Tok 1

Theory of Knowledge

Fig.1 René Magritte (1898-1967) Ceci n'est pas une pomme (This is not an apple)

oil on unilite 55¾ x 39 5/8 in.

Painted in 1964. The conflict between the image and the words in Magritte's painting challenges the viewers' perceptions of reality.

Course Overview

Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a foundational course in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program(DP).

Theory of knowledge (TOK) is a course about critical thinking and inquiry. In this course we learn about the process of knowing and apply critical thinking strategies to real life situations.

Students in the DP are required to complete 100 hours of TOK. TOK 1 comprises the first 50 hours of that requirement.

The IB organization has recently released a new syllabus for the course which focuses the students' attention on 1 core theme and 2 optional themes along with 5 Areas of Knowledge (AOK). In TOK 1 we will cover the core theme, Knowing and the Knower, along with two Optional Themes to be determined with student input. Additionally, we will examine 1 AOK, to be determined with student input.

Below (Figure 2) I have included a diagram of the new syllabus.

For more information about this course and program visit the following link:

http://xmltwo.ibo.org/publications/DP/Group0/d_0_tokxx_tsm_2003_1/en/tok_glance_en.pdf


Fig.2 A diagram of the TOK Syllabus for first assessment in 2022

Major Assessments

While there is no exam for this course, there are two major assessments.

  • The TOK exhibition assesses the ability of the student to show how TOK manifests in the world around us.
      • For this task, students are required to create an exhibition of three objects that connect to one of the 35 “IA prompts” provided. Students must select just one IA prompt on which to base their exhibition, and all three objects must be linked to the same IA prompt with an accompanying written commentary on each object.
      • The TOK exhibition occurs at the end of this course and counts as 33% of the DP score for TOK.
  • The TOK essay engages students in a more formal and sustained piece of writing in response to a title focused on the areas of knowledge. The essay is an external assessment component; it is marked by IB examiners. The essay must be a maximum of 1,600 words and must be on one of the six prescribed titles issued by the IB for each examination session.
      • The TOK essay occurs in the TOK 2 course next year and is worth 67% of the DP score for TOK.