While the IB provides just one sample exam on the MyIB Programme Resource Centre, Tom Coster’s book goes much further – TEN full-length exams (Papers 1, 2 and 3), each with high-scoring student responses. These sample answers give students and teachers a very clear insight into what a top-level response looks like.
Instead of guessing what earns a 7, readers can analyse near-perfect responses, identify successful strategies, and improve their own writing and exam technique. For teachers, it’s a time-saving tool for revision, assessment preparation, and modelling high standards. For students, it’s like having a roadmap to exam success.
The new IBDP Psychology syllabus introduces “Class Practicals” — and understandably, many teachers are expressing some concern. But there’s good news: they’re not as big a deal as they might seem.
First, students don’t need to each design and carry out four practicals independently. These are class activities, best done together during regular class time or in school, using the 4 research methods to prepare for Paper 1 Section B. The aim is to build understanding of experimental design, data collection, and critical thinking — not to create publishable research.
Each of the four required Class Practicals aligns with a key method in the syllabus: experiment, observation, interview, and survey/questionnaire. Teachers are encouraged to guide the design and implementation, ensuring all students participate and reflect on the process.
If you’re looking for support, Tom Coster’s IBDP Psychology: The Textbook is a must-have. It provides clear explanations, guidance, and a ready-to-use example for each practical. With good planning and a collaborative classroom approach, these activities can be both manageable and meaningful.
When it comes to teaching the IB Diploma Psychology course, experience and insight matter.
With a Master’s degree in Psychology and years of hands-on teaching, Tom Coster brings strong subject knowledge and a deep understanding of how students learn. He’s worked extensively with the IB —as an exam marker, IA moderator, Extended Essay marker, and workshop leader. He knows how to read between the lines of a Subject Guide and translate it into real-world classroom success.
What does this mean for Psychology teachers? A complete set of affordable, classroom-ready teaching materials designed to help your students succeed—whether in the IA, exams, or the new extended essay.
The materials are:
Perfectly aligned with the new syllabus
Available in both print and eBook formats
Packed with simple strategies for success
Easy to use and built for real classroom conditions
Tom’s mission is simple: to make high-quality Psychology teaching less stressful for teachers and their students and more effective. And judging by the response from teachers around the world, it’s working.
Ready to simplify your planning and boost student achievement? See for yourself.
The Tom Coster Collection – by a seasoned IB educator (and examiner/moderator and workshop leader), this comprehensive suite of books and teaching materials is purpose-built for the new syllabus. Whether you’re a veteran IB Psychology teacher or delivering it for the first time, this collection truly covers everything you need.
What’s in the Tom Coster Collection?
1. IB Diploma Psychology – The Textbook
The flagship resource, available in print and eBook format from Amazon, this book:
Covers every aspect of the new syllabus
Includes sections on the examinations and the Internal Assessment
Fully aligns with the new concept-based and research-grounded approach
2. The Complete Set of PowerPoint Presentations
Downloadable, editable .ppt files for all syllabus topics
Closely aligned with the textbook
Covers content and assessments, ready for classroom delivery
3. Homework Revision Questions
A structured set of exam-style writing prompts
Can be used throughout the two-year course or as a revision pack
Ideal for independent learning or class-based assignments
4. The Internal Assessment
A dedicated book (print/eBook) providing:
Detailed breakdown of IA requirements
Moderator-level advice
16 high-quality examples of completed IAs
5. Ten Mock Examinations with Model Answers
A full book with:
10 complete practice exams (Papers 1, 2, and HL Paper 3)
Model/high-scoring answers for all questions
Ideal for assessment practice and benchmarking progress
6. 70 Multiple Choice Tests
30-question tests across all course topics
Designed for quick, comprehensive checks of student understanding
Great for determining readiness to move forward in your teaching sequence
7. The Extended Essay
Updated to reflect the revised EE guidelines from September 2025
Includes:
Step-by-step guidance
100 research question ideas with essay outlines
A complete, high-scoring sample EE
8. Glossary of Psychology Vocabulary
Around 1,000 terms, grouped by approach and topic
Supports the syllabus’ emphasis on disciplinary literacy
A must-have for developing confident, fluent IB Psychology students
9. 150 Essential Research Studies
Brief, focused outlines of 150 key research studies
Each outline includes:
Core details
A critical thinking mini-section
Perfect for building student reference banks and evidence-based writing
10. Success at High School and College
A practical guide on how students can thrive academically
Covers note-taking, revision strategies, exam technique, and time management
Ideal for student onboarding or as a gift at the start of the Diploma
What sets the Tom Coster Collection apart is that it was clearly created by a teacher (and examiner/moderator, and workshop leader), for teachers. These resources are:
100% tailored to the new IB Psychology syllabus
Field-tested, classroom-ready, and immediately usable
Designed to make the complex clear, structured, and teachable
How to Access the Collection
Books are available on Amazon in both print and eBook formats.
Downloadable materials (like PowerPoints and course outlines) are available from the official website.
No subscriptions. No locked platforms. Just tools that work.
Teaching the new IB Psychology course doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the Tom Coster Collection, you gain not just a set of materials—but a full teaching system designed to support you at every step. So if you’re looking to teach the new syllabus with clarity, confidence, and creativity—this is the collection to have on your shelf and screen.
Every year, I tell my students that sleep is just as important as revision and study habits when it comes to academic performance. And now, a compelling new study from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University gives us even more reason to double down on that message.
In a study involving over 3,000 teenagers, researchers discovered that those who:
Went to bed earlier,
Slept longer,
And had lower sleeping heart rates,
scored significantly higher on a range of cognitive tests, including reading, vocabulary, and problem solving.
Even more striking? The actual difference in sleep duration between groups was minimal—just 15 minutes between the lowest and highest scoring groups—yet this small variation had a surprisingly large impact on brain performance and function.
Brain scans revealed that teens with the best sleep habits not only performed better but also had larger brain volumes and more efficient brain function.
Despite these findings, even the best-sleeping teens in the study didn’t reach the 8–10 hours per night recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The healthiest group averaged just seven hours and 25 minutes of sleep.
Why? Teenagers face a biological shift toward later bedtimes during adolescence. Add in screen use, homework, social media, and caffeine—and you’ve got a generation of students consistently underslept.
We’re not powerless. In fact, this is where we shine. As Psychology teachers, we can…
1. Teach the Science of Sleep
Incorporate sleep research into your lessons on cognitive development, memory, and mental health. Use this new study to show how even small changes in sleep patterns make a real difference.
2. Debunk Myths
Help students understand that “catching up” on weekends (aka social jet lag) doesn’t undo the damage of sleep loss during the week. Emphasize consistency.
3. Promote Simple, Practical Changes
Share strategies backed by experts:
Encourage regular exercise to improve sleep quality.
Urge students to limit screens an hour before bedtime.
Support healthy bedtime routines, such as winding down with a book, journaling, or light stretching.
4. Embed Sleep into Pastoral Care
Work with your school’s wellbeing or pastoral team to create sleep hygiene workshops, or add sleep content into personal and social education. Oxford’s Teensleep project is a great resource for ideas and activities.
5. Make Sleep “Cool”
Reframe sleep as a performance enhancer. Better memory. Sharper thinking. Bigger brains. It’s the one lifestyle change that benefits everything from academics to mental health—and it doesn’t cost a thing.
Professor Barbara Sahakian, who co-led the study, put it best: “It’s the sleep driving the better cognitive abilities… Small differences in sleep amounts accrue over time to make a big difference in outcomes.”
Let’s empower our students to make those small changes—because every extra minute of quality sleep could mean a stronger brain, clearer thinking, and greater wellbeing.
As a teacher, I can’t say enough good things about the new Internal Assessment task for IBDP Psychology. Compared to the old model—where students had to work in groups to replicate an experiment, often on dry topics like Stroop effects or eyewitness testimony—the new research proposal format is a breath of fresh air.
Now, students design a research proposal focused on a problem that actually matters to them and their target population. Whether it’s anxiety about climate change, peer pressure, bullying, or exam stress, students can explore real-world issues that resonate. They aren’t limited to running an experiment; they can propose interviews, surveys, or observations. This opens up creativity and allows for authentic engagement.
Even better, the proposal can spark ideas for Extended Essays or even CAS projects. It’s so much simpler to teach and support—no logistical nightmares of groupwork or ethics approval for data collection. Students focus on designing ethical, methodologically sound research rather than scrambling to collect questionable data.
In short, the new IA puts the emphasis on thinking like a psychologist, not just ticking boxes. It’s purposeful, meaningful, and a whole lot less stressful for everyone involved!
If you’re looking for a guide to help you and your students navigate the new IA process with clarity and confidence, Tom Coster’s The Internal Assessment is essential reading. This comprehensive, step-by-step resource demystifies every stage of the IA, offers practical strategies for every research method, and includes twenty high-scoring sample proposals to inspire and guide. Say goodbye to IA stress—this book has you covered!
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions are interesting when we consider the Russia-Ukraine-USA situation.
Can IBDP help achieve a more peaceful world, as the mission statement says?
Both Russia and Ukraine share high power distance (acceptance of strong leadership) and high uncertainty avoidance (a preference for stability and control). But Russia is more long-term oriented, which means it emphasizes strategic dominance, while Ukraine is more collectivist, meaning it values community and national identity.
The U.S., by contrast, is highly individualistic, low in uncertainty avoidance, and indulgent. These traits influence its foreign policy toward promoting democracy, personal freedoms, and economic growth.
This fundamental cultural difference means the U.S. often supports Ukraine’s sovereignty while rejecting Russia’s authoritarian, power-driven approach.
Hofstede’s framework helps explain the cultural differences between Ukraine and Russia that are driving the conflict and the challenges in finding a resolution. Russia’s high power distance and long-term strategic thinking make it resistant to compromise. Russia views control over Ukraine as essential to its geopolitical security. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s collectivist and high uncertainty avoidance culture fuels its strong national identity and resistance to external control and its desire to join Europe and NATO.
The U.S.’s individualism and low uncertainty avoidance drive its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, which fuels the tension between Ukraine and Russia.
A path toward peace requires acknowledging these cultural differences—balancing Ukraine’s desire for independence with Russia’s security concerns while leveraging the U.S.’s preference for diplomacy and pragmatic solutions.
Peace can be achieved by addressing the core cultural and geopolitical needs of each side. For Russia, security guarantees, such as Ukraine’s neutrality (no NATO membership) or regional autonomy agreements, could reduce its strategic fears. For Ukraine, sovereignty and economic stability must be protected, possibly through international security assurances and reconstruction aid. For the U.S. and allies, diplomacy should focus on pragmatic solutions rather than ideological confrontations, ensuring Ukraine’s independence without escalating Russia’s insecurity.
Hofstede’s cultural dimensions framework is lacking an important dimension. To what extent can each if these parties to the conflict be trusted to stick to any peace agreement?
Success in high school or college isn’t about being the smartest person in the room—it’s about using the right strategies to maximize your learning. Success at high school or college is your step-by-step guide to thriving in education, whether you’re aiming for top grades or simply want to get the most out of your studies.
Packed with practical advice, this book covers everything from attending every class and participating actively to mastering time management and building strong relationships with teachers. Each chapter provides actionable tips to help you stay motivated, organized, and confident in your academic journey.
Whether you’re struggling to keep up or looking to reach new heights, this book gives you the tools to take control of your education—and your future. Don’t leave success to chance—start building the habits that will set you apart today!
If you’re looking for a clear, concise, and affordable IB Psychology textbook, IBDP Psychology – The Textbook is the perfect choice. It features a plain and simple layout, straightforward language, and excellent value compared to big corporate publishers. Available in print and eBook formats, it’s an essential resource for both students and teachers.
But that’s not all—there’s also a set of TEN mock exams (Papers 1, 2, and 3 for SL and HL), each with complete, high-scoring model answers to help students master exam technique.
And have you seen the COMPLETE set of PowerPoint presentations? They cover the entire course and they’re fully editable, so you can customize them to suit your own preference.
As psychology teachers, we’re often at the front and centre of mental health discussions – with students and also with colleagues. We teach our students about the biological, cognitive, and social explanations of disorders, the effectiveness of SSRIs, and the transformative power of CBT. And yet, one of the simplest and most effective interventions remains woefully underemphasized: adequate sleep.
There is a mountain of credible, published research highlighting just how significant sleep is to emotional regulation. We have compelling evidence showing that poor sleep isn’t just a symptom of anxiety or depression, it is often the primary cause.
The relationship between sleep and mental health is bidirectional, creating a vicious cycle: insufficient sleep heightens emotional reactivity, disrupts rational thought processes, and increases vulnerability to stress, making individuals more prone to anxiety and depression.
One night of sleep deprivation leads to a significant spike in anxiety and low mood the following morning. Chronic, ie longer term, sleeplessness makes everyday events feel more negative, reinforcing a bleak outlook on life. Research shows that individuals suffering from insomnia are at twice the risk of developing anxiety or depression compared to those who sleep well.
The evidence is compelling. Sleep deprivation impairs the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s emotional regulator, weakening its connection to the amygdala, which governs fear and emotional responses. This disruption makes individuals more emotionally volatile, prone to misperceiving neutral events as negative, and more likely to spiral into stress and mood disorders.
As educators, we must recognize the immense potential of sleep education as a preventative mental health strategy. A CAS project that focuses on sleep awareness could help students (and colleagues) track their sleep, analyze its effects on mood and cognitive function, and share findings with peers.
Getting sufficient sleep is not about school starting later or school providing quiet spaces for rest. It’s about teaching students, their parents, and colleagues that the simplest treatment (and prevention) strategy relating to the most common mental health issues of anxiety and depression is getting sufficient sleep. In general we all need 8-9 hours of sleep, so we must go to bed more than 8-9 hours before the required wake-up time because we need about half an hour to ‘fall asleep’. We all need to be in bed, light off and phone off around half an hour before the sleep time.
Ultimately, if there is one piece of mental health advice we can give our students—and even our colleagues—it is this: Prioritize sleep because it is the foundation of emotional resilience, cognitive function, and overall well-being.
Tom Coster - Psychology 