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THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE 2023
A comprehensive guide.
THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
Tok curriculum.
Discover the TOK curriculum and its components, including knowledge questions, areas of knowledge, and ways of knowing.
TOK Essay Tips
Learn essential tips and techniques for writing an impressive TOK essay that effectively addresses knowledge issues and receives high marks.
TOK Presentation
Get guidance on how to deliver an engaging TOK presentation that effectively communicates.
TOK Resources
Resources to explore TOK concepts and expand your knowledge: books, articles, and websites.
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TOK ESSAY TITLES 2024
Tok essay title 1 may 2024.
Is subjectivity overly celebrated in the arts but unfairly condemned in history? Discuss with reference to the arts and history.
TOK ESSAY TITLE 2 MAY 2024
How can we reconcile the opposing demands for specialization and generalization in the production of knowledge? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.
TOK ESSAY TITLE 3 MAY 2024
Nothing is more exciting than fresh ideas, so why are areas of knowledge often so slow to adopt them? Discuss with reference to the human sciences and one other area of knowledge.
TOK ESSAY TITLE 4 MAY 2024
Do we underestimate the challenges of taking knowledge out of its original context and transferring it to a different context? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.
TOK ESSAY TITLE 5 MAY 2024
Do we need custodians of knowledge? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.
TOK ESSAY TITLE 6 MAY 2024
Are we too quick to assume that the most recent evidence is inevitably the strongest? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.
Choose from three different TOK course structures
Big Question Framework
Classic TOK Lessons
Disruptive Ideas
Take advantage of three classroom-ready courses for TOK, exclusively available to faculty members. Each course provides meticulously designed and structured lessons, supported by clear and measurable learning objectives. Packed with media-rich resources and inspired by current real-world situations and ideas, these courses will save you considerable time. Begin downloading and delivering them now.
Apply TOK ideas and concepts to the real world
Monthly Newsletter
Investigating Issues
12 Key TOK Concepts
Our resources aim to assist students in exploring and comprehending the most significant current events while understanding how TOK concepts manifest in the real world. Our exclusive monthly TOK newsletter, Investigating Issues, along with the 12 Key Concepts, will aid you and your entire DP faculty in developing critical thinking skills and connecting learning to news issues, debates, and controversies. Subscribe to our complimentary newsletter here to stay updated.
Master the TOK assessment tasks
TOK Essay Support Pack
Exhibition Support Pack
TOK Assessment Lessons
Our assessment packs, available in both English and Spanish, are specifically designed for student use. They provide a clear understanding of the assessment criteria for the TOK essay and exhibition, assisting students in creating exceptional final assessment products. With the TOK assessment lessons, teachers can effectively target and enhance the necessary skills, enabling students to approach the assessment tasks with confidence and achieve success.
Get your whole DP faculty onboard
DP Integration Tool
TOK Mini Lessons
Knowledge Heros
What distinguishes us from other sites and textbooks for TOK is our commitment to catering to ALL faculty members. Our resources are designed with this in mind. The Integration Tool facilitates seamless connections between subjects and TOK concepts, while incorporating real-world events. Mini-lessons offer concise and ready-to-use classroom materials, and Knowledge Heroes empower teachers to draw inspiration from influential figures across various academic disciplines.
Prepare your pre-DP students for TOK
Thinking for Yourself
Middle Year Newsletter
We provide two pre-DP courses, namely “Thinking for Yourself” and “Worldviews,” which aim to foster critical thinking, stimulate debates, and introduce students to the concepts they will encounter in TOK. Additionally, our middle years newsletter assists students in going beyond surface-level understanding by encouraging them to delve deeper into the latest events and real-world issues.
Get trained-up for TOK
Our training programs in TOK and critical thinking are tailored to meet the needs of both specialized teachers and regular faculty members. We have collaborated with schools worldwide, assisting them in incorporating engaging, relevant, and effective TOK and critical thinking practices throughout their curriculum. Additionally, we provide free and premium webinars on TOK, along with a comprehensive collection of videos available on our YouTube channel for you to explore.
Explore the course
The Core Theme
Optional Theme
Areas of Knowledge
Explore our extensive range of free course materials covering every aspect of the TOK course. Delve into the core theme, “knowledge & the knower,” as well as the optional themes like indigenous societies, language, politics, religion, and technology. Additionally, explore the various areas of knowledge such as the arts, history, human sciences, mathematics, and natural sciences. As a faculty member of our site, you’ll have exclusive access to our exploration point documents, providing in-depth insights into each component of TOK.
Download free samples
Classroom Ready TOK Lessons
TOK World Resources
Real World Resources
Gain access to a wide array of free sample materials that showcase our approach and the type of resources available to site members for delivering the TOK course. Explore our comprehensive selection of classroom-ready lessons, organized into three distinct courses. Take a look at our TOK-world resources, designed to empower students to take ownership of their TOK journey. Additionally, discover how our real-world resources establish meaningful connections between learning and current events and issues. Download these samples to get a firsthand experience of our offerings.
Testimonials
Rahul kapoor.
Studying TOK has been an enlightening journey. It has challenged my perspectives, sharpened my critical thinking skills, and expanded my understanding of knowledge. I highly recommend this course to all IB students.
United States
Emily johnson.
TOK has been an incredibly thought-provoking course for me. It has pushed me to question everything and explore different ways of knowing. This course has truly transformed the way I approach learning and understanding the world.
María Santos
Studying TOK has opened my mind to the diverse ways in which knowledge is constructed and evaluated. It has challenged my preconceived notions and deepened my appreciation for the complexity of knowledge.
Ishita Sharma
TOK has made me realise the power of questioning and the importance of having an open mind. It has encouraged me to explore different viewpoints and engage in meaningful discussions.
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Learn more from, frequently asked questions.
Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is an interdisciplinary course offered as part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. It delves into the nature of knowledge, how it is acquired, and the ways in which it is justified. TOK fosters critical thinking, reflection, and exploration of different ways of knowing and areas of knowledge.
TOK offers invaluable skills for intellectual and personal growth. It enhances critical thinking, nurtures an appreciation for diverse perspectives, and encourages curiosity. By engaging with TOK, students develop abilities that are highly beneficial for higher education, such as analyzing arguments, evaluating evidence, and constructing well-reasoned viewpoints.
TOK is assessed through an externally moderated essay and an oral presentation. The TOK essay requires students to critically analyze a prescribed title or develop a self-chosen title related to TOK. The oral presentation provides an opportunity for students to explore a real-life situation from a TOK perspective and engage in a thoughtful discussion.
TOK equips students with critical thinking skills that can be applied to everyday life. It enables individuals to navigate complex issues, evaluate sources of information, and make informed decisions. The skills and perspectives cultivated in TOK are highly transferable, benefiting students in university studies, career paths, and active engagement with the world.
Absolutely! TOK emphasizes the importance of effective communication in conveying ideas and arguments. It encourages students to express themselves clearly, develop coherent arguments, and support them with evidence. Through the oral presentation component and essay writing, TOK hones students’ communication skills, enabling them to articulate their thoughts with precision and clarity.
- Theory of Knowledge
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- Knowledge and the knower Total 1,521 Words
- What is knowledge? Total 1,227 Words
- What is bias? Total 1,072 Words
- What is truth? Total 3,461 Words
- What is perspective? Total 1,291 Words
- TOK Concepts Total 1,291 Words
- Knowledge and language Total 1,008 Words
- Knowledge and technology Total 1,727 Words
- Knowledge and politics Total 1,103 Words
- Knowledge and religion Total 1,195 Words
- Knowledge and indigenous societies Total 1,625 Words
- The Arts Total 500 Words
- History Total 865 Words
- The Human Sciences Total 405 Words
- Mathematics
- Natural Sciences Total 1,043 Words
- TOK Exhibition Total 688 Words
- TOK exhibition sample Total 653 Words
- 100 Classroom Activities Total 21,142 Words
- 100 TOK Exhibition Object Ideas
- 35 IA Prompts Total 656 Words
- TOK essay examples Total 3,409 Words
- How to write a TOK essay Total 451 Words
- TOK essay may 2024 title 1 Total 802 Words
- TOK essay may 2024 title 2 Total 693 Words
- TOK essay may 2024 title 3 Total 488 Words
- TOK essay may 2024 title 4 Total 507 Words
- TOK essay may 2024 title 5 Total 505 Words
- TOK essay may 2024 title 6 Total 413 Words
- TOK essay title 1 - Scorecard Total 324 words
- TOK essay title 2 - Scorecard Total 337 words
- TOK essay title 3 - Scorecard Total 396 words
- TOK essay title 4 - Scorecard Total 337 words
- TOK essay title 5 - Scorecard Total 333 words
- TOK essay title 6 - Scorecard Total 328 words
- TOK yearly lesson plan - Week wise Total 1,289 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 1 – How to Teach TOK Concepts Total 5,230 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 2 – How to Teach the TOK Concept – Evidence Total 6,995 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 3 – How to Teach TOK Concept – Certainty Total 4,854 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 4-How to Teach TOK Concept-Truth Total 3906 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 5 - Introduction of TOK concept - Interpretation Total 4,308 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 6 - The introduction of TOK concept - Power Total 4,333 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 7 - The introduction of TOK concept - Justification Total 6,540 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 8 - The introduction of TOK concept - Explanation Total 6,773 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 9 - The introduction of TOK concept - Objectivity Totle 7,205 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 10 - The introduction of TOK concept - Perspectives Totle 7,863 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 11 - The introduction of TOK concept - Cultures Totle 8,172 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 12 - The introduction of TOK concept - Values Totle 8,661 Words
- TOK Lesson Plan 13 - The introduction of TOK concept - Responsibility Totle 8,937 Words
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TOK yearly lesson plan – Week wise
- July 26, 2024
Expanded Plan for Weeks 1-3: Knowledge and Technology
| 1 | Knowledge and the Knower | Introduction to TOK and the core theme. Explore the nature of knowledge and the role of the knower. | Classroom Discussion: Use TED Talks related to perception and knowledge as a starter. Activity: Personal knowledge audit – students list what they know and how they know it. | Find and summarize a TED Talk or article that explores a way of knowing, focusing on how it contributes to knowledge. |
| 2 | Knowledge and the Knower | Dive into Ways of Knowing (WOKs) – specifically perception and reason. Discuss how these WOKs inform and shape our knowledge. | Group Activity: Perception challenge – activities to test and reflect on sensory perceptions. Debate: “Can reason always lead to truth?” | Create a presentation on either perception or reason, including real-life applications and limitations. |
| 3 | Knowledge and the Knower | Continue with Ways of Knowing – focusing on emotion and language. | Interactive Workshop: Emotional intelligence exercises. Language Analysis: Examine how language shapes reality in news media. | Journal entry reflecting on an instance where emotion influenced a personal belief or understanding. Analyze a political speech for the use of language to shape perceptions. |
We recommend searching for TED Talks or educational videos that cover themes like “The Nature of Knowledge,” “Perception vs. Reality,” “The Role of Emotion in Decision Making,” and “How Language Shapes Thought.” These subjects are widely discussed by experts across various platforms, including TED, which offers a rich repository of talks by scholars, scientists, and thinkers.
To find relevant talks, you can use keywords related to the specific areas of focus on platforms like YouTube or the official TED website. For instance, searching for “TED Talk on perception and knowledge” or “TED Talk on language shaping reality” should yield engaging and insightful presentations that can complement the lesson plans and stimulate classroom discussion.
Expanded Plan for Weeks 4-6: Knowledge and Technology
| 4 | Digital Revolution’s Impact | Debate: “Internet vs. Libraries” | Workshop: Creating digital timelines of technological advancements. | Research and write about a technology pioneer. |
| View: A TED Talk on digital evolution. | Discussion: How digital access shapes knowledge. | |||
| 5 | Social Media in Knowledge Dissemination | Case Study: Analyze a social movement amplified by social media. | Project: Design a digital literacy campaign. Share plans via class blog. | Keep a media diary for a week, noting all learning through social media. Reflect on credibility and learning depth. |
| View: A documentary on social media’s global impact. | Peer Review: Evaluate classmates’ digital literacy campaigns. | |||
| 6 | Technology’s Role in Education | Presentation: Compare traditional vs. tech-enhanced learning methods. | Virtual Exchange: Conduct a virtual meeting with a class from another country discussing edtech benefits. | Propose an innovative educational technology solution, considering current limitations. Include sketches or concept maps. |
| Explore: Interactive e-learning platforms. | Experiment: Try a new educational app and review its effectiveness in a class discussion. |
To enhance your course, consider integrating multimedia resources, such as educational podcasts, interactive websites, and platforms like Khan Academy or Coursera, that offer in-depth explorations of technology’s impact on society and learning. Encourage students to engage with these materials critically, fostering a classroom environment where technology’s role in shaping and distributing knowledge is actively questioned and understood.
Expanded Plan for Weeks 7-9: Knowledge and Technology
| 7 | Analyze linguistic relativity through Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. | Explore articles or segments from linguistics journals that present case studies on how language influences thought in different cultural contexts. | Create a mini-documentary exploring multilingualism’s effects on perception and cognition. | Use video editing software to compile interviews, examples, and visual illustrations of multilingual individuals discussing their experiences and perceptions. |
| 8 | Explore the construction of meaning in language using poetry and advertising. | Select poems and advertisements that utilize unique linguistic features to convey messages. Analyze these in class for their use of language. | Compose a piece that plays with language to alter or challenge usual perceptions. | Provide guidelines for creative writing that encourage the use of metaphor, simile, and other figurative language to convey complex ideas in nuanced ways. |
| 9 | Debate on the impact of social media on language. | Prepare position papers or presentation slides citing studies on social media’s influence on language evolution and user perception. | Compile examples of internet slang, memes, and hashtags to analyze their communicative value. | Use platforms like Instagram, Twitter, or Reddit to gather current examples of digital language evolution, focusing on how these elements convey complex emotions or ideas succinctly. |
For weeks 9-12 focusing on AOK: Natural Sciences , here’s a detailed lesson plan designed to engage students with exciting activities and content:
| 10 | Scientific Method | Experiment: Conduct a simple but engaging laboratory experiment demonstrating a basic scientific principle, such as creating a volcano or extracting DNA from fruit. | Science Fair: Prepare a mini science fair where students present their experiments or findings to the class. | Research the history of the scientific method and its impact on a particular field of science. |
| 11 | Evolution and Genetics | Interactive Lesson: Use online simulations to explore genetic inheritance patterns (e.g., Mendelian genetics). | Debate: Organize a debate on ethical implications of genetic editing technologies like CRISPR. | Write a reflection on how understanding genetics has changed your view on nature vs. nurture. |
| 12 | Climate Change | Group Project: Analyze global climate data to create visual representations of climate change over the last century. | Field Trip (Virtual or Physical): Visit a local environmental center or virtual tour of impacted ecosystems. | Prepare a proposal for a community project to combat climate change effects locally. |
| 13 | Physics: The Nature of Light | Demonstration: Explore the dual nature of light through diffraction and refraction experiments. | Photography Project: Use cameras or smartphones to capture light phenomena (e.g., rainbows, reflections) in creative ways. | Research and present on a significant discovery in physics that has changed our understanding of the universe. |
An alternative approach could be taken here as not all students will be from Natural science background.
Here are few other details that can be helpful in planning the content for Natural science weeks:
To structure the PowerPoint presentation on the scientific method into a week-by-week lesson plan format, focusing on specific content for each point, here’s a tabular overview:
| 9 | Introduction to the Scientific Method | Overview of scientific method steps; its importance in scientific inquiry. | Presentation on the scientific method’s steps. Interactive quiz on identifying steps in scenarios. | Write a reflection on how the scientific method is applied in a personal decision-making process. |
| 9 | Historical Milestones | Key figures like Galileo and Newton; their contributions to the scientific method. | Group project researching and presenting on historical figures in science. | Prepare a report on an unsung hero of scientific discovery, focusing on their methodology. |
| 10 | Application in Natural Sciences | Groundbreaking experiments in physics, chemistry, biology. | Conduct virtual lab simulations. Discuss the impact of these experiments on modern science. | Analyze a recent scientific study and evaluate its use of the scientific method. |
| 10 | Beyond Natural Sciences | Application of the scientific method in social sciences, ethics, arts. | Debate on the use of the scientific method outside of natural sciences. | Creative project: Design an experiment in a non-science field applying the scientific method. |
| 11 | Everyday Reasoning | How the scientific method influences daily decision-making and problem-solving. | Role-play activity: Apply the scientific method to solve everyday problems. | Journal entry on a week-long observation of decision-making processes using the scientific method. |
| 12 | Contemporary Challenges | Using the scientific method to address issues like climate change, public health. | Discussion on current challenges. Research and present solutions using the scientific method. | Group presentation on proposing a scientific method-based solution to a contemporary issue. |
Stakeholders from schools who use TOK2022
- Knowledge and the knower
- What is knowledge?
- What is bias?
- What is truth?
- What is perspective?
- TOK Concepts
- Knowledge and indigenous societies
- Knowledge and language
- Knowledge and politics
- Knowledge and religion
- Knowledge and technology
- The Human Sciences
- Natural Sciences
- TOK Exhibition
- TOK exhibition sample
- 100 Classroom Activities
- 35 IA Prompts
- TOK Essay Examples
- How to write a TOK essay
- TOK Essay May 2024 Title 1
- TOK Essay May 2024 Title 2
- TOK Essay May 2024 Title 3
- TOK Essay May 2024 Title 4
- TOK Essay May 2024 Title 5
- TOK Essay May 2024 Title 6
- TOK Essay Title 1 – Scorecard
- TOK Essay Title 2 – Scorecard
- TOK Essay Title 3 – Scorecard
- TOK Essay Title 4 – Scorecard
- TOK Essay Title 5 – Scorecard
- TOK Essay Title 6 – Scorecard
- TOK Lesson Plan 1 – How to Teach TOK Concepts
- TOK Lesson Plan 2 – How to Teach the TOK Concept – Evidence
- TOK Lesson Plan 3 – How to Teach TOK Concept – Certainty
- TOK Lesson Plan 4 – How to Teach TOK Concept – Truth
- TOK Lesson Plan 5 – Introduction of TOK concept – Interpretation
- TOK Lesson Plan 6 – The introduction of TOK concept – Power
- TOK Lesson Plan 7 – The introduction of TOK concept – Justification
- TOK Lesson Plan 8 – The introduction of TOK concept – Explanation
- TOK Lesson Plan 9 – The introduction of TOK concept – Objectivity
- TOK Lesson Plan 10 – The introduction of TOK concept – Perspectives
- TOK Lesson Plan 11 – The introduction of TOK concept – Cultures
- TOK Lesson Plan 12 – The introduction of TOK concept – Values
- TOK Lesson Plan 13 – The introduction of TOK concept – Responsibility
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Structuring your TOK course
One of the first questions that faces any TOK coordinator when they set up or rethink the TOK programme at their school is how to structure the course, and what content to include. The great thing about the subject is that there is no set curriculum that’s examined after two years, so there is a lot of flexibility - there’s nothing your students ‘have’ to learn. But this, of course, means there is far less to guide you, beyond the IB precept that your students should have detailed knowledge of all the areas of knowledge, the core theme, and two of the optional themes as well as the prescribed essay titles that have come up during previous sessions. Here are some questions that can guide you as you decide on the format of your programme.
1. What has worked (and hasn’t) in the past?
Although the new syllabus means a rethink about course structure for every TOK Coordinator, you should still base your planning on pre-existing courses, as there is still plenty of scope to continue drawing on content that has worked before. Talk to students, and find out:
Which elements of the TOK course do students have a clear understanding of, and which elements did they find harder to grasp and understand?
What learning experiences made an impact on them, and what aspects of the course do they have difficulty recalling?
Have they managed to apply any of the concepts they’ve learned in TOK to their other subjects, and which concepts have been less helpful in terms of understanding the rest of the DP?
For teachers, in addition to the above, the information they could provide you with could include:
What have they enjoyed teaching, and what was less rewarding?
What elements of the course have students applied successfully to the production of essays and presentations?
What content, learning experiences and teaching strategies worked well in the past (see question 5 below)?
Building up a clear picture from your students and teachers will not only allow you to plan an effective course, it will also enfranchise the people who are most involved in TOK.
2. What’s the cultural context of your school?
One of the best resources you have available to you is the culture in which you work. Although your students may not all ‘belong’ to that culture, they will all have a relationship with it, so not making use of it would be an opportunity lost.
Examples of how this could inform the optional themes you decide to cover include :
How easily can you access indigenous knowledge in the culture you work in? Many schools are located in or near to indigenous societies; covering Knowledge and Indigenous Societies would enable you to draw on these societies, and increase your students’ awareness of how different approaches to knowledge can be amongst different societies.
Are lots of languages spoken in your school? If your students are multilingual, then this would be a great reason to incorporate Knowledge and Language, giving them an entry point to explore concepts as linguistic determinism and relativism, and the relationship between the words we speak, the knowledge we possess.
What’s the religious context of the culture you’re working in? Teaching students of different religious affiliations would make Knowledge and Religion a logical optional theme to include. Obviously, certain sensibilities might need to be observed, but students should be encouraged to share experiences of how their religious outlooks create their identities and understanding of the world.
Is your school located within a politically significant city? Being able to refer to issues and policies that are locally relatable to your students would give Knowledge and Politics extra resonance.
Do tech firms play a particularly strong role in the society in which you live? If lots of your students come from families that are involved in this industry, then they could provide extra insight into Knowledge and Technology, and give extra impact to debates and discussions about this optional theme.
3. What knowledge and expertise can you build on?
The course you create depends partly on the knowledge, expertise, and interests of the teachers who make up the TOK team. The starting point for this is the subject your teachers are trained in - the perfect department might include those who teach history, science, mathematics, art. But the subject areas of your teachers is by no means the end point (and many departments are successful without this diversity): what are their interests and hobbies? Building a course that gives teachers the opportunity to draw on these things will make your team more passionate about TOK, meaning it’s easier for them to deliver engaging lessons.
Virtually anything can be co-opted to create a great TOK course; below are a few examples of areas of expertise and interests that we have seen utilised:
Teachers who are interested in photography might find their interest a great way to initiate an exploration of the arts. Is photography really art? Has modern technology undermined the integrity of photography? Broadening this to include other artistic genres, how does artistic knowledge develop over time?
Many teachers working in IB schools are dedicated travellers. What does spending time in different cultures reveal about how our knowledge is determined by our perspective? Which areas of knowledge are more subjective? Do the ways of knowing vary from one place to another?
Do you have a teacher who has expertise in computer programming or website design ? This can form a nice entry point into technology and mathematics, and, given the ubiquity of algorithms in today’s society, might enable some interesting ethical questions to be considered.
4. What big ideas do you want students to take away?
You don’t have to start with your elements of the course and then figure out which ideas to include within them, you could turn this process on its head, and begin with a consideration of the big ideas you want your students to come away with by the end of the course, and then decide on the element of the course.
These big ideas might be specific to one element of the course, or they might encompass multiple elements of the course. A few examples of the sort of ideas that engage you, and which you want to pass on to your students:
The concept of proof and certainty in knowing would be hard to do without a consideration of mathematics (eg axioms), perhaps compared to more subjective areas of knowledge like ethics.
Looking at how knowledge progresses via paradigm shifts would probably prompt you to include natural sciences in your scheme of work.
Looking at the viability of predictions works particularly well in the human sciences ; perhaps this AOK could also be compared to the natural sciences.
Discerning progress and patterns in what we know is best viewed via history .
5. How can TOK learning experiences inform the content of your course?
Your school may already have a big TOK event, such as a conference, exhibition, presentation day, or retreat. This may be based on a specific theme or topic, which in turn may determine some of the the content you cover. If this is a successful part of your TOK calendar, then there’s obviously no need to change it; if, however, it doesn’t work as well as you might like, or if you don’t currently have any events based around TOK, then perhaps it is time to think about setting up a new event to showcase and promote TOK.
Possible learning experiences, and examples of how this could inform the content of your TOK course, include the following:
TOK conferences are held in many countries around the world throughout the year, although the present Covid-19 situation does present complications to this. These may have a specific theme, or feature several different ideas and concepts, so it might be difficult to build them into your course content. However, if your school does participate in one, the amount your students will get out of it will depend on the level of preparation you do. One great example of a TOK conference, and arguably the best known around the world, is the one held in February at United World College Maastricht. You can see details of their 2018 conference here .
An increasing number of schools are organising TOK retreats , which involve placing their students in a different environment for a few days to encourage them to view the world from a different perspective. How different that perspective is depends on the school, and its location. Newton College in Lima organises a trip to the Peruvian jungle where, as well as getting students to carry out coursework for geography, biology, and do their Group 4 projects, they spend time thinking about the knowledge they gather via the question ‘What makes someone an expert knower?’ This question is explored by comparing and contrasting knowledge in the human and natural sciences to indigenous knowledge systems, and presenting their findings at the end of the trip.
It’s great to showcase and publicise TOK to the rest of the school, and this can be done via displays, exhibitions, or activity days. What do you do particularly strongly that you could show to the rest of the school? What knowledge issue or controversy would you like to showcase? What work have your students done that you’d like to showcase? Giving students a couple of weeks focusing on something specific, and deepening their knowledge of a particular theme could enable them to carry off such an event successfully.
Your school might have an agreement with a specific guest speaker who appears every year. Again, preparing students for this experience is essential so that they get the most out the talk, and ask meaningful questions.
6. What resources do you use for TOK?
The resources you use for TOK should play a big role in determining what you cover during the course. Reading a great article from a media source, watching a particularly enlightening TED talk, seeing a thought-provoking video, or coming across a provocative opinion or interview, can all provide you with means to build and craft an engaging unit of study, or at the very least, pass on to your students for them to view in their own time. Although textbooks can play a role in delivering TOK in your school, you shouldn’t base your course on them, because they don’t provide the level of engagement or freshness that articles and videos can give.
So keep a folder of resources from things you come across as you use media sources, and don’t be afraid of using them to develop and change the structure and content of your TOK course - every year your course should be refreshed by new content; sometimes this new content should introduce radical changes in the way you do TOK.
Here are a few examples of individual resources that can have a big impact on the way you cover ideas and content:
TED is a fantastically rich source of ideas for TOK, and everyone will no doubt have their own favourites that they draw on in lessons. One talk that could be considered ‘seminal’ is Beau Lotto’s presentation on how optical illusions show how we see. Lotto not only demonstrates a series of mind-boggling illusions that will have your students tearing their hair out as they try to make sense of them (a great learning experience!), he also explains the incredibly important concept of how context is key to the way we see and make sense of the world around us. This is a great way to explore the Core Theme - Knowledge and the Knower.
Linking to what we have said about the cultural context of your school, find out what languages are spoken by your students, and connect this to the many articles you can find about the role of language in shaping our experiences of the world. Here’s one on how we have ‘untranslatable’ emotions; here’s another on the Portuguese sensation of ‘saudade’.
Exposing your students to controversial ideas or opinions is a great way to get a reaction out of them, and start a vigorous debate. If it’s a big enough idea, it can also form the basis of an extended series of lessons. Here’s Andrew Keen on how the Internet is returning us to a ‘pre-Copernican level of understanding’, which is guaranteed to generate a response. Use this as a launch pad onto an exploration of whether we are ‘progressing’ in terms of our knowledge, or whether technology is helping us to advance in terms of our knowledge, or whether the idea of progress is an illusion. This could be considered within the human or natural sciences, or in terms of history - and whether having such suppositions help or hinder us to discern patterns in human understanding changes over time.
Fake news has more emphasis in the 2022 syllabus, and reminds us why TOK is such a potent course for students. There are many ways of handling this issue; here’s a recent article that looks at the Moses effect, which will get students thinking about the way they utilise (or fail to utilise) reason. An older article from The Scientific American supports this, and provides us with a fantastic term - ‘cognitive miserliness’ - that can form another consideration point for the Knowledge and the Knower.
7. How ambitious do you feel?
If you are a new TOK coordinator, you may feel reluctant to make many changes to your TOK course, or you may feel that the changes you do want to introduce should be made within a traditional framework. This might mean basing your unit titles on the elements of TOK (ie the themes and areas of knowledge), and making as few changes as you can to the course. If this is your first stint at coordinating a TOK department, then this is perfectly reasonable. This, after all, is how TOK textbooks are structured, and how the majority of schools deliver TOK.
However, you might feel a little more ambitious, and be keen to revolutionise rather than reform TOK in your school. Going this way could involve introducing the following changes:
Abandoning the traditional structure of TOK, and basing the course on questions explored via multiple elements of the course. This sets up a more integrated TOK experience.
Building in a new learning experience for students (see part 5 above), and using that to dictate the content of the TOK course for part of the year.
Making a part of your course an ‘elective’, whereby students choose elements of the course to research, and you support them with self-guided resources.
Getting rid of textbooks as a means of delivering TOK, and only using articles and online sources as a way of delivering the course.
The first three of these ideas will be explored in the Enriching your TOK course section of Introducing Excellence into your TOK Department , the second part of this guide.
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Support for the essay & exhibition: TOK ASSESSMENT LESSONS. If you are going to teach the course via either the Classic TOK, or the Disruptive Ideas structure, you'll still need to offer some lessons on the assessment tasks. We offer six lessons on the essay, and six lessons on the exhibition, which you can insert into your course whenever ...
This website does one thing well. It shares lesson plans and ideas from the perspective of an experienced, individual classroom teacher. TOKResource.org aligns with copyrighted IBO materials—but stops short of addressing specific Essay titles. Strategies proposed for both the Exhibition and the TOK Essay serve any prompt.
Three mandated formal interactions between the student and teacher are recorded on the Planning and Progress Form (TK/PPF): 1. Discuss the list of prescribed titles with the student. 2. Discuss the student's initial exploration of their selected title. 3. Comment on one draft of the student's essay.
Once you've grasped the essay rubric, and chosen your title, you can start planning and structuring your TOK essay. You base this around the 3 interactions with your teacher, which are one-on-one meetings discussing your progress, and receiving feedback. As well as the interactions, you can also ask your teacher specific questions about your ...
Overview of TOK Essay strategy. Here are the six cumulative sections: Unpack your prompt. Reconnect with the 5 Areas of Knowledge. Focus on your essay format. Using the TOK Framework to refine your planning. Returning to the Rubric. Finessing the quality of your analysis.
200 words. Discussion 1. State the claim of your argument, which should be very closely related to the title. Discuss it generally (ie without referring to any specific examples). Include the ideas of a key thinker to support this, and mention how different perspectives might affect the claim. Support your points with at least one specific RLS.
TOK lessons. Our TOK lesson resources are beautifully designed, driven by the latest real-world situations, and feature the world's most influential thinkers from the past and present. They are also built around the concept of authentic critical thinking (ACT). Lessons are tightly structured, with a single clear learning objective, starter ...
Our animated video explainer outlines the key aspects of the TOK essay, and how to write it. Find out about theoryofknowledge.net membership: http://theoryof...
THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE 2023 A Comprehensive Guide CONTACT US THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE TOK Curriculum Discover the TOK curriculum and its components, including knowledge questions, areas of knowledge, and ways of knowing. TOK Essay Tips Learn essential tips and techniques for writing an impressive TOK essay that effectively addresses knowledge issues and receives high marks.
Dear students, you are very welcome to use ideas and materials from this website to write your TOK essay and plan your TOK exhibition. However, it is important that you reference correctly when you submit your final assessed essay and/or exhibition. Dear teachers, you can use my resources, lesson ideas and PowerPoints freely in your lessons.
Provides full coverage of the 2020 curriculum Guide including the Core, Optional themes, and Areas of knowledge. Structured to match the new knowledge framework. Examples of knowledge questions to help students recognise and decipher them. Support for the essay and the new exhibition assessment. Illustrations by ToK teacher Gary Goodwin, to add ...
Theory of Knowledge Unit Plan: Language and Race/Ethnicity. The Theory of Knowledge course explores four ways of knowing: reason, language, sense perception, and emotion. These are used to investigate knowledge across areas of knowledge (mathematics, natural sciences, human sciences, history, arts and ethics. This lesson introduces students to ...
Newer TOK Lesson Plan 10 - The introduction of TOK concept - Perspectives. Explore our detailed week-wise Theory of Knowledge (TOK) yearly lesson plan designed for IB educators. SEV7N IB Tutors provides structured and comprehensive lesson plans to help you effectively guide your students through the TOK curriculum.
The Core Theme and all five Areas of Knowledge are compulsory along with a focus on two of five Optional Themes. Accordingly, teachers must make selections and teach to their strengths. The brave model the spirit of TOK by venturing outside "comfort zones.". Beginning (and ending) a TOK course with confidence and clarity is important.
1 The TOK essay is an individual task. 2 It represents two thirds of the overall mark for TOK. 3 It is externally marked. 4 You choose your title from a list of six prescribed titles, which change every exam session. 5 The word count for the essay is 1600 words. 6 You'll meet your teacher for 3 interactions to discuss your essay.
This is a simply structured Essay Graphic Organizer that gives form to the TOK essay. It leads students to structure their ideas and makes it easier to give feedback. It pushes students to not be descriptive, but to instead explore TOK Concepts in relation to the Prescribed Title. It includes a completed Graphic Organizer breaking down Essay N ...
STARTING TOK TOK FRAMEWORK. The four elements of the TOK framework provide a universal, systematic structure for approaching the core and optional themes and all five Areas of Knowledge. 1. SCOPE. What is this particular Area of Knowledge or theme about? What makes it intriguing? What are some of the intrinsic strengths and limitations?
Example essays. Last updated: 06 June 2023. As part of theory of knowledge (TOK), each student chooses one essay title from six issued by International Baccalaureate® (IB). The titles change in each examination session. Upcoming and past questions include:
Theory of knowledge (TOK) is assessed through an exhibition and a 1,600 word essay. It asks students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, and on how we know what we claim to know. TOK is part of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, and is mandatory for all students. Learn more about theory of knowledge.
Abandoning the traditional structure of TOK, and basing the course on questions explored via multiple elements of the course. This sets up a more integrated TOK experience. Building in a new learning experience for students (see part 5 above), and using that to dictate the content of the TOK course for part of the year.
Writing & uploading the TOK essay. After you have grasped the essay rubric, chosen your title, and have a clear plan and structure, you can start writing your TOK essay. You'll be doing this alongside the three interactions, so keep these in mind as you proceed. Read the points below to get some advice on how to write your essay, and avoid ...
Language is an essential part of what is to be human. We label. We generalize. We remember. We imagine. Our fictive linguistic maps and language games provide a semblance of order out of chaos. We communicate in the fleeting moment and across the generations, by word of mouth and with written archives. We use language to configure power and ...
12 TOK CONCEPTS. The TOK Subject Guide specifies a dozen Concepts that "have particular prominence within, and thread throughout" the course. They are recurring themes in recent May and November prescribed essay titles and in the 35 Exhibition prompts. 1. EVIDENCE Belief without evidence 2. CERTAINTY Proof This Statement is False 3. TRUTH