standard Level courses typically require 6-8 hours of work per week. Higher Level courses typically require 8-10 hours. For the sake of comparison, please remember that, although the distinction is blurred in an online setting, these estimates cover both "class time" and "homework".
• We ask schools to make time available at school for students to work on their online courses. Usually, schools will allocate the same amount of time as for a traditional course at the same level. The remainder of a student´s work can be completed at home, or any other place where he/she is able to use a computer. While web access is required for research and interaction, students can also work on many assignments offline.

• Students must have regular Internet access (at school and/or at home) in order to participate in Pamoja Education courses. If students will need to do all of their online work at school, due to a lack of Internet access at home, this situation should be discussed with a Pamoja Education Course Manager prior to enrolment. Our learning management system supports both Windows and Mac environments. A list of technical requirements can be found on the "Admissions"  page of this website.

• We ask schools to provide time during the school week for students to work on their online IB courses. This is usually the same amount of school time a student would devote to a traditional IB course.
• Schools are required to appoint a Site-based Coordinator (SBC), who serves as a liaison between Pamoja Education, the school and the student. SBCs may be teachers (in any subject), counsellors, technology coordinators, or other school staff members. They should have an interest in online education, but are not required to have any particular background in this regard. Key responsibilities of the SBC include:
  • enrolling students for DP online courses
  • serving as a mentor to students (usually a brief weekly "check-in", but additional support, if and when required)
  • keeping track of students' progress and communicating this to parents, as appropriate
  • helping to resolve issues that may arise.
• All Site-based Coordinators are required to undertake online training covering the role of the Site-based Coordinator, and how to register, monitor and support IB students learning online. This training, which makes use of many of the Web 2.0 tools used in our online IB courses, is offered many times over the course of the year and lasts four weeks. The typical workload during this training is 3-4 hours per week.

• Pamoja Education has committed to develop approximately 30 online IB courses within the next five years. However, depending on the response from IB schools, students and parents, we hope the number can be even greater.
• Already in September 2011, we are offering 11 courses, covering four of the six IB subject groups. In 2012, in addition to expanded offerings covering all six subject groups, we look forward to introducing online support for the IB Core.

• The challenges of academic honesty in a "virtual" classroom are similar to those in a face-to-face classroom, and they are managed in a similar way. Most plagiarism is detected easily through the use of submission programmes such as Turnitin®. Moreover, experienced IB teachers can quickly recognise inconsistencies in student performance and tactfully follow up to determine the authenticity of a student's work. In cases where concerns remain, or are substantiated, the school's Site-based Coordinator (SBC) will be involved and, where appropriate, disciplinary action may be taken.