ADDITIONAL CORE
IB COMPONENTS
THEORY OF
KNOWLEDGE (TOK)
TOK plays a special role in the diploma
programme by providing an opportunity for
pupils to reflect on the nature of knowledge.
The task of TOK is to emphasise connections
between areas of knowledge and link them to
pupils in such a way that they can become aware
of their own perspectives and those of the
various groups whose knowledge they share.
TOK, therefore, explores both the personal and
shared aspects of knowledge and investigates
the relationships between them.
Course aims:
The raw material of TOK is knowledge
itself. Pupils are required to think about how
knowledge is arrived at in the various disciplines,
what the disciplines have in common and the
differences between them. The fundamental
question of TOK is: ‘how do we know that?’
The answer might depend on the discipline and
the purpose to which the knowledge is put.
TOK explores methods of inquiry and tries to
establish what it is about these methods that
make them effective as knowledge tools. In this
sense, TOK is concerned with knowing about
knowing.
Individuals must try to make sense of the world
and understand their relationship to it. They
have at their disposal the resources of the
areas of knowledge. For example, the academic
disciplines studied in the diploma programme.
They also have access to ways of knowing
such as memory, intuition, reason and sense
perception that help us navigate our way in a
complex world.
30
ADDITIONAL CORE
IB COMPONENTS
CAS (CREATIVITY,
ACTIVITY, SERVICE)
Course content:
The TOK course largely follows two broad
themes: ways of knowing and areas of
knowledge. The first theme deals with how
knowledge is acquired and mediated through
the complex interaction of language, sense
perception, emotion, faith, imagination
and memory. Pupils then investigate
key knowledge questions in the subject
areas of mathematics, natural and human
sciences, history, arts, ethics, and through
the examination of religious and indigenous
knowledge systems.
Course assessment:
TOK is assessed by:
– An externally assessed essay on a prescr