Theory of Knowledge Syllabus

NIST Class of 2017

It is not the answer that enlightens but the question. - Eugne Ionesco
The Theory of Knowledge is a required course for all Diploma Program students.

NATURE OF THE SUBJECT

The TOK course encourages critical thinking about knowledge itself, to try to help you
make sense of what you encounter. Its core content is questions like these: What counts as
knowledge? How does it grow? What are its limits? Who owns knowledge? What is the value of
knowledge? What are the implications of having, or not having, knowledge?
What makes TOK unique, and distinctively different from other classes, is its process. At the
center of the course is you, the knower. When you enter the Diploma Programme you have 16
years of life experience and more than 10 years of formal education behind you. You have
accumulated a vast amount of knowledge, beliefs and opinions from academic disciplines and your
life outside the classroom. In TOK you have the opportunity to step back from this relentless
acquisition of new knowledge, in order to consider knowledge issues. These include the questions
already mentioned, viewed from your perspective, but often begin from more basic ones, like:
What do I claim to know [about X]? Am I justified in doing so? Such questions may initially seem
abstract or theoretical, but TOK brings them into closer focus by taking into account your interests,
circumstances and outlooks.
TOK activities and discussions aim to help you discover and express your views on
knowledge questions. The course encourages you to share ideas with others and to listen to and
learn from what others think. In this process your thinking and your understanding of knowledge
as a human construction are shaped, enriched and deepened. Connections may be made between
knowledge encountered in different Diploma Program subjects, in CAS experience or in Extended
Essay research.

You are a human being. And so you have a philosophical view of existence whether you realize it
or not. About this you have no choice. But there is a choice to be made about your philosophy, and
it can be put in these terms: is it based on conscious, thoughtful and well-informed reflection? Is it
sensitive to but not chained by the need for logical consistency? Or have you let your subconscious
amass an ugly pile of unexamined prejudices, unjustified intolerances, hidden fears, doubts and
implicit contradictions, thrown together by chance but integrated by your subconscious into a kind
of mongrel philosophy and fused into a single, solid weight, like a ball and chain in the place where
your minds wings should have grown?
- Ayn Rand

AIMS
The overall aim of TOK is to encourage students to formulate answers to the question how do you
know? in a variety of contexts, and to see the value of that question. This allows students to
develop an enduring fascination with the richness of knowledge.
Specifically, the aims of the TOK course are for students to:
1. make connections between a critical approach to the construction of knowledge, the academic
disciplines and the wider world
2. develop an awareness of how individuals and communities construct knowledge and how this is
critically examined
3. develop an interest in the diversity and richness of cultural perspectives and an awareness of
personal and ideological assumptions
4. critically reflect on their own beliefs and assumptions, leading to more thoughtful, responsible
and purposeful lives
5. understand that knowledge brings responsibility which leads to commitment and action.

ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES
It is expected that by the end of the TOK course, students will be able to:
1. identify and analyze the various kinds of justifications used to support knowledge claims
2. formulate, evaluate and attempt to answer knowledge questions
3. examine how academic disciplines/areas of knowledge generate and shape knowledge
4. understand the roles played by ways of knowing in the construction of shared and personal
knowledge
5. explore links between knowledge claims, knowledge questions, ways of knowing and areas of
knowledge
6. demonstrate an awareness and understanding of different perspectives and be able to relate
these to ones own perspective
7. explore a real-life/contemporary situation from a TOK perspective in the presentation.

WAYS OF KNOWING (WOK)

The TOK course identifies eight specific ways of knowing (WOKs). They are:

language
sense perception
emotion
reason

imagination
faith
intuition
memory

There are two central purposes to the WOKs in TOK. On the one hand they are the tools that
answer the question how do we know? and on the other hand they help us answer the question
how do I know? For example, we can analyze the role of imagination in the construction of
shared knowledge in terms of scientific discovery, but we can also discuss imagination in the
context of personal knowledge and understanding.

AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE (AOK)

How do we know things? We know things because we use a range of methods of inquiry that
incorporate ways of knowing to help construct knowledge in different areas of knowledge (AOKs).
The theory of knowledge course distinguishes between eight AOKs:

mathematics
natural sciences
human sciences
history

For each AOK the following can be examined:

scope, motivation and applications

specific terminology and concepts
methods used to produce knowledge
key historical developments
interaction with personal knowledge

the arts
ethics
religious knowledge systems
indigenous knowledge systems

SHARED AND PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE

I know refers to the possession of knowledge by an individualpersonal knowledge. We know
refers to knowledge that belongs to a groupshared knowledge. It can be useful in TOK to draw a
distinction between these two forms of knowledge, as illustrated below.

SHARED KNOWLEDGE
Shared knowledge is highly structured, is systematic in its nature and the product of more than one
individual. Much of it is bound together into more or less distinct areas of knowledge such as the
familiar groups of subjects studied in the Diploma Program. While individuals contribute to it,
shared knowledge does not depend only upon the contributions of a particular individualthere
are possibilities for others to check and amend individual contributions and add to the body of
knowledge that already exists.

PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE
Personal knowledge, on the other hand, depends crucially on the experiences of a particular
individual. It is gained through experience, practice and personal involvement and is intimately
bound up with the particular local circumstances of the individual such as biography, interests,
values, and so on. It contributes to, and is in turn influenced by, an individuals personal
perspective.

TOK at NIST - Course Details

TEACHERS: The 2015-2016 Year 12 class is taught by Ms. Jacqueline Arce, Ms. Robin Wilensky, Mr.
Tim Gotterson, Mr. Jarrod Rayner, Mr. Ian Radcliffe, Mr. Julian Neller, Mr. Bruce Cambell, and Mr.
Matthew Salvatore.
TIME: The class meets two times per six-day cycle Days B + F
MATERIALS:
You will need the following

Brain, ears, heart, and mouth

Pencil, pen, highlighter
Sketchbook

ASSESSMENT:
You will be assessed for this course in the areas listed below. Percentages show Veracross breakdown of
grades per Semester. The criteria for these assessments are described in detail on the pages 10-13.
Year 12:
Semester 1
Written Response (3) 25%
Sketchbook 25%
Presentation (1) 50%

Semester 2
Sketchbook 25%
Presentation (2) 75%

Year 13:
Semester 1
Sketchbook 25%
Essay: 2 Paragraphs 75%

Semester 2
Essay Draft 25%
Essay Final 75%

IB REQUIREMENTS:
Presentation (1/3 of Final IB Diploma mark)
o Students must make a presentation individually or in pairs to the class. Year 12
students will have the opportunity to present three times. The teacher will chose
the best grade to be sent to the IB. Students are not permitted to offer a
presentation on the same specific subject matter more than once. This refers to
either the same knowledge question and/or real-life situation.
Essay (2/3 of final IB Diploma mark)
o Each student must submit for external assessment an essay on any one of the six
titles prescribed by the IB. The titles ask generic questions about knowledge and
are cross-disciplinary in nature. Essays should express the conclusions reached by
students through a sustained consideration of knowledge questions. Claims and
counterclaims should be formulated and main ideas should be illustrated with
varied and effective examples. Essays should demonstrate the students ability to
link knowledge questions to AOKs and WOKs.
More information on these pieces of work will be given during the course.
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ORGANIZATION:
The Theory of Knowledge course will be taught through a series of concepts and lines of inquiry
over the duration of the next two years:
1. Knowledge: How much do we really know?
2. Conflict: How do we solve the problem of two competing knowledge claims?
3. Change: How have areas of knowledge changed over time?
4. Reform and Revolution: Are some areas of knowledge inherently more adaptable to
reform or susceptible to revolution than others?
5. Process: What are the similarities and differences between how different areas of
knowledge construct knowledge?
6. Language: How does language affect the acquisition, search for, production, shaping,
and acceptance of knowledge?
7. Authority: Do we know and do what were told?
8. Media: What role does the media play in shaping what we know or believe?
9. Faith: What are the limitations and strengths of faith as a way of knowing?
10. Responsibility: How responsible are we for the knowledge we pursue and/or possess?
METHOD:
TOK is a subject concerned with developing a skill set that allows you to identify knowledge claims
and knowledge questions within a very wide range of Real Life Situations and Areas of Knowledge.
It is a subject concerned with looking at your lives academic lives, personal lives, social lives
and the things that you know. Or think that you know. It is concerned with questioning what
you know from studying Math, Humanities, Science, but also from engaging social media like
Facebook, watching television, falling in love or engaging in religious rituals. Fundamentally, it is
about questioning knowledge, working through theories about where knowledge comes from.
Hence the name Theory of Knowledge.
So if all knowledge and all knowledge sources are treated as questionable doesnt that make
the teachers role, as some kind of authority on this, also questionable?
At NIST we believe that it does which is why we have created a unique approach that allows you
access to the knowledge perspectives of other teachers. This approach allows you to see that every
single knowers perspective is unique starting right here at NIST.

REMIX

REGROUP

Once you have completed the 10-week Introductory Unit to the course, you will go off to rotate
between different teachers and even different classmates, so that by the end of the year you will
have encountered many different perspectives and approaches to TOK. This is what we call the
REMIX. You will spend significant amounts of time outside your own TOK class, and then return
with new perspectives for presentation to your classmates. This time back in your original class we
call REGROUP, and it is during this time that you will prepare and make your presentations.
Please access the schools Veracross calendar for REMIX dates and room allocations

Y12 REMIX
Nullius in Verba
Take nobodys word for it; see for yourself

In each of the 8 REMIX sessions, you will have a different teacher, each with a
different focus on a different knowers perspective through the investigation of
different AOKs and WOKs.
STRUCTURE:
Knowledge Questions from the IB TOK Subject Guide will drive each REMIX. Student
sketchbooks are to act as a repository of thoughts, content, questions, and ideas.
Student engagement with their sketchbook will count for 25% of their Semester grade in
Veracross.
Day 1
- Introduction to AOK + WOK
Day 2
- Great Thinkers & Big Ideas
Day 3
- Teacher Plenary modelled on the IB required presentation

*The Y13 REMIX will consist of only 3 sessions and focus solely on the TOK Essay.

REGROUP
After each REMIX, you will re-group with your original classmates and your original TOK
teacher. You will share your experiences comparing, contrasting and consolidating
your understanding of different knowers perspectives through the IB required
presentation. In year 12, each student will be required to make three presentations. The
best grade will be sent to the IB for external moderation.

ASSESSMENTS
The TOK Presentation requires students to identify and explore a knowledge question raised by a
substantive real-life situation that is of interest to them. The selected real-life situation may arise
from a local domain of personal, school, or community relevance, or from a wider one of national,
international or global scope. Whatever situation is chosen, it must lend itself naturally to a
question about knowledge.

PRESENTATION

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ESSAY

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WRITTEN RESPONSE
GRADE

DESCRIPTOR
-

Response is frequently irrelevant and poorly focused on the

question/reading.
Writing demonstrates poor fluency and clarity.
Demonstrates an absence of structure or an inability to develop a
coherent argument.
Links to areas of knowledge and ways of knowing are very limited.
No identification of counterclaims or different perspectives.
No evidence of a personal response is presented.
Response is occasionally focused on the question/reading.
Writing demonstrates some fluency and clarity.
Lacks structure and development of arguments.
Links to AOKs and WOKs are superficial.
Identifies some counterclaims or different perspectives.
Evidence of a personal response is limited.
Response is generally focused on the question/reading.
Writing demonstrates adequate fluency and clarity.
Demonstrates a generally well-structured and coherent development of
arguments.
Links to areas of knowledge and ways of knowing are good.
Considers some counterclaims and different perspectives.
Evidence of an adequate personal response that occasionally
demonstrates originality and insight.
Response is clearly and focused on the question/reading.
Writing demonstrates very good fluency and clarity.
Demonstrates a structured and coherent development of arguments.
Links to AOKs and WOKs are very good.
Explores counterclaims or different perspectives.
Evidence of a good, relevant personal response that generally
demonstrates originality and insight.
Response is clearly and consistently focused on the question/reading.
Writing demonstrates excellent fluency and clarity.
Demonstrates a clearly structured and coherent development of
arguments.
Links to AOKs and WOKs are excellent.
Explores and evaluates counterclaims and explores different
perspectives.
Evidence of a good, relevant personal response that consistently
demonstrates originality and insight.

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SKETCHBOOK
GRADE
E

DESCRIPTOR

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.

Demonstrates very limited documentation with little or no reflection on

course material.
Evidence of inquiry, synthesis and evaluation is limited by the lack of note
taking, collation of information, and the sequential recording of ideas
over time.
Students work is superficial.

D
C
B
A
-

Demonstrates some documentation and reflection on course material.

Some evidence of inquiry, synthesis and evaluation is articulated by note
taking, collation of information, and the sequential recording of ideas
over time.
Students work is adequate.
Demonstrates very good documentation and critical reflection on course
material.
Some evidence of inquiry, synthesis and evaluation is articulated by note
taking, collation of information, and the sequential recording of ideas
over time.
Students work is of a good quality.
Demonstrates excellent documentation and consistent critical reflection
on course material.
Substantial evidence of inquiry, synthesis and evaluation is clearly
articulated by note taking, collation of information, and the sequential
recording of ideas over time.
Students work is of a high quality.

TOK ON THE WEB

HTTP://WWW.AMYSCOTT.COM/ - VERY GOOD ALL ROUND WEBSITE
HTTP://THEORYOFKNOWLEDGE.NET/ - AND ANOTHER GOOD ALL ROUNDER
HTTP://MRHOYESTOKWEBSITE.COM/ - WEBSITE WITH LOTS OF TOK ARTICLES (GOOD FOR FINDING A PRESENTAITON RLS)
HTTP://ERICMACKNIGHT.COM/IBTOK/ - IB TEACHERS WEBSITE FROM AN INTL SCHOOL IN CHINA

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