The 21st Century

Educator’s Dictionary
 About the resource
This is a dictionary for all those ‘buzzwords’ that can sometimes get a bit muddled in our head (but are important for
the future-ready educator!). Use these flashcards to introduce, workshop, clarify terms with your peers, or for quick
reference for yourself whenever the need arises!
The list below hopes to cover some of the most commonly used inquiry-related terms.

Inquiry Concepts Play International mindedness

Transdisciplinary Learner profile Student agency Provocation

Metacognition Self- efficacy Prior knowledge Constructivism

Scaffolding Transfer Differentiation Just-in-time teaching

March on, fellow inquirer- you got this!

This resource has been produced independently of and not endorsed by the IB. Toddle’s resources seek to encourage sharing of perspectives
and innovative ideas for classroom teaching & learning. They are not intended to be replacements for official IB guides and publications.
Inquiry Concepts

What it is: A practice where learning is driven What it is: Concepts are big, overarching ideas that
through questions and curiosity, and all research help us organize information and phenomena
leads to deeper questions! around us. They are our way of building a shared
understanding of the world.
Picture it: Investigating a murder mystery - the initial
tingle of curiosity, the questions, the pursuit for Picture it: Creating a hashtag for the mind -
answers, the whoops and victories, and the concepts can help you sort out relevant information
resultant deep understanding. and focus only on that.
Play International mindedness
What it is: Having fun, improvising, experimenting, What it is: A person who has mastered all ten
exploring objects and spaces, and getting attributes of the learner profile - someone who
completely immersed in the joy of it! Play acts as cares about the world and takes action as a global
nourishment in children’s learning journeys. citizen - is an ‘internationally minded’ person.

Picture it: Painting on a blank canvas with all sorts of Picture it: Growing a well-developed tree - its trunk
art supplies. No instructions are provided, thereby strong, roots deep, and branches reaching out far
encouraging freedom and expression! and wide. All essential facets of this tree grow with a
sense of balance, allowing it to reach out into the
world.
Transdisciplinary Learner profile
What it is: ‘Trans’ means across or beyond; What it is: The IB learner profile represents ten
‘transdisciplinary’, therefore, refers to themes, attributes that, when developed, can help
concepts, and skills that exist across, and have a individuals become responsible members of local,
bigger scope than individual disciplines. national, and global communities.
Picture it: Mixing different shades of paints to make Picture it: Piecing together a jigsaw puzzle. Or think
a painting. The final art has individual colours of each learner profile attribute as pieces of a pie
(disciplines) that when combined, create something chart - they combine to make a whole.
new and larger than themselves.
Student agency Provocation
What it is: A sense of power - students feeling that What it is: An activity, experience, object, or
they have a say in their own learning. question, meant to spark curiosity and set off an
inquiry adventure.
Picture it: Driving a car (having agency) instead of
being in the passenger seat. Students with agency Picture it: Opening a surprise package that was
express their thoughts (student voice), make delivered to your doorstep - the curiosity and
decisions (student choice), and really care about excitement to rip off the wrapping paper and
their journey (ownership). discover what’s inside!
Metacognition Self-efficacy

What it is: Thinking about our own thinking in a What it is: The process of developing self-

purposeful way (involves actions such as reflection, confidence and resilience, leading to the belief that

planning for one’s learning, etc.) “I can achieve my goals.” It involves embracing

stumbles, persevering, and building the courage to

Picture it: Falling sick as a doctor - observing your
take bets on oneself.
own symptoms, taking medicines, observing your

response and changing the intervention. Being the Picture it: Preparing and challenging yourself to

observer and the observed. perform a complex sequence as a ballet dancer.

Prior knowledge Constructivism
What it is: What students already know and have What it is: A theory of learning which believes that
experienced in relation to a topic or concept. This we create meaning or build our understanding
mental model shapes how they make connections based on our prior knowledge and context.
to and understand new ideas.
Picture it: Responding to art in a museum and
Picture it: Surveying a plot of land before beginning interpreting what we see based on our personal
construction. Understanding the land’s experiences. Every person will respond to art
characteristics and foundation prior to building a differently and construct their own understanding.
new structure.
Scaffolding Transfer
What it is: Help provided by the teacher to support What it is: Applying newly learned skills,
a student using the tools and structure that best fit understandings, and knowledge to new contexts
the needs of the student. There can be multiple and situations, without needing a lot of

ways to scaffold a student in any situation. external help.

Picture it: Using floats while swimming - new Picture it: Moving to a new country and adapting.
swimmers wear them until they’re better equipped
to swim on their own.
Differentiation Just-in-time teaching
What it is: Teaching that is crafted as per each What it is: Teaching by responding regularly to
child’s unique interests, needs, and preferences (for student progress and current levels of
example, mixed groupings, levelled content, extra understanding. For example, adjusting a lesson
time, etc). Differentiation can be implemented plan just in time before it is to occur, on the basis of
through the content, the process (of learning), and feedback gathered from an asynchronous
the product (students’ work). assignment given to students before the lesson.

Picture it: Working at a tailor shop - designing Picture it: Engaging in a conversation - responding
clothes that are custom-fit for every client. One-size to another person based on what they said and how
doesn’t fit all so nothing can be mass-produced. they said it.
Bring IB teaching Collaborative Assessments

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Planning and Reports

make magic happen

Toddle can make a 10x difference at your school
- plan collaboratively, assess authentically, foster
student agency, and engage families - all from Remote Evidence
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