Instructional design for diversity - an international school perspective

Instructional design for diversity - an international school perspective  

Gain an internationally recognised qualification in education
Upon successful completion of this postgraduate programme, participants are eligible to apply for the International Baccalaureate Educator Certificate in Teaching and Learning (IBEC), with a PYP or MYP focus.
Whether you are:
•    preparing to work in an international school,
•    supporting a school transitioning towards IB education,
•    strengthening internationalisation within Dutch education,
•    or looking to bring internationally recognised best practices into your own classroom,
this programme provides a strong foundation in inquiry-based, inclusive, and internationally minded education.

In this post graduate programme, you will design and implement a professional workshop or learning intervention that has a direct impact on your school practice.

This programme strengthens teachers ability to address the needs of diverse, and multilingual learning environments. We do this through research-informed, culturally responsive approaches, drawing on both Dutch and international perspectives. International frameworks such as those of the International Baccalaureate serve as sources of inspiration, always critically connected to and translated into the Dutch educational context, with the aim of enhancing the learning of all students.

The programme is based on Design-Based Education (DBE): you work from a real educational challenge within your own context and follow a cyclical design process of research, experimentation, reflection, and implementation. In doing so, you develop yourself as a teacher leaderinquiring, inclusive, internationally minded, and focused on sustainable school development.

During the programme, you will work on your professional design in several phases.

Key themes include:
✔ International educational philosophies and curriculum frameworks (PYP or MYP)
✔ Integrating international and national curricula
✔ Inquiry-based and concept-driven learning
✔ Inclusive, multilingual, and culturally responsive education
✔ Equity and accessibility in diverse classrooms
✔ Formative practice: shifting from grades to growth
✔ Authentic and fair assessment practices
✔ Global Citizenship Education
✔ Professional learning communities and school development
✔ Teacher leadership: leading without authority
✔ Designing a practice oriented professionalisation product
✔ International school immersion (33 hours of field experience)
 

Who is this programme for?

• Teachers in Dutch education
• Teachers in internationally oriented education
• Bilingual education teachers (TTO and TPO)
• Internationalisation or citizenship coordinators
• Teachers working in IB education
• Teachers working in ICA education

What will you be able to do after this course?

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• explain, model, or facilitate inquiry-driven and internationally minded curriculum principles in a workshop or presentation, helping colleagues understand how international frameworks (such as the International Baccalaureate and ICA) can enrich the Dutch school context.

• demonstrate or model inclusive, multilingual, and culturally responsive instructional ideas   during their workshop, showing colleagues how such strategies support diverse learners.

• present assessment-for-learning principles, including authenticity, criterion-referencing, fairness, and transparency, and guide colleagues in applying them within local school practices.

• facilitate professional dialogue and engage reflect critically during their workshop and in their written piece, showing how the programme shaped their thinking and how they will contribute to their school’s professional community.

Discover a New Path on your IB Journey at NHL Stenden & ITE.

The International Baccalaureate Certificate in Teaching and Learning (IBCTL) is a globally recognised professional qualification that demonstrates a teacher’s understanding of IB philosophy, pedagogy, and approaches to teaching and learning. It supports educators in developing inquiry-based, reflective, and internationally minded practice aligned with IB standards, and is applicable across IB programmes and diverse educational contexts.

The IBCTL is offered in different programme pathways, including the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP), allowing teachers to specialise in the IB context most relevant to their teaching role. Each pathway focuses on programme-specific frameworks, assessment practices, and curriculum design while maintaining a shared foundation in IB philosophy and learner-centred teaching.

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be eligible to apply to the International Baccalaureate Organisation for a:
•    IB Certificate in Teaching and Learning: Primary Years Programme (PYP), or
•    IB Certificate in Teaching and Learning: Middle Years Programme (MYP)

It is therefore important that upon commencement of the post-hbo, participants indicate which IB programme they will focus on for the duration of the course, IB PYP or IB MYP.  If MYP, participants also need to provide the subject area they will specialise in.

IB World Schools (IBWS) have an incentive to hire certificate holders because they have already completed IB professional learning. Once participants register for their certificate, they meet the requirement to attend a category 1 workshop for IBWS authorization and evaluation. The school can waive this requirement at their discretion.

To register for each certificate, students who complete IB-recognized programs are required to pay a one-time registration fee of approximately US$295 directly to the IB. NHL Stenden is not responsible for the collection or administration of fees from certificate participants. The certificate shows Heads of School and the IB community that you have a deep understanding of IB learning and teaching.
 

ECNO & ITE

This post graduate course is offered by ITE (International Teacher Education), part of the Academy of Education at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences. ITE focuses on educating and professionalising (future) teachers within an international and multilingual context, while maintaining a strong connection to Dutch educational practice. ITE is an authorised IB Educators Certificate (IBEC) institution.

The programme is delivered in collaboration with the International Baccalaureate, Bridging the Educational Gap, and ECNO.

ECNO, as a professional development partner within NHL Stenden, is involved in continuing education, in‑company training, consultancy, and coaching for education professionals. In this post‑bachelor course, however, the international expertise of ITE takes centre stage, creating a strong connection between international developments in education and the Dutch educational landscape.