IB Diploma Core Components

The Core of the IB Diploma Programme consists of three main elements - The Extended Essay, CAS and Theory of Knowledge. While separate areas, coherence in the core is committed to the principle of developing the whole person. The main aims and objectives of the core are to:

• Support the interconnectedness of learning
• Support concurrency of learning
• Support a broader view of the subject areas
• Foster international mindedness by exploring issues of global significance
• Develop self awareness and a sense of identity
• Encourage students to consider the contexts and views of others

The core components of the Diploma Programme are thus intended to provide opportunities for students to think about their own values and actions, to understand their place in the world and to enrich their understanding of their subject areas. This may be achieved by:

• Transferring the critical thinking process developed in TOK to the study of academic disciplines
• Developing service learning opportunities in CAS that will build on a students existing subject knowledge and contribute to the construction of new and deeper knowledge in that subject area
• Exploring a topic or issue of interest through the lenses of the subject areas