As a result, TOK makes students communicative and reflective through its assessments tasks, debates, discussions, and presentation, so they have to reflect on their own and people’s knowledge and notions (Reflective).Furthermore, students can develop knowledge about the languages as well as inquire about what gives a language its influence (Communicator). Eventually, TOK is a course about critical thinking, consequently, it will challenge students to understand and examine the process of thinking as well as challenge students to think about how thinking and knowledge is related to our emotions and intuition (Thinkers). This is achieved byĮmpowering the learners to critically scrutinize all the knowledge acquisition methodologies in all subject areas and encourage students to experience each Learner Profile attribute.īasically, TOK encourages the students not to accept the knowledge claims directly without sufficient analysis and proof (Inquirers) so the students need to develop an understanding of the nature of knowledge and the process by which our knowledge and understanding are created (Knowledgeable). Moreover, the ten attributes are the translated version of the mission statement each of which focuses on a particular learning outcome as values inherent to the IB continuum (Bergeron, dean 2013). TOK creates unique opportunities for integrating the ten attributes in a very special way so that IB’s mission statement can become a part of the students’ personality for the rest of their life. Learning is envisaged holistically as a lifelong experience by IB (Hare 2010), that is why the ten attributes of the IB’s learner profile find itself a unique place in each of the IB’s programme and TOK is not an exception. Especially, TOK, EE, and CAS are all the driving force behind the development of international-mindedness in the DP (Mannix, 2012), which in turn, can create proactive global citizens who can work for the betterment of the world. IB educates its students as internationally-minded global citizens by encouraging multilingualism, building intercultural dialog and competence, and developing global awareness. The importance of the core is tremendous.
It comes from its holistic approach which is empowered by its mission statement, TOK, extended essay, and CAS. The success of the IB does not just come from the rigorous education that it offers. However, the explanation is not that simple. Therefore, We can easily give credit to the rigorous education developed by IB which makes the students perform better in the universities or enable students to get into best universities and achieve better than other students (IBO website) or we can just give credit to the gold standards of DP (Resnik, 2012). Today, based on the IBO’s fact and figures which was updated on 7 December 2018, over six thousand programmes are being offered worldwide in 153 countries (IBO website). Moreover, IB could equip international school graduates with an internationally recognized diploma by universities either in their home or host countries (Tarc, 2009), and equip them many other skills that none of the educational programmes could offer with its holistic and constructive approach. International Baccalaureate was founded in 1968 with its unique mission statement to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect (Langford, 2016).
However which one of the education systems could enrich education in such a way and equip the students with such skills, knowledge, and capabilities and prepare them for life? The answer became International Baccalaureate. Today employers and educators from all over the world are seeking students or employees who are capable of think critically and creatively, be able to take on challenges, make responsible choices, participating in society, and share a different point of views (Biajeh, 2002 Khalefh, 1990 McFarland, 1985). Therefore, global integration and internationalization have changed the way we see and think about the world as well as education. Last few decades, the word globalization became a common term that we always come across at the front pages of newspapers (Cummins, 2001). Globalization is an indisputable fact of the world that we all agree. This essay will help us understand the importance of TOK both in the Diploma Programme and the IB and why it is called the beating heart of the DP. Theory of knowledge is described as the beating heart of the Diploma Programme, which provides endless opportunities for students to learn about the nature of knowledge and how it is developed by maximizing the brain's cognitive functions with the help of a constructive approach. Theory of Knowledge as the "beating heart” of the diploma.