The TOK optional themes
The TOK optional themes are five different ‘affiliations’ that shape the way we acquire knowledge. Students are required to develop a detailed understanding of at least two optional themes, demonstrating their learning in the TOK exhibition.
Follow the links below to access a huge amount of free and premium material to help you take ownership of the optional themes, and draw on them to create effective assessment tasks.
Explore the optional themes
Explore the optional themes by clicking on the images below. We’ve divided each optional theme page by both Big Question and by the different aspects of the knowledge framework, so whether you are following a conceptual approach to TOK, or a more traditional structure, you can use it to study and teach the course.
Knowledge & indigenous societies
Access quotes, KQs, real-world issues, and key thinkers and ideas about indigenous societies. Members can also use the Exploration Points to delve more deeply into this optional theme. Find out more.
Knowledge & language
Access quotes, knowledge questions, real-world issues, and key thinkers and ideas about language. Members can also use the Exploration Points to delve more deeply into this optional theme. Find out more.
Knowledge & politics
Access quotes, knowledge questions, real-world issues, and key thinkers and ideas about politics. Members can also use the Exploration Points to delve more deeply into this optional theme. Find out more.
Knowledge & religion
Access quotes, knowledge questions, real-world issues, and key thinkers and ideas about religion. Members can also use the Exploration Points to delve more deeply into this optional theme. Find out more.
Knowledge & technology
Access quotes, knowledge questions, real-world issues, and key thinkers and ideas about technology. Members can also use the Exploration Points to delve more deeply into this optional theme. Find out more.
How does the TOK course fit together?
The optional themes are our personal and societal affiliations which shape the way we produce and acquire knowledge.
The areas of knowledge the the ways in which we categorize ideas and concepts in order to understand and take ownership of them.
Both the themes and the AOKs help to define us as knowers, which we focus on within the core theme – knowledge and the knower – as well as looking at the different communities of knowers to which we belong.
Exploration points
Explore the quotes, KQs, real-world issues, and ideas that feature on the site via discussion points and unpacking ideas, links to additional media sources, guidance on using the key concepts of TOK, and other suggestions. To gain access to the Exploration Points, become a member.
Join theoryofknowledge.net
Members of the site have access to a huge amount of resources for TOK, including a complete course of classroom-ready lessons, the monthly newsletter, our DP Integration Tool, Investigating Issues, Knowledge Heroes, and loads more goodies! Join in seconds via this page.
Exploration points for the optional themes
The exploration points enable students to develop a deeper understanding of knowledge & the knower via extensive additional media sources and unpacking suggestions, links to TED talks, guidance on how to draw on the 12 key concepts of TOK, and other features. Join us to gain access!
View our video on the using the BQ framework
We’ve made a series of short videos about theoryofknowledge.net’s history, aims, and approach to TOK. This one runs briefly over the BQ framework, and how its structure provides you with an engaging way of delivering the course, effective preparation for the two assessment tasks, and a format that allows genuine integration with the rest of the DP.
Find more videos on teaching TOK here (particularly about the issue of DP integration), and subscribe to our YouTube channel, where you’ll find a fantastic range of videos covering key concepts related to TOK.