The MYP Individuals and Societies eAssessment platform is the IB's dedicated on-screen examination software. It is not a website students access independently, and it is not the IB Information System (IBIS). Schools download and prepare the examination package, run it on approved computers, and manage responses using IB-provided administrative tools.
Students therefore sit the examination in a supervised digital environment arranged by their school. Device rules, login instructions, arrival times, network arrangements and contingency procedures can vary, so the coordinator's directions take priority.
What platform does the MYP Individuals and Societies eAssessment use?
The examination uses the IB's own on-screen examination software system, not Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Moodle, ManageBac or another learning platform. It is designed to present secure, multimedia-based assessment tasks and record candidate responses.
Depending on the task, the software may contain:
- Text boxes for written answers
- Maps, images, graphs and source material
- Video, audio, animation or interactive stimuli
- Selection, drag-and-drop or drawing tools
- Built-in accessibility features and approved examination tools
Individuals and Societies candidates may analyse historical evidence, geographical data, case studies, perspectives and representations. Success therefore requires both subject knowledge and confidence navigating digital sources. The IB provides an official overview of MYP on-screen examinations and video demonstrations of the examination environment.
IBIS and the examination software are different
Several systems support eAssessment, but each has a separate purpose.
| System or tool | Main purpose | Normal user |
|---|---|---|
| IBIS | Candidate registration and official administration | Authorized school staff |
| Administration console | Preparation, management and submission of examination files | Coordinators and technical staff |
| On-screen examination software | Displays questions and records answers | Students |
| Familiarization package | Provides practice with tools and response formats | Students and teachers |
| Revision platform | Supports preparation but does not deliver the official exam | Students and teachers |
Students do not normally sign into IBIS to answer Individuals and Societies questions. RevisionDojo and school learning platforms may support preparation, but they do not host the live assessment.
How the platform works on exam day
The IB's on-screen examination preparation guidance explains that schools obtain the examination materials and install them locally. Internet access is needed to download tasks beforehand, but continuous connectivity is not necessarily required while candidates work.
Where a device remains online, secure services may save responses periodically and support automatic submission. Otherwise, authorized staff manage submission through the administration console. Students should never attempt to download, transfer or submit examination files themselves.
A typical process is:
- Arrive at the specified room and time.
- Use the assigned computer and complete identity checks.
- Listen to the invigilator before opening the software.
- Confirm the candidate details supplied by the school.
- Complete the digital tasks while monitoring the available time.
- Report display, audio, device or software problems immediately.
- Stop when instructed and let staff manage submission.
This is a general outline. Local procedures depend on the school's devices, room, network and approved inclusive access arrangements.
Equipment and technical preparation
Each candidate normally needs a reliable laptop or desktop computer, keyboard, mouse with a scroll wheel and headphones. Laptops require dependable power because the Individuals and Societies examination is generally two hours.
Schools receive a compatibility checker and should test intended devices early. Although the IB permits approved bring-your-own-device arrangements in principle, an individual school may require managed computers. Students must use only the equipment authorized by their coordinator.
The most useful technical preparation is the IB's familiarization package, supplied through the school. It allows candidates to practise moving between tasks, entering responses and using the available tools without live examination content.
Students should practise scrolling through complete sources, checking every panel, typing analytical paragraphs under time pressure and revisiting incomplete responses. Technical confidence does not replace subject preparation. The RevisionDojo Individuals and Societies resource hub, Individuals and Societies Questionbank and guide to the assessment criteria can support content review and source analysis.
Coordinator responsibilities and common misconceptions
Coordinators should follow the current session's MYP Assessment Procedures and password-protected Programme Resource Centre materials. Essential preparation includes confirming registrations, testing equipment, providing the familiarization package, training invigilators, arranging technical support and verifying response-submission procedures.
Inclusive access requests are time-sensitive. The IB's registration guidance explains that requests may need to be submitted months before the examination session.
Candidates should avoid three common assumptions: the examination is not an ordinary browser test, IBIS is not the student answer screen, and every school does not use identical procedures. The IB standardizes the assessment software, while schools determine approved devices and local operational arrangements.
Conclusion
The MYP Individuals and Societies eAssessment runs through dedicated IB on-screen examination software supported by school administration tools. Students should use the official familiarization package, follow their coordinator's instructions and combine interface practice with timed source analysis. RevisionDojo Study Notes and the Questionbank can reinforce the academic skills needed alongside official IB preparation.
