Educational Resources Center

Shortly after Thomas Schuller became IC's third president in 1960, he correctly predicted that schools in the region will one day ask IC to teach them the latest methodologies. He thought it was an excellent opportunity to generate extra income for the school by creating a specialized center. And so it was that the Educational Resources Center (ERC) was born. It was first headed by Dr. George Rochfort, who was Vice-President for Academic Affairs at the time. ERC would ultimately play a big role in saving IC from financial disaster when, during the Lebanese civil war, it became a much-needed income earner when the school found itself teetering on the edge.

Its income-generating role, however, ended in the mid-1980s and since then, it has been promoting educational leadership, professional development and excellence in teaching and learning.  The ERC aims to advance the quality of teaching, promote quality assurance, and institutional excellence in education.  

It is the guardian of accreditation, curriculum, professional development, high-quality teaching, learning and assessment and technology integration.  The ERC manages eight academic operational units, including Teacher Appraisal, School Climate, Teacher Induction, Assessment and Data Analysis, Educational Technology, Accreditation, Curriculum Mapping, and Professional Development. 

As part of the Professional Development Unit, the ERC provides the opportunity to IC faculty and staff to attend a variety of workshops, locally and abroad, to advance their knowledge and skills, enhance their teaching effectiveness and promote professional growth.  The ERC also facilitates In-service days, training by international educational experts and IB In-cooperation workshops to introduce teachers to new skills and tools, and to enhance their skills. 

The Teacher Induction Unit provides new faculty members with training on modern teaching strategies by experts in content knowledge and pedagogy.  The ERC organizes a week-long, pre-service induction program for new faculty members on IC practices and expectations, modern methods of teaching, policies and educational technology platforms.

The Teacher Appraisal Unit provides comprehensive assessment reports based on data collected from classroom observations by ERC subject experts and school directors.  The school directors and ERC subject experts use the Danielson Framework for teacher appraisal.

The School Climate Unit oversees the integrity and ethical conduct of the IC community.  This unit provides quality assurance by monitoring and resolving malpractice and bullying issues.  It is also responsible for the development and implementation of the IC Child Protection Policy in addition to the extensive training offered to all IC teachers on handling bullying cases and implementing corrective measures.

The Assessment and Data Analysis Unit plays a crucial role in overseeing student performance and assessment practices college-wide.  Among other functions, this unit conducts regular data analysis on students’ academic performance for continuous assessment of our curricula and programs.

The EdTech Unit aims to create a technology-rich 21st century learning environment in which students use technology as makers, innovators, researchers, critical thinkers, collaborators and ethical global citizens.  The ERC prides itself as a contributor to the authoring of the 2016 ISTE Tech Integration Standards used worldwide.  The ERC also coordinates technology integration in the curriculum, teaching practices, and training through a large network of EdTech Coordinators and Facilitators.

The Curriculum Mapping Unit ensures that proper academic content is delivered to all students based on the highest international standards for the programs offered at IC.  Subject experts are key players in this unit.  They continuously oversee curriculum writing across the school to ensure consistency, rigor, global citizenship, technology integration, and interdisciplinary connections are properly addressed in all units.

The Accreditation Unit provides leadership and logistics for developing self-study reports and facilitating accreditation visits.  The Accreditation Unit also provides leadership in monitoring, evaluating and following-up on the application of the Boards’ recommendations as well as recommendations given by accrediting agencies: NEASC, CIS, IBO and AEFE.