Theory of Knowledge

What is TOK (Theory of Knowledge)?

TOK is a course about critical thinking which involves inquiring into the process of knowing, rather than about learning a specific body of knowledge. The overall aim of TOK is to encourage students to formulate answers to the question “how do you know that?” in a variety of contexts, and to see the value of that question. This allows students to develop an enduring fascination with the richness of knowledge. Specifically, the aims of the TOK course are for students to:

• to encourage students to reflect on the central question, “How do we know that?”, and to recognize the value of asking that question

• to expose students to ambiguity, uncertainty and questions with multiple plausible answers

• to equip students to effectively navigate and make sense of the world, and help prepare them to encounter novel and complex situations

• to encourage students to be more aware of their own perspectives and to reflect critically on their own beliefs and assumptions

• to engage students with multiple perspectives, foster open-mindedness and develop intercultural understanding

• to encourage students to make connections between academic disciplines by exploring underlying concepts and by identifying similarities and differences in the methods of inquiry used in different areas of knowledge

• to prompt students to consider the importance of values, responsibilities and ethical concerns relating to the production, acquisition, application and communication of knowledge.

TOK plays a special role in the Diploma Programme by providing an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature of knowledge. The task of TOK is to emphasize connections between Areas of Knowledge and link them to the knower in such a way that the knower can become aware of his or her own perspectives and those of the various groups whose knowledge he or she shares. The raw material of TOK is knowledge itself. Students think about how knowledge is arrived at in the various disciplines, what the disciplines have in common and the differences between them.

How will I be assessed in TOK?

The Theory of Knowledge course is assessed through an essay of 1,600 words that is marked externally by the IB. Students are also expected to develop an exhibition based on three artefacts and to produce a written explanation of the insight those artefacts give into how knowledge is developed and understood. This explanation is marked by the teacher and moderated by the IB.

Unlike the other diploma subjects, but like the Extended Essay, TOK is graded according to levels A to E. These grades are taken together with those of the Extended Essay (EE) to determine the total ‘extra points’ awarded (see table).