What is Theory of Knowledge?
Theory of Knowledge is a course and an experience that is unique to the Diploma Programme. The course is part of the Diploma Programme "core," and is taken by all students worldwide who study as Diploma Programme candidates. Theory of knowledge asks students to consider two questions about all of the content they study in their courses: 1) How well do we know what we claim to know? and 2) What are the implications of what we claim to know?
Two critical components of the TOK course are Knowledge Questions and the Knowledge Framework. Knowledge questions are questions that ask us to examine the very subjects we study, and how they shape our thinking about the world. They examine how knowledge is produced, acquired, shared and used. Those knowledge questions are shaped by knowledge framework. The knowledge framework is a set of four common elements: tools and methods, scope, perspective and ethics. These elements provide students and teachers with a structure to examine the content of their courses, the "Areas of Knowledge." More importantly, they provide a lens through which to examine the nature of the subject itself.
Two critical components of the TOK course are Knowledge Questions and the Knowledge Framework. Knowledge questions are questions that ask us to examine the very subjects we study, and how they shape our thinking about the world. They examine how knowledge is produced, acquired, shared and used. Those knowledge questions are shaped by knowledge framework. The knowledge framework is a set of four common elements: tools and methods, scope, perspective and ethics. These elements provide students and teachers with a structure to examine the content of their courses, the "Areas of Knowledge." More importantly, they provide a lens through which to examine the nature of the subject itself.
Why is Theory of Knowledge Important?
Theory of knowledge asks student to bring a critical eye, ear and mind to the content they are studying. Students are frequently trained to hear the teacher and take as a given the content they are taught. Theory of knowledge, and all Diploma Programme classes, think critically about the content they learn. They are trained not to take information at face value, but to think about the limitations of our knowledge and the way knowledge is shaped by perspective.
How is Theory of Knowledge Assessed?
Like all Diploma Programme courses, Theory of Knowledge is assessed by the IBO and contributes to the students quest to earn an IB diploma. In this course, there are two assessments students must address:
TOK Essay a Prescribed Title
For this component, students are required to write an essay in response to one of the six prescribed titles that are issued by the IB for each examination session. The TOK essay is an external assessment, which means it is assessed by an IBO examiner. |
TOK Exhibition
The TOK Exhibition is an example of the student-centered inquiry the IB emphasizes. Students are asked to use real-world objects to address a choice of prompts provided by the IBO to examine how TOK manifests itself in the world around us. The TOK exhibition is an internal assessment, which means it is assessed by the TOK instructor, using an IB rubric. |