The Core - The EE, TOK and CAS

The IB Mission Statement

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

The IB Diploma Programme (IBDP)

The IBDP is a rigorous pre-university course of study designed for students in the 16 to 19 age range. It is a broad-based two-year course that aims to encourage students to be knowledgeable and inquiring, but also caring and compassionate. There is a strong emphasis on encouraging students to develop intercultural understanding, open-mindedness, and the attitudes necessary for them to respect and evaluate a range of points of view.

There are three core requirements for students registered on the Diploma Programme:

1. The extended essay (EE)

The extended essay (EE) offers students the opportunity to investigate a research question of individual interest. It familiarises students with the independent research and writing skills expected at university. Students must submit their essay for external assessment (marked by an examiner, but supervised by a school teacher), of no more than 4,000 words.

Click here for more information about the Business Management Extended Essay

2. Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

“Everyone by nature desires knowledge.” ~ Aristotle

The TOK course is interdisciplinary, and the pedagogy behind TOK spans across all academic disciplines of the IBDP. TOK enables students to explore the nature of knowledge across different disciplines, through areas of knowledge and ways of knowing. It helps to encourage an appreciation of other cultural perspectives, and that others with their own and different opinions can also be right.

Click here for more information about ideas for integrating TOK into your Business Management lessons.

3. Creativity, Activity & Service (CAS)

Creativity, activity and service (CAS) is the third core element of the IB Diploma Programme. CAS encourages students to be involved in artistic pursuits, sports and community service as part of the IB's philosophy of holistic and lifelong learning. Being involved in CAS is a core aspects of the development of the IB learner profile, creating opportunities for students to be balanced, inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, and reflective.

CAS is about education outside of the classroom, and there are plenty of opportunities for Business Management teachers and students, such as:

• Competitions
• Educational visits
• Work experience
• Volunteer work

To be awarded the IB Diploma, students must complete/engage in the CAS programme, and provide evidence of meeting the learning outcomes.

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