Transforming IB Education: Cologne International School’s Journey with CENTURY

Many IB schools, with their emphasis on inquiry-led learning and conceptual understanding, often perceive a potential conflict with technology platforms focused on content delivery. Through piloting CENTURY’s MYP and PYP courses, Cologne International School (CIS) found that CENTURY’s personalised learning pathways and rich content complement their inquiry-based approach. The platform offers students the opportunity to learn at their own pace, receive targeted support, and develop a deeper understanding of key concepts, while freeing teachers to focus on facilitating engaging learning experiences.

To understand how CENTURY can enhance learning in any IB context, CENTURY’s Director of Business Development, Will Hall,  spoke to Ed Parker, Educational Technology and Accreditation Coordinator at CIS about their journey to becoming CENTURY users.

I understand that initially, you had some reservations about how CENTURY might fit within your MYP programme. Could you share how your perspective evolved and how you now see CENTURY complimenting your inquiry-led learning approach?

I was initially worried that CENTURY, being content-focused, might clash with our newly implemented MYP programme, which emphasises concepts, global contexts, and inquiry-led learning. This concern stemmed from our school’s focus on establishing a new approach to learning with a diverse teaching staff who were still getting familiar with the MYP framework.

However, as we gained more experience with the MYP, we realised the importance of combining the framework with strong content knowledge. This realisation shifted our perspective on CENTURY. We now see it as a valuable tool for providing students with access to content, particularly for independent learning, allowing teachers to focus on facilitating inquiry-based activities in the classroom.

How did the data from CENTURY’s MYP Prior Learning Diagnostics inform your teaching strategies and planning for the future within the MYP framework?

The use of diagnostics is a hot topic for us at the moment. We see them as a valuable source of external information, but as always,  it’s crucial to be critical of the data source.

Our students’ results on the MYP Prior Learning diagnostic were very informative. To assess alignment with the PYP, I reviewed the IB Scope and Sequence document, and, as a former IB Diploma coordinator, I was impressed by how the diagnostic assessment questions clearly related to the PYP curriculum.

We’re now examining these results with the leadership team, focusing on building trust and collaboration within the wider staff body. We plan to repeat the diagnostic at the end of the semester to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

We understand that CENTURY uses diagnostics, along with completed nuggets, to personalise learning pathways. We believe that combining both sources has the potential to provide a very powerful and effective learning experience for our students and to support our teachers. 

CENTURY’s Diagnostic Assessments

To date, CENTURY’s in-house team of experienced teachers have created nearly 3,000 diagnostic assessments. 

Each diagnostic contains a unique set of assessment questions on a certain topic or subject area that help you to identify your students’ strengths and gaps in knowledge, either at a whole class level or for individual students. Data from these assessments helps CENTURY to recommend the best nuggets (micro-lessons) for your students to study next so they can make progress quickly.

•  What is Assessment as Learning? Enhancing teaching with data

How do you envision your teachers using this data, along with other performance information available on CENTURY, to inform their teaching strategies and support students both inside and outside the classroom?

Our teachers are finding the Teacher Dashboard and Markbook incredibly helpful, particularly when reviewing the Prior Learning Diagnostic that takes into account learning from the PYP. They can easily identify specific questions where students struggled, as well as areas where they excelled. This granular data allows for targeted intervention and differentiated instruction.

The fact that teachers gain these valuable insights without any marking effort on their part is a huge advantage. It frees up their time to focus on planning engaging lessons and providing personalised support to students. This information is beneficial not only for individual teachers but also for subject coordinators and school leaders in making data-driven decisions.

How do you see CENTURY helping you to address differentiation and meeting the diverse needs of your IB learners?

While our analysis is still in the early stages, we’re already seeing anecdotal evidence of how CENTURY supports differentiation. The platform provides valuable data on individual student engagement and performance, allowing us to identify those who are excelling, those who need encouragement, and those who might benefit from additional support.

For example, one of our most active users, despite initially having a lower percentage of correct answers, demonstrates incredible motivation and persistence. He’s now revisiting nuggets and celebrating his successes!

We can also observe different learning habits, such as students who might gravitate towards certain subjects like maths over English or science. This data complements our existing knowledge of our students, providing a richer understanding of their individual needs and preferences. While CENTURY won’t replace traditional observation and assessment methods, it offers a valuable layer of insight to enhance our differentiated instruction.

That’s fantastic to hear about that student’s enthusiasm! While we can’t generalise, what factors do you think contribute to his motivation to use CENTURY?

It seems that the immediate feedback CENTURY provides is a key motivator. Students receive instant confirmation of whether their answers are correct, along with positive reinforcement when they succeed. This rapid feedback loop can be incredibly powerful, especially for students who might not receive the same level of individual attention in a busy classroom setting.

While CENTURY complements our core teaching approaches, it offers a unique advantage in providing personalised feedback and engagement for all learners, including those who are quieter or may not actively seek out teacher interaction. 

It’s all about formative assessment, assessment for learning. It’s a way to make that happen at different speeds, simultaneously, or at home. We think it’s going to be very helpful.

What advice would you give to other IB schools considering CENTURY? What key benefits would you highlight?

Using CENTURY with my students gave me practical experience in assigning nuggets and navigating the platform. It also provided valuable insights into the student experience. This direct involvement fostered familiarity and confidence among both teachers and students. My hands-on approach, including launching CENTURY in classes and running clinics, proved highly effective in encouraging adoption and demonstrating its value. 

Having dedicated support throughout the pilot was invaluable. It was crucial that I had the time to fully engage with the platform and drive its implementation. For other busy school leaders, I’d emphasise the importance of support during the initial implementation.

Ultimately, no matter how good the system and support are, successful implementation relies on active engagement within the school. It’s a change management process that requires hands-on involvement and clear communication.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your IB delivery with CENTURY. Limited spots are available for our free, managed pilot. Click here to register your interest and a Partnership Executive will be in touch.