TOK

TOK stands for Theory of Knowledge, a core component of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. TOK is a course that explores the nature of knowledge and encourages critical thinking and reflection on how knowledge is acquired, evaluated, and shared across different areas of knowledge.

Assessment in TOK

Includes an internally assessed oral presentation (known as the TOK Presentation OR exhibition ) and an externally assessed essay (known as the TOK Essay). These assessments allow students to demonstrate their understanding of TOK's key concepts and principles and apply them to real-world examples.

TOK Exhibition

The TOK Presentation is integral to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course. It involves delivering an oral presentation that explores a real-life situation or a chosen topic from a knowledge perspective. The presentation aims to apply TOK concepts and theories to analyze and evaluate the situation or topic.

Key points about the TOK Presentation:

It requires critical thinking skills and assessing knowledge claims and perspectives.
The presentation should include arguments, counterarguments, and supporting evidence.
Students should demonstrate an understanding of the ways of knowing, such as reason, perception, language, and emotion.
Visual aids can be used to enhance the presentation.
The presentation typically lasts around 10 minutes.
There is a question and answer session following the presentation.
It is assessed internally by the school and contributes to the overall TOK grade.

The TOK Presentation allows students to showcase their ability to apply TOK concepts, think critically, and analyze knowledge in a real-life context. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the nature of knowledge and its implications in various areas of life.

TOK Essay

The TOK essay is integral to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course. It requires students to write an essay that explores and analyzes a prescribed knowledge question (PKQ) based on the TOK areas of knowledge and ways of knowing.

Key points about the TOK essay:

Knowledge Question: The essay revolves around a specific knowledge question provided by the IB. The question encourages critical thinking and reflection on knowledge claims and their implications.
Areas of Knowledge and Ways of Knowing: Students should apply TOK concepts and theories from various areas of knowledge (such as the natural sciences, mathematics, history, or the arts) and ways of knowing (such as reason, perception, language, and emotion) to address the knowledge question.
Analysis and Evaluation: The essay should demonstrate a deep understanding of the knowledge question and present a well-structured argument. Students are expected to critically analyze and evaluate different perspectives, counterarguments, and real-life examples.
Supporting Evidence: Students should provide evidence from credible sources to support their arguments and illustrate their understanding of the knowledge question. This may include reference to historical events, scientific studies, philosophical theories, or personal experiences.
Word Limit: The essay has a word limit of 1,600-1,800 words, excluding the bibliography.
Assessment: The essay is assessed externally by IB examiners based on the established assessment criteria. The essay contributes to the overall TOK grade.

AOK or WOK

AOK stands for Areas of Knowledge, and WOK stands for Ways of Knowing. These two concepts are fundamental to understanding the nature of knowledge and how it is acquired and justified.

Areas of Knowledge (AOK):

Definition: Areas of Knowledge refer to human knowledge's broad categories or disciplines. They represent specific fields of study, such as mathematics, natural sciences, history, the arts, ethics, religious knowledge systems, and indigenous knowledge systems.
Characteristics: Each Area of Knowledge has methodologies, theories, language, and ways of generating and evaluating knowledge. They provide different perspectives, approaches, and frameworks for understanding the world and generating knowledge claims within their respective domains.
Role in TOK: AOKs serve as lenses through which knowledge claims are examined and evaluated in the TOK course. They provide contexts and content for exploring knowledge questions and the application of Ways of Knowing.

Ways of Knowing (WOK):

Definition: Ways of Knowing are the different ways individuals acquire, process, and evaluate knowledge. They are the cognitive processes and tools we use to make sense of the world and form our understanding.
Examples: The IB identifies eight Ways of Knowing: perception, language, reason, emotion, memory, imagination, faith, and intuition. Each Way of Knowing uniquely shapes our understanding and influences how we interpret and evaluate information.
Role in TOK: Ways of Knowing are essential for examining how knowledge is acquired, justified, and influenced by different factors. They provide frameworks for analyzing how individuals perceive, interpret, and construct knowledge and how biases, cultural influences, and personal experiences can impact our understanding.