Ideally, TOK is not just taught by TOK teachers, but truly embedded within each subject lesson and the IBDP as a whole.
In practice, this does not always happen, due to time constraints and misconceptions about the nature of the subject.
The latter may hinder IBDP teachers' ability to effectively provide TOK links within their subject lessons.
In practice, this does not always happen, due to time constraints and misconceptions about the nature of the subject.
The latter may hinder IBDP teachers' ability to effectively provide TOK links within their subject lessons.
This page offers advice on how to include that "bit of TOK" in your subject lessons. It hopes to de-mystify what TOK is all about and encourage all teachers to embed TOK within their lessons. TOK is placed at the core of the IBDP and ties everything together. Although schools will offer separate TOK lessons, the real value of TOK is that it can be applied outside the confines of its own curriculum. Likewise, subject teachers are in a way responsible to "inject some TOK" into their lessons. Given that TOK is such a unique, and too some extent "obscure" subject, two myths seem to persist. Firstly, there is the misconception that TOK is too hard to incorporate into subject lessons. Some teachers are even a little afraid of TOK, because it is not something they have studied at university or as part of their teacher training course. They may have heard about abstract concepts to do with TOK, and worry that the subject is "too philosophical". And indeed, sometimes TOK teachers like to "intellectualise" their subject, which can be off-putting. Unfortunately, too many subject teachers don't really see the connection between TOK and their subject specialism or fear that it is too difficult to add a bit of TOK to their unit plans. Secondly, many subject teachers erroneously believe that "adding" TOK to subject lessons is per se time consuming. We all know that the IBDP is a demanding programme and we may well be stuck for time to finish our subject's "course content". In that sense, TOK may be the last of our worries. Such thinking about TOK is quite commonplace, but not necessarily correct. This page aims to bust both myths. First of all, everyone is able to put some TOK in their lessons. This does not need to take lots of studying or research. It also does not require teachers to have a solid background in Philosophy or things like that. Secondly, adding a bit of TOK in your lessons does not need to be time consuming. Nor will it have a detrimental effect on your students' attainment. In fact, asking students to "put their TOK hat on", will improve their thinking about your subject as well. It really is win-win for everyone.
So, let's find out what TOK is all about,
and how we can add that "bit of TOK" within our teaching!
and how we can add that "bit of TOK" within our teaching!
1.What is TOK all about?
What makes TOK lessons different from other IBDP lessons, is that students will think about knowledge and what it means to know rather than learn new knowledge as such. To do so, they will come across a range of fairly abstract concepts. Thinking about these concepts can be a little different from what we are used to. Exploring TOK concepts may push you to the edge of your comfort zone. And indeed, some students find this difficult at the beginning, but usually rewarding eventually. The IBO suggests that the following concepts will help you explore the notion of knowledge: evidence, certainty, truth, interpretation, power, justification, explanation, objectivity, perspective, culture, values, and responsibility. When you discuss these concepts within your daily lessons, you automatically inject that "little bit of TOK" into to your subject.
So how is the course organised?
In a nutshell: the 2022 specification is composed of one central core theme, 2 optional themes (choice out of 5) and 5 compulsory areas of knowledge. The total minimum teaching time for TOK is 100 hours. Of these 100 hours, approximately 18 hours will go to the preparation for and completion of assessments, 32 hours to the themes (the core theme and the 2 optional themes combined) and 50 hours to the areas of knowledge combined. The knowledge framework with the 4 elements (scope, methods and tools, perspectives and ethics) is central to the course. There is no exam, but students have to write a 1600 word essay (in the second year) and create an "exhibition" (in the first year).
So how is the course organised?
In a nutshell: the 2022 specification is composed of one central core theme, 2 optional themes (choice out of 5) and 5 compulsory areas of knowledge. The total minimum teaching time for TOK is 100 hours. Of these 100 hours, approximately 18 hours will go to the preparation for and completion of assessments, 32 hours to the themes (the core theme and the 2 optional themes combined) and 50 hours to the areas of knowledge combined. The knowledge framework with the 4 elements (scope, methods and tools, perspectives and ethics) is central to the course. There is no exam, but students have to write a 1600 word essay (in the second year) and create an "exhibition" (in the first year).
2.TOK glossary
TOK is quite unique as a subject, because it uses some of its own terminology. This use of TOK jargon has to an extent been reduced in the current specification. However, you will still come across a couple of "strange" words when you first try get your head around TOK. Additionally, some concepts you are used to, may mean something slightly different in the context of TOK. To help you understand what your students are talking about when they find TOK links within your lessons, it is worth glancing over the glossaries below. Many textbooks and (paid) TOK resources also have a list of TOK vocab at the back. As always, ask your school's TOK coordinator/teachers to clarify anything that is not immediately clear.
3.What is my role as a subject teacher?
Although you don't need to explicitly teach TOK course content within your lessons, you should encourage students to find TOK links within your subject lessons. To do so, it is important to have an awareness as to where and how TOK might come in. Check where the most obvious overlaps may occur, and have conversations with your school's TOK coordinator to do this. If you get the opportunity to team-teach a TOK lesson, or plan a unit in collaboration with TOK teachers, go for it! It may the best PD you have ever had. If you use an IBDP coursebook, it will probably contain explicit TOK links. Students will use examples from your lessons for their assessed TOK essays, and perhaps even the exhibitions. In that sense, it is very important to embed some TOK within your lessons. TOK teachers have to cover a vary wide range of "areas of knowledge" within their lessons. Unsurprisingly, some TOK teachers find the latter challenging. TOK teachers really need your help with offering original, meaningful and specific examples. They need your subject expertise to make TOK lessons come to life. Students also need your help with finding subject specific examples to enhance the quality of their assessed essay. Of course, TOK is more than assessments alone. The course aims to prepare students to be critical and ethical thinkers for life. If a student has chosen to pursue your subject at university, that is fantastic. But if they will use that knowledge for unethical purposes, or pursue a career based on serious methodological flaws, we have, in a way, "failed" our pedagogical project. We want students to "see the bigger picture", by evaluating the methods and tools used within a particular discipline, by showing an awareness of different perspectives, by analysing the scope of the discipline, and -perhaps most importantly-, by considering possible ethical implications of the pursuit of knowledge in this area. TOK is placed at the centre of the IBDP. It adds coherence to the programme and ties everything together. TOK is not just taught as a stand-alone subject, but it should be "present" in each subject. All this is in line with holistic, ethical and international educational mission of the IB.
4. How can I add a bit of TOK in my lessons?
-in less than 5 minutes-
- Embed these TOK concepts in your day-to-day teaching and learning vocabulary: evidence, certainty, truth, interpretation, power, justification, explanation, objectivity, perspective, culture, values, and responsibility.
- Focus on the evaluation of methods used within your subject discipline.
- Discuss possible overlaps and boundaries between your subject and another discipline (scope).
- Make different perspectives on the same "issue/theory/topic" explicit. Illustrate, if possible, using different experts.
- Create a timeline (or different timelines) of the historical development of your discipline.
- Discuss how progress occurs in your discipline.
- Discuss breakthroughs and set-backs in the development of knowledge in your subject.
- Discuss how technology impacts knowledge in your subject discipline.
- Discuss how useful the knowledge of your subject is.
- Discuss how "true" the knowledge of your subject is.
- Discuss what "the point"/importance of your subject is.
- Show objects that might relate to the exhibition prompts.
- Ask students knowledge questions related to the themes of your area of knowledge. Scroll to the bottom of the page of each area of knowledge (human sciences, natural sciences, history, the arts, mathematics). To find your subject's AOK, check point 6 below.
- Ask students: "Is there an alternative explanation"?
- Ask students: "Could we use another method"?
- Ask students: "What are the strengths/limitations of this theory/graph/model?"
- Ask students: "How would this link to TOK"?
- Encourage students to think about implications (ask: "so what/what if?").
- Simply say: "This is a bit TOK, isn't it?"
5.What can we do as a department?
Either with or without the supporting guidance of a TOK teacher
a) Invite a TOK teacher to explain the specific connections between your subject and TOK.
b) Evaluate your schemes of work and/or unit planners to see where TOK might come in.
c) Team teach a lesson, with each teacher representing a different perspective/approach.
d) Discuss the knowledge questions related to your respective area of knowledge (bottom page)
e) Consider the following questions:
- If you had to place 3 objects -which represent how knowledge is acquired in your subject- in a museum, what would those objects be and why?
- If you had an ethical "carte blanche" in your subject discipline, what kind of things might you know (more about)? And why could it be considered unethical to pursue such knowledge?
- Over the years, how has technology changed the way you "know" things in your subject?
- If you could go back in time to "erase" one thing people once believed to be true in your subject area, what knowledge would you discard and why?
- If there was one book, study, or idea students should know about in your subject area, which one would this be and why? Follow-up discussion (link to elements): “Is there any knowledge that a person or a society has a responsibility to acquire, or not to acquire?"
- Which practices of your subject area will future generations most likely condemn, for ethical reasons or others?
- What is the biggest unanswered question in your subject area?
- “With great power, comes great responsibility.” In your subject area, is there knowledge which entails responsibility (in some form or other)?
- Which news report, article or documentary related to your subject specialism do you find particularly infuriating and why?
- What counts as good evidence in your area of knowledge"?
- Which "object" do you find contentious in terms of the knowledge it embodies, and why?
6. How does TOK link to my particular subject?
Once you know what TOK is all about, you will probably discover more TOK links than you previously considered possible. Many IBDP coursebooks also offer explicit TOK connections. You may even have a TOK teacher in your subject group. Talk to them and find out how TOK might tie in with your subject. The list of TOK aspects below is far from exhaustive, but it might kick-start your search for TOK connections.
Language A
Natural Sciences
Maths
|
HistoryScope: what makes history unique?
Geography
Music/Art
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Language acquisition
Psychology
Economics
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7.What's next?
Getting a TOK rich classroom and updated schemes of work/unit planners
- Provide colour coded TOK links in your unit planners, so your team understands where TOK comes in.
- Use simple but effective TOK language within your lesson. Use effective questioning to do so.
- Explore things such as the aim of your subject area, methods you use, ethical limitations and perspectives.
- Team-teach a lesson with a TOK teacher about your subject area of expertise,
- Team-teach a lesson on a particular topic with a teacher from another subject.
- Create displays with a TOK twist in your classrooms:
- These could focus on "objects" that are significant within your subject. For example, you could display images of objects related to methods and tools in your subject, or things that were once considered true, but no longer.
- Display photos important thinkers in your field, as well as their main contributions. Then explore visually (eg with arrows or links how each has built on (or contrasted with) previous knowledge.
- Create a timeline of the development of knowledge within your discipline. BUT, also account for developments across geographical locations. Are there overlaps, differences etc. Did people independently come to the same conclusions or not?
- Scatter key questions around the classroom that trigger TOK thinking.
- Create a wall of different perspectives, where the same "thing" in your subject has been approached from different angles.
8. What about subjects that are harder to pinpoint?
Subjects such as computer science, sports science, or design and technology may be a little harder to pinpoint because they don't neatly fall into the category of an area of knowledge. However, that does not mean there are no TOK links. In fact, the opposite is true. In sport science, for example, you may be able to find links to both natural and human sciences (eg motivation). Your subject may also tie in with the themes, such as the core theme and optional themes.
9. Is there any TOK training for IBDP subject teachers?
The IBO and other providers offer workshops for IBDP subject teachers, as well as actual TOK teachers. If you have not had the opportunity to get involved with such training, I would highly recommend it because it really helps you understand what the IBDP in general, and this curious subject in particular, is all about.
10. Further reading & media library
General Online resources.
- The Stone: forum by the New York Times for contemporary thinkers and philosophers.
- Encyclopaedia of Philosophy (easy to understand).
- BBC: A history of Ideas.
- TED ed: Questions no one knows the answers to.
- Pico Dyer for NYT: What do we know?
- Arts and Letters daily (daily updates on philosophy, literature, trends, breakthroughs etc).
General reading
- 1001 Ideas that Changed the Way we Think. Robert Arp.
- How the World Thinks, Julian Baggini.
- Sophie's world. Jostein Gaarder (fiction).
- 1984. George Orwell (fiction).
- Life of Pi. Yann Martel (fiction)
- Does the Centre Hold?. Donald Palmer.
- Sapiens: a Brief History of Humankind. Yuval Noah Harari
- Women, Fire and Dangerous Things. George Lakoff.
- Consilience. Edward O. Wilson
- Man is the Measure. Reuben Abel.
- The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat. Olivere Sacks.
- The Folly of Fools. Robert Trivers.
- Big Ideas in Brief, Ian Crofton.
Subject specific reading and online resources.
Languages
- Sexual/Textual Politics. Toril Moi.
- Language and thought. Noam Chomsky.
- The Language Instinct. Steven Pinker.
The Natural Sciences
- Tree of Knowledge: the Biological Roots of Human Understanding, Humberto R. Maturana, Francisco J. Varela.
- A really short history of nearly everything. Bill Bryson.
- The disappearing spoon. Sam Kean.
- A brief History of Time. Stephen Hawking.
Economics & Business Studies
Coming soon.
History
- A very short History of the World. Geoffrey Blainey.
Mathematics
- Thinking about Mathematics. The philosophy of Mathematics. Stewart Shapiro.
- How not to be wrong. The power of Mathematical Thinking. Jordan Ellenberg.
- Fermat's Enigma. Simon Singh.
- Humble Pi. When Maths goes wrong in the real world. Matt Parker.
- Mathematics. It's content, Methods and Meaning. A D Alexandrov.
- The universe speaks in numbers. How modern Math reveals nature's deepest secrets. Graham Farmelo.
- How Beauty leads Physics astray. Lost in Math. Sabine Hossenfelder.
Psychology
- Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind. Guy Claxton.
- Descartes' error: emotion, reason and the brain. Antonio Damasio.
