Niamh Thompson
TOK or Theory of Knowledge is a required subject by the IB. Students focus on the scope of knowledge, perspectives on areas of knowledge and the methods and tools of collating knowledge. I interviewed two of the Year 12 students to gain insight into their experience thus far in 2024. As a student of studying the subject as well, I wanted to get their opinions given that it has been a subject the Class of '26 was just introduced to.
Interview 1: Anonymous A
Do you find the subject of TOK useful/ have you taken anything useful out of it?
No, not particularly, although it is an interesting class. I do not find the subject useful in any other parts of learning from my experience of the class so far.
Can you apply this to your everyday life?
Yes, we learn about how the knowledge we receive should be reliable especially within a school setting.
How did you feel about TOK before taking it?
I didn’t know what it was and did not have many opinions about it.
How do you feel now?
I think the class is interesting and we engage in a lot of discussions, however, I don’t like how its graded and feel as if it is harder to focus on what we are doing in class. As in it it's hard to give the best answer based on the grade.
Do you think TOK should be a requirement outside of the IB?
No, however students should be offered the subject and get to decide whether they take it or not. I think it can give perspectives on other subjects and helps give context on what and how we learn things, and creates useful skills such as debate, but should not be a requirement.
Why do you think it is a requirement for the IB?
TOK contributes to the holistic learner profile, and it can offer depth to our other subjects. Furthermore, it helps us to learn how knowledge isn’t black and white and prepares us for the future.
Anonymous B
Do you find the subject of TOK useful/ have you taken anything useful out of it?
No because its complicated and convoluted and I am unaware of ways to apply it to my everyday life. I am also quite uninterested in the subject and it doesn’t remain in my mindscape.
Can you apply this to your everyday life?
In theory, yes because of the important skills you learn such as critical thinking and debating. However, I feel as if the way you learn it is complicated and difficult to take into your everyday life.
How did you feel about TOK before taking it?
I was a little confused as it was very hard to get an explanation of what it is. I was also unsure as what to expect from the subject.
How do you feel now?
Although I believe I understand more of the purpose of TOK and what it is, I still feel confused on the content of the subject and feel like it is very open ended which can be frustrating.
Do you think TOK should be a requirement outside of the IB?
No I don’t think it should be required, while it teaches you important skills in theory it is very hard to learn the skills from the class and overall I feel as if it is confusing and uninteresting.
Why do you think it is a requirement for the IB?
It does teach you valuable lessons for the future as it can prepare you when finding sources necessary in essays and researching for colleges.
After interviewing the students, I found their responses intriguing as they had enlightened me on how their experiences have been. Thank you to the students who took part in the interviews.
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