Theory of Knowledge (ToK) is a requirement for the IB Diploma and is taken in the student's senior year. It offers students and their teachers the opportunity to:

• Reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and on areas of knowledge
• Consider the role and nature of knowledge in their own culture, in the cultures of others and in the wider world

In addition, it prompts students to:

• Be aware of themselves as thinkers, encouraging them to become more acquainted with the complexity of knowledge
• Recognize the need to act responsibly in an increasingly interconnected but uncertain world

ToK is composed almost entirely of questions with the most central of these being "How do we know?" It is a stated aim of ToK that students should become aware of the interpretative nature of knowledge, including personal ideological biases, regardless of whether, ultimately, these biases are retained, revised, or rejected. ToK also plays an important role in providing coherence for the student in linking academic areas and demonstrating ways in which the students can apply their knowledge with greater awareness and credibility.¹

¹ Diploma Programme Curriculum Core Requirements: Theory of Knowledge. International Baccalaureate. 19 Jan. 2009.