As students become older, the curriculum becomes increasingly more disciplinary in nature.
Although it might be beneficial for students to have participated in the PYP, it is not necessary for
students to have previously followed the PYP in order to participate in the MYP. Connected
curriculum in the DP The DP is primarily discipline-based, as the programme is structured around
academic disciplines that provide theoretical and methodological frameworks that students learn to
understand and use. However, concurrency of learning, which is a vital organizational component of
the MYP and DP, provides one important means of supporting interdisciplinary learning. Additionally,
teachers and students find several opportunities to foster interdisciplinary understanding. A key way
that students make connections between their individual subject disciplines is through the study of
the DP theory of knowledge (TOK) course. The TOK course plays a special role in the DP by providing
an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature of knowledge and to make connections between
different areas of knowledge. In this way, students become more aware of their own perspectives
and of those of the 7 Interdisciplinary teaching and learning in the MYPConnected curriculum across
IB programmes various groups whose knowledge they share. TOK supports the development of
interdisciplinary understanding by providing a forum to explore questions about the nature of
knowledge, the process of knowing and the similarities and differences in how knowledge is gained
in different disciplines. Links to TOK are identified in all DP subject guides, and all DP teachers are
encouraged to help students to discuss TOK knowledge questions in their subject lessons. The DP
also provides students with the opportunity to undertake a world studies extended essay that invites
students to conduct an in-depth, interdisciplinary investigation into an issue of contemporary global
importance. Through the selection of global issues, students are required to bring aspects of
different disciplines together and synthesize them to advance understanding. Finally, the DP offers
students the possibility to enroll in interdisciplinary courses—environmental systems and societies
(ESS), and literature and performance. ESS is an interdisciplinary course between individuals and
societies, and sciences, which enables students to explore the interrelationship between ESS through
the evaluation of the scientific, ethical and sociopolitical aspects of environmental issues or
problems. The literature and performance course is an interdisciplinary synthesis of language and
literature, and theatre. It incorporates essential elements of literature and performance with the aim
of exploring the dynamic relationship between the two. Many other DP courses contain substantial
interdisciplinary elements. For example, psychology, geography, computer science, digital society
(replacing information technology in a global society (ITGS) from August/ September 2022, for first
assessment May 2024) and design technology all include concepts, methods and forms of
communication from multiple disciplines. However, these courses remain grounded in a single DP
subject. Connected curriculum in the CP The CP is an innovative education framework for students
aged 16 to 19 incorporating the vision and educational principles of the IB in a unique programme
tailored for students who wish to engage in careerrelated learning. The CP core comprises personal
and professional skills, a reflective project, language development and service learning. Personal and
professional skills and career-related courses in the CP enable students to build understanding across
traditional academic subjects that are connected to their career paths. Interdisciplinarity is a vital
component of the CP’s reflective project. The ethical dimension of this research challenges students
to explore ways of solving problems and answering questions that cannot be satisfactorily addressed
by using single methods or approaches. Engaging with multiple disciplines allows students to
synthesize understandings to draw their own conclusions (often critiquing the limits of an exclusively
disciplinary or academic approach). Interdisciplinarity is also present in the career-related study as
students explore academic theories and concepts through practical application and experience. Table
3 summarizes this connectivity across IB programmes. Table 3 Connected curriculum in IB
programmes PYP MYP CP (3–11 years old) (11–16 years old) (16–19 years old) Transdisciplinary
Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Six subject areas Six
transdisciplinary themes • Who we are • Where we are in place and time 8 Core elements, DP
courses and career studies Eight subject groups integrated through key concepts, global contexts and
approaches to learning The MYP community project and personal DP (16–19 years old) Disciplinary
and Interdisciplinary Disciplinary study supported by the DP core, including the world studies
extended essay, TOK and specific interdisciplinary courses Interdisciplinary teaching and learning in
the MYPConnected curriculum across IB programmes PYP MYP CP DP • How we express ourselves •
How the world works • How we organize ourselves • Sharing the planet project also provide
opportunities to develop interdisciplinary understanding 9 Interdiscipli