External Evaluation of the European Baccalaureate (Annexes)

The curriculum is written up as a list of chapter headlines and a short text that may appear as
an abstract, in 4 lines, of the content of each chapter.
1.3 1.3. Comparison:
EB: more attention specifically paid to geographical methods and tools, in 6 th form;
Comment: these topics are studied in France in the previous year (“seconde”);
EB: global geography studied in the 6 th year in a non –systematic approach: 2 themes chosen
among more than 15. Students can sit for the bac having only studied 2 very limited topics
(ex: the Watt, taken from the theme “protected zones”; Cyprus, from the theme “borders”)
EB: development deeply studied for itself as a theoretical question
In 6 th year, EB curriculum provides much less comprehensive coverage of the subject domain
and adopts a more theoretical approach about the topics that are studied in France in the last
year (global geography and development).
EB: a strong accent on Europe. In the 7th year, but studied as old nations are generally
studied in textbooks: physical geography, climate, vegetation, population, resources, etc.
This is obviously an interesting perspective, but it seems:
- rather artificial, and “voluntarist”; a heavily idealised Europe? For example, states are not
mentioned;
- partial, as Europe is not seen as a political puzzle of states and no specific European
country is approached for itself (only sub-regional aspects).
EB: still very abstract perspective, with a lot of models and theories.
France: very few theoretical references;
France: an official description of the world that leaves little room for teacher’s interpretation.
This is just a curricular approach, that we are going to complete by an assessment approach,
but:
- as to theory, we can expect EB laureates to be well trained (but we would like to check if
theory is not for them too… theoretical…);
- as to the content, the impression is of an ideological more than of a scientific approach of
Europe , and of a severe gap as to knowledge about the world, due to both too flexible
approach of content in 6 th year and too abstract an approach to ways of presenting reality.
1.4
2. 2. The test itself
2.1 2.1. Within the French bac:
2.1.1. In general
The type of test is the same in the three academic channels, the difference for students of ES
série being principally a difference in weighting factors (the “S” students have a specific QP
but conform to the overall definition).
According to official texts (common to Geography and History), three objectives for this test:
1. To assess candidates’ abilities to mobilize the notions and concepts of the curriculum,
that are necessary for understanding contemporary world, and for civic and cultural
citizen’s aptitude.
2. to assess acquired competences in processing and organizing historical and
geographical data in a hierarchy, and in reasoning from a historical or a geographical
point of view;
3. to assess the ability of the candidate in writing and mastering argumentation.
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