February 11, 2003

What do you know?

How do you know it?

TOK participants compare notes at a recent regional conference held at the Prem International Centre.— PHOTO COURTESY OF PREM INTERNATIONAL CENTRE

Last month, the Prem International Centre on the campus of the Prem Tinsulanonda International School in Chiang Mai hosted the IB Asia Pacific Diploma workshops. Vivek Bammi led the Theory of Knowledge workshop and he provided the learning post with these observations on the course:

The TOK is a unique course for students, since it moves them towards a reflection on their learning in school: they are encouraged to look at the links across different disciplines and to relate that to their own emerging identity as a "knower". In that sense, the course is completely student centered, since the primary pedagogical tool is discussion and an exchange of student viewpoints or perspectives. The teacher is merely a facilitator and guide, not the "fount of knowledge"

TOK prepares students for the transition from "ordinary" thinking or thinking shaped by others (mostly authority figures) toward "mature" thinking required by adults in a rapidly changing world. In particular, the focus on critical thinking and analytical writing enables this transition by exposing students to a variety of thinking (of their own peers) and requiring them to justify their own thinking and knowledge claims in a logical and coherent manner.

TOK is ideally suited for global citizens or for anyone living in a multi-cultural environment: critical thinking implies a recognition of multiple perspectives in a dynamic setting. The TOK essay also requires students to acknowledge and evaluate counter-arguments and counter-claims. They are thus well prepared to tolerate complexity and incompleteness in the world. Hopefully many of them will emerge as leaders in the near future!

TOK is the central pillar of the IB program, combining the essence of internationalism (mature, divergent thought on perspectives) with an insistence on intellectual and academic rigour (critical analysis and synthesis). The student is encouraged to emerge as an autonomous learner, but also to realise the value of cooperation and partnership in learning.

In my experience, TOK is the most enjoyable and fulfilling teaching experience: precisely because the teacher becomes a learner and one of the participants in the class, this enables him/her to share some truly unique moments of insight and personal development.

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