May 25 ToK Essay Titles & Toddle !
My first thoughts on the May 2025 ToK Essay Titles...,
The ToK Essay Titles for May 2025 students have been published ! They’re out 2 days earlier than expected (thank you very much IB, it is much appreciated).
Obviously I can’t republish the titles here because IB own the copyright, so ask your DP Coordinator / ToK teacher for a copy of them. However, I can give you some of my first thoughts on the titles.
If you would like to discuss the titles further with me, and other ToK teachers, please come to the (free) Toddle Conference on 15th September - details below.
First Thoughts on ToK Essay Titles May 2025
Essay #1 on whether historians and humans scientist have an ethical obligation to not ignore contradictory evidence.
At first read this essay title seems to be fairly accessible, most students will find the reasons for and against ignoring contradictory evidence fairly straightforward. However, I think that the core of this essay is the question of whether knowledge producers have ethical obligations. It’s this question that students might find a little more challenging. We will have to look at the possible tensions between the production of knowledge, and the wider ethical issues arising from such processes.
Essay #2 on whether revered knowledge is more fragile than we assume it to be.
This is a lovely, open, accessible essay question. It gives the students opportunity to explore a very wide range of issues on the nature and use of knowledge. There is the potential complication that the title includes the assumption of an assumption! However, this shouldn't trip up the vast majority of students. I am interested in the wording that knowledge may be more fragile than we assume it is. This implies that the students must comment upon, the degree of fragility assumed in comparison with the estimated degree of fragility.
Essay #3 on reconciling the drive to pursue knowledge with finite resources.
This is a very timely and contemporary question, arising at the moment of the potential unlocking of great levels of productivity by AI. It will be very tempting for students to jump down the route of AI, and other period of technological innovation. Of course, we need to ask first what finite resources the question could be referring to? Are these material, social, or metacognitive resources? Most crucially, this question is asking how we can reconcile the assumed proposition in the prompt. As such, the focus must be on the concept of reconciliation. So, at this early stage I am considering issues of knowledge integration, the function and purpose of knowledge, power hierarchies, et cetera. I'm tentatively considering whether knowledge has an inbuilt self rectifying function?
Essay #4 on on the whether improved tools always result in improved knowledge?
I see clear connections between essay three and essay four, and those who have studied the knowledge and technology option will have a great range to choose from for this essay. I particularly like this question because it gives the opportunity to explore different definitions of the concept of improved tools and improved knowledge. This question has great accessible openness to it and there are numerous straightforward ways in which to respond to it I would be encouraging students who find more challenging, to favorably at this question.
Essay #5 on models in mathematics wrong but useful?
This is one of the most straightforward maths questions that we have had for the last few sessions (thank you IB). In reality, the question is possibly less about mathematics and more about the role of models. Models are found in all areas of knowledge, and have a range of different uses. Again, I think this question is fairly accessible for most students and gives a great range of examples from which to draw upon. In the upper range, students will be able to have really interesting discussions about what it means to judge a model as “wrong”.
Essay #6 on whether acquiring knowledge destroys a sense of wonder.
I LOVE this question! Coincidentally, the tension between knowing and wonder is something that I have been discussing a lot with my friends recently. This is the “Wizard of Oz” question ! Students should avoid getting too bogged down in ways of defining a sense of wonder, and place more emphasis on issues such as function of knowledge, applications of knowledge, the intentions of knowers etc. There could be interesting discussions about the relationship between structure and form in the arts, consequences and reasons in the human and natural sciences, purpose and identity in history, complexity and clarity in mathematics.
These are just initial first sight thoughts about these essay questions, I saw them for the first time about an hour and a half ago. In the coming weeks I will produce far more detailed resources to support students and teachers who are working with these titles. So, please keep checking back to TokToday for our latest resources.
If you would like to discuss the essay titles with me and fellow ToK Teachers then please join me at the Toddle DP Roundtable on Sunday 15th September 12:15pm GMT. Sign up here: https://hubs.li/Q02MnXMG0
Stay Tok-Tastic my friends !
Daniel, Lisbon, August 24
Are some TOK essay titles more likely to lead to higher scores? What makes some of them more challenging than others? Join me as I discuss the gems & pitfalls of the May 2025 essay titles and reveal how to guide students in approaching them effectively. Book your free seat: https://hubs.li/Q02MnXMG0
How to structure the ToK Course
In the past couple of weeks, we have explored 4 broad ways to structure the Theory of Knowledge (ToK) course, aiming to provide useful structures for fellow ToK educators.
In the past couple of weeks, we have explored 4 broad ways to structure the Theory of Knowledge (ToK) course, aiming to provide useful structures for fellow ToK educators. I thought it would be useful to bring those 4 models together into one blogpost (giving a central starting point) .
To revisit each of the 4 models, click the following links:
The ToK Curriculum Framework Model
The ToK Concepts & Knowledge Questions Model
The Themes & Big Questions Model.
The Skills+ Model
Each model has advantages and disadvantages, these are briefly looked at in each of the blogposts linked above. My preferred model is the Skills+ model, that’s the model that most of the resources and ideas on this website are designed for.
If you have questions, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me at Daniel@ToKToday.com
ToK Results May 24 & Feedback
Congratulations if you, or your students, have just received your DP & ToK results. Regardless of the actual numerical score, any study of the IB Diploma (particularly ToK) is a valuable achievement.
Congratulations if you, or your students, have just received your DP & ToK results. Regardless of the actual numerical score, any study of the IB Diploma (particularly ToK) is a valuable achievement.
Thousands of students (and their teachers) used ToKToday resources in the May 24 exam session, I would love to know what you thought of the resources, and what scores you achieved in ToK. So, if you are a student receiving IBDP grades today, or a teacher who prepared students for the May 24 session I would be very grateful if you would fill in the survey linked below. The survey is anonymous, and it won’t take more than 2 minutes to complete.
Thank you for all of your feedback, and have a great day!
What Makes a Good Object for the ToK Exhibition?
Students often ask me whether a particular object is a good object for the ToK Exhibition. To help you decide, I’m going to share three clear rules to determine whether your object is suitable for the Theory of Knowledge (ToK) Exhibition. These guidelines will ensure your object meets the criteria set by the International Baccalaureate (IB) and effectively demonstrates your understanding of ToK concepts.
This blogpost can also be watched on video at this link, or below.
Rule 1: Is Your Object Specific?
A common misconception is that ToK objects must be personal. While personal objects can be specific, they are not the only option. The key is specificity. A specific object has distinct characteristics or a unique story that ties directly to the ToK concepts you're exploring
Example: Personal & Specific Object
The IB's May 2023 ToK Subject report clarifies this with an example: a Bible is not specific, but your family Bible, inherited from your grandmother, is. This personal connection makes it specific because it carries particular significance and history.
Example: Non-Personal & Specific Object
In the 2023 Exhibition example C, a 19th-century water pump from London was used. This pump was integral to Dr John Snow’s identification of cholera's transmission in 1853. Although not personal to the student, its historical and scientific importance makes it a specific object.
However, specificity alone does not make an object good. It must also demonstrate a specific knowledge argument.
Rule 2: Does Your Object Demonstrate a Specific Knowledge Argument?
A specific object needs to illustrate a particular knowledge argument relevant to the ToK prompt you are addressing. This means the object should help you explore how knowledge is developed, shared, and understood.
Example: Family Bible
Selecting a family Bible isn’t enough by itself. You must explain how its specificity helps explore knowledge issues in the prompt. For instance, you could argue that the Bible helped you realise that new knowledge cannot always change established values and beliefs (prompt 11), or it highlights that some things are unknowable if they are metaphysical (prompt 18).
If you need help understanding what a knowledge argument is, check out the next blogpost, “What is a Knowledge Argument?”
Rule 3: Could Many Other Objects Demonstrate Your Specific Knowledge Argument as Well?
For your object to be excellent, it must demonstrate the specific knowledge argument better than other comparative objects. This distinction is essential for achieving the highest marks.
Example: Edison’s Light Bulb
Answering Prompt #8, "To what extent is certainty attainable?", you might argue that certainty is rarely attainable because much knowledge is serendipitous. You could choose Edison’s first light bulb to illustrate this point, as its creation involved accidental discovery. While this object is specific and demonstrates a knowledge argument, many other objects, such as Fleming’s penicillin, X-rays, or Heparin, could serve the same purpose, making it less unique.
Example: Dr John Snow’s Hand Pump
Consider the hand pump from which Dr John Snow discovered cholera’s transmission method. Answering prompt #33, "How is current knowledge shaped by its historical development?", this object exemplifies how current scientific knowledge is built on historical understanding of public health. While other objects could demonstrate this argument, the hand pump’s role in establishing epidemiology makes it uniquely effective.
Conclusion
To summarise, here are the three rules for selecting a good object for your ToK Exhibition:
Is your object specific?
Does your object demonstrate a specific knowledge argument?
Could many other objects demonstrate your specific knowledge argument as well?
By following these rules, you can select objects that not only fit the criteria but also enhance your understanding and presentation of ToK concepts. For more guidance, check out our free video series, "How to Do Your ToK Exhibition", or our e-book series on the ToK Exhibition, which provides examples of knowledge arguments and suitable objects.
Thank you for reading, and I hope this helps you create a fantastic ToK Exhibition. Stay toktastic, my friends!
Daniel, Lisbon, June 24
What is the Easiest ToK Exhibition Prompt?
Students often ask, "What is the easiest ToK Exhibition prompt?" And truth be told, it’s a bit like asking, "What's the best flavour of ice cream?" It really depends on your tastes, or in this case, your interests, knowledge, and experiences. But being the curious beings we are here at ToKToday, we thought, why not try to quantify the ease (or difficulty) of the Theory of Knowledge (ToK) Exhibition prompts?
The Quest for the Easiest ToK Exhibition Prompt
Today, we're diving into the deep end of ToK prompts to figure out which ones are a breeze and which ones are more like Maths AA HL P3 (IYKYK). To do this, we need a way to measure ease or difficulty. So, I’ve broken down the challenge of a ToK Exhibition prompt into three not-so-scientific but oh-so-fun criteria:
Closed-ended Three-part Structure:
Does the prompt lend itself to an easy, three-part structure? Since the Exhibition is based on three objects, prompts that naturally break down into three distinct parts are a gift from the examiners. For example, Prompt #2, "Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?" can be easily divided into three responses: Yes, No, and Sometimes. In contrast, Prompt #1, "What counts as knowledge?" is more open-ended and thus, more challenging to pigeonhole into a tidy three-part answer.
Abstract vs. Concrete:
Is the prompt asking you to wrestle with abstract ideas or more tangible, concrete ones? Generally, the more abstract the question, the harder it is to pin down. For instance, Prompt #7, "What are the implications of having or not having knowledge?" is quite abstract. In comparison, Prompt #10, "What challenges are raised by the dissemination/communication of knowledge?" is far more concrete and easier to tackle.
Complex (Abstruse) vs. Clear Wording:
Some prompts are written in a way that makes you feel like you need a degree in deciphering hieroglyphics, whilst others are as clear as a sunny day. The clearer the wording, the easier it is to grasp. For example, Prompt #13, "How can we know that current knowledge is an improvement upon past knowledge?" has complex wording. It involves multiple layers of inquiry, making it a tough nut to crack. On the other hand, Prompt #2, "Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?" is straightforward and direct.
Ranking the Prompts
Based on these three criteria, I’ve scored each ToK Exhibition prompt out of 10 in each category, giving us a total possible 'easiness' score out of 30. This highly subjective scoring system allows us to create a kind of league table, ranking the prompts from easiest to hardest.
The Five Hardest ToK Exhibition Prompts
Starting from the top (or bottom, depending on your perspective), here are the five toughest prompts to tackle:
Prompt #25: How can we distinguish between knowledge, belief, and opinion?
This tricky prompt asks not just for definitions but for the nuanced differences between these concepts. It’s the philosophical equivalent of herding cats.
Prompt #7: What are the implications of having or not having knowledge?
This one twists your brain into strange shapes as you try to grapple with the abstract implications of possessing or lacking knowledge. Read more about implications at this link.
Prompt #20: What is the relationship between personal experience and knowledge?
It’s a popular choice but beware – it’s abstract and asks you to explore the relationship between concepts rather than the concepts themselves. Read more about this prompt at this link.
Prompt #13: How can we know that current knowledge is an improvement upon past knowledge?
The wording here is a labyrinth. It requires you to untangle how we can assess improvements in knowledge and what constitutes past and current knowledge. Read more about this prompt at this link.
Prompt #38: To what extent is certainty attainable?
Low scores across all three criteria make this prompt a formidable challenge. Tackling it requires a solid understanding of the nature of certainty.
The Five Easiest ToK Exhibition Prompts
On the flip side, here are the prompts that are like the sweet smell of graduation for DP students:
Prompt #2: Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?
Scoring high across all our categories, this prompt is the champion of easiness. It’s clear, structured, and lends itself to a wealth of illustrative objects.
Prompt #11: Can new knowledge change established values and beliefs?
This prompt offers a nice, closed-ended structure and is straightforward in its wording. Plus, there are endless examples to support your argument.
Prompt #9: Are some types of knowledge less open to interpretation than others?
It’s easy to break this into a three-part structure, and the clear wording makes it accessible. You just need to consider different types of knowledge and their interpretability.
Prompt #10: What challenges are raised by the dissemination/communication of knowledge?
This is the most concrete of all the prompts, making it easier to grasp and explore in a structured way.
Prompt #12: Is bias inevitable in the production of knowledge?
While it does flirt with the tricky concept of inevitability, its clear wording and closed-ended structure make it a relatively easy prompt to tackle.
In Conclusion
There you have it! The easiest ToK Exhibition prompt, according to my rather subjective criteria, is Prompt #2: "Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?" But remember, these rankings are just for fun and based on my personal interpretation. Your experience might be different, and that's perfectly fine!
So, did I get it right? Have I unfairly marked a tricky prompt as easy or missed a deceptively difficult one? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
If you need more help with your ToK Exhibition, check out the free & paid resources linked here.
Click here for the e-book Every ToK Exhibition Prompt explained.
Happy exhibiting, and may the easiest prompt be ever in your favour! Stay Tok-tastic !
Get the full table of prompts ranked by "easiness" at this link.
Daniel, Lisbon, June 2024
Alternative Concepts for the ToK Course: Part 2
This is part 2 of the alternative concepts that could be used in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Theory of Knowledge (ToK) course. In the first part of this series, we examined concepts 1-4 (linked), and today, we will look at concepts 5-8. These concepts offer a fresh perspective on the foundational elements of ToK and could potentially enrich the curriculum. If you missed the first post, be sure to check it out for the initial concepts and some important caveats about this series.
You can also watch the video for this blogpost at this link, or below.
Concept 5: Construct (or Constructed)
The fifth concept on our alternative ToK concepts list is "Construct" or "Constructed." Traditionally, ToK is described as the study of how knowledge is constructed. This notion is quite profound when you truly grasp its implications. Many students experience a moment of awe, and possibly trepidation, when they realise the weight of this idea.
Although it’s unclear if we're still meant to formally teach knowledge construction in ToK, constructs remain integral to our discussions. The official ToK concept list includes terms like Power, Culture, Perspective, and Evidence—each is a construct in its own right, particularly from a constructivist viewpoint. Explicitly teaching "Construct" could make other parts of the course more accessible to students, particularly those who struggle with understanding the nature of constructed knowledge.
For more on the importance of the concept of Construct check out the blogs on:
Concept 6: Causation or Causality
Next up is "Causation" or "Causality." Much of ToK revolves around establishing the grounds for knowledge, and causation is a primary method for doing this, especially within the Areas of Knowledge (AoKs) of Human and Natural Sciences. Many students find evaluating human and scientific knowledge challenging because they lack a clear understanding of causality.
Causality naturally links with ToK concepts such as Certainty, Explanation, and Evidence. Many of the ToK Essay questions require a critical understanding of causality. Including Causality in the ToK curriculum could enhance students' ability to critically assess knowledge claims.
Concept 7: Identity
Our seventh concept is "Identity." Here, we're slightly bending our initial rule, which was not to replace IB's core concepts but rather to add new ones. I propose replacing "Truth" with "Identity." This suggestion stems not from a dismissal of Truth’s importance but from a recognition of its complexity.
Truth is a multifaceted concept that requires understanding a range of other ideas, including Perspective, Culture, Interpretation, Values, and Explanation. Students often simplify Truth to mean objective, external, fixed knowledge, which is a limited interpretation. Teaching the relationship between Identity and knowledge could serve as a scaffold, leading to a more nuanced understanding of Truth.
Concept 8: Category
The eighth concept is "Category," inspired by the Kantian notion of categorisation. This concept could also be termed "Labelling," as both serve similar functions in this context. Much of ToK involves organising knowledge within a framework, and discussions about categories and categorisation are inevitable.
Category is crucial because it bridges the organisation of knowledge with the ethics of knowledge. Kant’s theory of the Categorical Imperative highlights the relationship between knowing, behaving, and responsibility. Emphasising universality and absolutism offers a valuable counterpoint to more relativist concepts on the ToK list, such as Perspective and Interpretation.
Conclusion
This concludes Part 2 of our series on alternative ToK concepts. Join us in the next post, where we will explore concepts 9-12. These alternative concepts offer intriguing possibilities for enriching the ToK curriculum, providing students with a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of knowledge.
I hope you found this discussion thought-provoking and engaging. If you did, please consider leaving a comment, sharing your thoughts, or subscribing for more content. Stay tuned for the final instalment of this series, and as always, stay ToKtastic!
Daniel, Lisbon, May 2024
How I assess the ToK Exhibition Commentary
Introduction
May Session schools are currently deep into Theory of Knowledge (ToK) Exhibition time. Students are busy writing their commentaries, whilst teachers are occupied with assessing these commentaries. Some teachers have sought support and advice on evaluating the ToK exhibition, so I decided to share my approach to assessing the ToK Exhibition.
This blog post can also be watched as a video at this link, and below
Understanding Global Impression Marking
According to the International Baccalaureate (IB), Global Impression Marking should be used to assess the ToK Exhibition and Essay. But what exactly is Global Impression Marking? The ToK Subject Guide from the IB describes it as “a process of holistic or global judgement rather than an analytical process of totalling the assessment of separate criteria. The assessment instruments present five described levels of performance. These levels are to be seen as global and holistic descriptors rather than as a checklist of necessary characteristics. When marking, the aim is to find the descriptor that conveys most accurately the level attained by the student. It is not necessary for every single aspect of a level descriptor to be met for a mark in that level to be awarded.”
For more detailed information, you can refer to the ToK Subject Guide from the IB.
The Four-Part Structure for ToK Exhibition Commentary
The May 2023 ToK Subject Report outlines a four-part structure for the Exhibition commentary, which I find very useful. These sections are:
Identification of the object and its real-world context
Explanation of the link between the object and the prompt
Justification for the contribution of the object to the exhibition
Supporting evidence and references to the prompt
When assessing each object, I consider these four criteria, although I do not give them equal weighting. Generally, I believe that Criteria A-C are more important than D. If a student has adequately addressed A-C, they have likely covered D as well. Criterion C is particularly crucial because justification is necessary for awarding 5-10 marks. As a rough rule of thumb, I allocate approximately 25% of the marks to Criteria A and B, 40% to Criterion C, and 10% to Criterion D. However, I do not write down this weighting; I keep it as a nominal guide in my mind.
Assessing the Commentary
As I read through each commentary, I look for content that can be awarded marks under each of the four criteria. I might keep a rough scorecard for each object, though I do not average these scores. Instead, I use them as a guide to find the descriptor that best fits the commentary according to the marking bands. After applying the four-part structure, I place each object on the assessment rubric and try to find the midpoint between the descriptors to determine an overall marking band.
According to the IB’s instructions for placement within the band:
Upper mark: Awarded if the student’s work demonstrates the qualities described in that level to a great extent, and may be close to achieving marks in the level above.
Lower mark: Awarded if the student’s work demonstrates the qualities described to a lesser extent, and may be close to achieving marks in the level below.
Tips to Avoid Moderation Reductions
Consistency is Key: Consistency in assessment is almost as important as accuracy. Internal moderation of the commentaries is crucial. This process should involve all ToK teachers who taught the exhibition and, if possible, other ToK teachers who did not teach the exhibition to provide impartial assessments.
Teacher’s Comments: Every ToK Subject Report emphasises the importance of the teacher’s comments. They should not be mere cut-and-paste extracts from the assessment instrument but should use the language from it. I use the four-part structure for comments and combine these categories with the qualitative descriptors from the assessment instrument. Crafting detailed comments takes time (around 30-45 minutes per student), but it is worth it to avoid moderation of marks.
Conclusion
Assessing the ToK Exhibition is not rocket science; it is a meticulous process that requires attention to detail and consistency. I hope this guide has been useful for those less experienced in assessing the exhibition. If you have any more requests for content from ToKToday, please get in touch with me at Daniel@TokToday.com.
Stay toktastic, my friends!
Perspective, Power & Responsibility
This is a lesson designed to teach students the ToK Concepts of Perspective, Power and Responsibility. You can watch the video of this blog at this link, or below.
The lesson materials are linked here, reading the blog below will help ToK Teachers to tailor the materials so that they work for your students, and context.
We can think of these 3 concepts (perspective, power and responsibility) as being mutually inclusive, a change in any one of the concepts leads to changes in the other 2.
These three concepts are central to many areas of the course. They provide a good framework for knowledge & the knower, they underpin all five optional themes, and are super useful concepts for linking the systemic & structured nature of AoKs with the more individual and contextual characteristics of knowledge producers and knowers.
Polysemous Concepts
These 3 concepts not only provide a bridge between the knower & Areas of Knowledge, but they are also polysemous - they have more than one meaning:
Power can be both individual and systemic, or structural at the same time. Power can be explored in the production, acquisition or pursuit of knowledge. It could also be looked at in terms of access to, and application of, knowledge.
Responsibility often comes up in ToK Essay Prescribed Titles. Responsibility can apply to both the knowledge producer and the knower in different ways. It obviously provides us with an excellent route to the ethical section of the knowledge framework.
And last, but certainly not least, perspective could arguably be the most important concept in the ToK course. The challenge for ToK teachers is to help students to develop an appreciation of perspective without them sinking into the morass of relativism.
"This lesson's too basic !"
I know that some ToK teachers are concerned that the materials shared here are "too basic". My aim is to produce resources that are accessible and effective for all ToK learners. Therefore, the lesson has to be accessible to the student that finds ToK highly challenging. The tasks are purposefully very open ended, therefore the complexity and challenge can be increased by the teacher depending upon the needs of the students.
The aims of the lesson:
Students have the opportunity to explore the interconnectedness of the 3 concepts, and begin to understand that change in one of the concepts is likely to change in the other 2.
Students have the opportunity to see that not only are the concepts polysemous, but they can also have different meanings in different contexts at the same time.
The structure of the lesson:
The lesson presents 6 case studies, and students are asked 2 questions about each case study. The questions are firstly To whom, or to what, does this knowledge have power ?, and secondly to whom, or what, is the knowledge producer responsible?
By asking the questions in this way the students will have to form their own definitions of “power” and “responsibility”, just as they have to in the ToK Exhibition and Essay. The differing definitions that students develop, and the different consequences that flow from these various definitions, are the opportunity for the teacher to develop the concept of ‘perspective’ in the subsequent discussions.
As a teacher you know how best to structure the lesson for your students and classroom. Personally I would put students in groups, have each group look at 2 of the case studies, have each group lead feedback on 1 case study, and then ask students to write a reflection piece after the lesson.
The lesson comes out of the work that I have been doing on developing a skills framework for ToK, if you want to know more, or are interested in contributing to the ToK Skills Framework - click here.
Stay ToKtastic my friends.
Daniel, Lisbon May 2024
3 easy ways to teach critical thinking in ToK
In Theory of Knowledge (ToK) critical thinking is not just a buzzword but a foundational skill that can significantly impact students' understanding and their ability to score well in ToK. But what exactly does it mean to "teach critical thinking"? Many of the teachers that I work with have asked for more help with this.
Understanding Critical Thinking in ToK
Critical thinking in ToK can be distilled into two primary elements:
Evaluation of Arguments: This involves identifying the strengths and weaknesses of an argument. It's about scrutinising the evidence, reasoning, and conclusions presented.
Development of Alternative Explanations: Beyond just critiquing, critical thinking also encompasses the ability to propose different explanations or viewpoints.
While there are numerous facets to critical thinking, focusing on these two skills can significantly aid students in excelling in ToK.
Teaching Critical Thinking Through Knowledge Issues
One of the most effective ways to cultivate these critical thinking skills is by engaging with knowledge issues. A knowledge issue refers to any factor that might influence knowledge - be it in its acquisition, development, production, or evaluation. Key knowledge issues relevant to ToK include reliability, validity, selectivity, predictability, hierarchy, inference, misrepresentation, and various biases.
These issues are intrinsically linked to the 12 core ToK concepts, with each concept potentially serving as a category under which specific knowledge issues can be grouped. For instance, the concept of culture could encompass knowledge issues like misrepresentation, inference, and confirmation bias.
Practical Approaches to Teaching Knowledge Issues
Here are three effective strategies for teaching knowledge issues in the ToK classroom:
Grouping Knowledge Issues Under ToK Concepts: Start by having students categorize knowledge issues under the 12 core ToK concepts. Provide them with a list to get started, and encourage them to add their own. This activity boosts familiarity with ToK concepts and deepens understanding of knowledge issues as students discuss and justify their categorizations. For lesson materials that could be used for this activity click here.
Applying Knowledge Issues to Real-World Examples: Introduce students to a selection of knowledge issues, then present a real-world case study. Ask students to identify relevant knowledge issues and explain their relevance. This approach helps develop key ToK skills necessary for both the Exhibition and the Essay. For lesson materials that could be used for this activity click here.
Using Edward DeBono’s Six Thinking Hats: Adapt this cognitive framework to encourage alternative thinking. Assign each student or group a "hat" that represents a specific way of thinking (e.g., "Facts" for the White hat, "New Ideas" for the Green hat). Present a real-world problem for analysis through the lens of their assigned thinking direction. This activity fosters an understanding of perspective, context, and the intentions of knowledge producers and knowers.
For more in depth thoughts, and further learning materials, on teaching critical thinking in ToK click here
Conclusion
Teaching critical thinking in ToK doesn't require endless watching of TED videos, nor extensive texts. By focusing on ToK skills and creating engaging, activity-based learning experiences, teachers can effectively impart critical thinking skills. For more ideas and resources, feel free to explore further or reach out with suggestions and inquiries.
If you have any content suggestions or questions, don't hesitate to contact us at Daniel@ToKToday.com.
Daniel, Lisbon, Feb 2024
Stages for Teaching the ToK Essay
Teaching the Theory of Knowledge (ToK) essay is a challenging yet rewarding endeavour that requires careful planning and thoughtful instruction. The ToK essay is a critical component of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, demanding students to reflect on the nature of knowledge and how we know what we claim to know. Drawing on my experience of guiding students through the ToK essay in 22 exam sessions, I've distilled my approach into five key stages that have proven effective. These stages are designed to optimise the teaching process for the ToK essay, ensuring both teachers and students are well-prepared for this intellectual undertaking.
1. Planning Not Writing
The most crucial insight I've gained is the importance of prioritising planning over writing. Students should devote a significant portion of their time to unpacking the essay titles, exploring the concepts, and crafting knowledge arguments. This preparatory stage is vital for a successful essay, making the writing process smoother and more productive. I advocate for a planning-to-writing time ratio of roughly 80:20, encouraging students to engage deeply with their ideas before committing them to paper. This approach ensures that students are thoroughly thinking through their arguments and structuring their essays coherently before they begin the actual writing.
2. Delay Choosing Titles
A common mistake students make is rushing to select their essay title. Delaying this choice until later in the planning phase allows students to broaden their understanding of ToK concepts and apply these insights to various prescribed titles (PTs). This strategy enhances their conceptual flexibility, enabling them to craft more nuanced and comprehensive essays. By postponing the selection of essay titles, students can explore a wider range of ideas and approaches, ultimately choosing a title that resonates with their insights and understanding of ToK.
3. Problematizing Concepts, Knowledge Issues & Knowledge Arguments
To achieve high marks in the ToK essay, students must adopt an analytical, evaluative, and critical stance towards ToK concepts and the knowledge framework. Many students begin with a settled view of ToK, which can limit their ability to critically engage with the essay's demands. By problematising ToK concepts and encouraging critical examination of knowledge issues—such as reliability, validity, and falsifiability—students can develop a more sophisticated and questioning approach to knowledge. This critical engagement is essential for constructing compelling arguments and achieving excellence in the ToK essay.
4. Groupwork Teamwork
Given the typical class size for ToK, individualised teacher support for each student's essay can be challenging to provide. Leveraging the power of group work can offer peer support, advice, and guidance. Establishing writing groups for students tackling the same prescribed titles can foster a collaborative learning environment while adhering to academic integrity rules. Promoting the essay as a collaborative process can alleviate individual anxiety and ensure a supportive learning community where all students progress together.
5. The Draft Deadline Is the Big Deadline
Emphasising the draft deadline as the primary milestone can significantly impact the quality of the final essays. By treating the draft deadline with greater importance than the final submission deadline, most of the "heavy lifting" can be completed early on. Some schools celebrate this stage with a Draft Deadline party, highlighting its significance. A well-developed draft sets the stage for refining essays from middle to higher mark bands, focusing on enhancement rather than basic completion.
These five stages offer a comprehensive approach to teaching the ToK essay, providing a framework for students to develop their ideas thoughtfully and critically. For teachers embarking on this educational journey, these strategies can facilitate a more engaging and effective learning experience, helping students to navigate the complexities of the ToK essay with confidence.
Teachers can get a free teaching schedule overview at this link.
If you are a teacher who would like help with delivering the ToK Essay, or you're a student who would like help writing your ToK essay, please contact me: Daniel@TokToday.com
Stay ToKTastic,
Daniel, Lisbon, Feb 2024
Teaching Schedule for the ToK Essay
This is an overview schedule of foci and activities for teaching the ToK Essay, showing the monthly timing for both May and November Exam Sessions.
A few items of note:
The schedule sets aside 5 months for the completion of the essay. I know that some teachers may dedicta eless time to the essay, but as a critical pass/fail component of the Diploma I dedicate substantial time to the essay.
Students spend most of the time unpacking & exploring the prescribed titles. This is essential ToK learning, counting towards the 100 hours of time scheduled for ToK.
The Draft Deadline is the effective end point of the process. If undertaken carefully there should be very little for students to do after the Draft submission.
For more information see this blogpost.
What are the examiners thinking about the ToK Essay in 2023 ?
The Theory of Knowledge (ToK) Subject Report is written by examiners after each exam session, it is a reflection on what examiners have seen in the work submitted for the exam session. The report includes details on common mistakes made, and recommendations for avoiding those mistakes in the future. As such the ToK Subject Report is the most definitive document for understanding “what the examiners want”. I strongly recommend close reading of the TOK Subject Report for all ToK teachers. The ToK Subject Reports can be found in the Programme Resource Centre of MyIB.
In this blog post I summarise some of the pertinent and interesting points about the ToK Essay arising from the May 23 ToK Subject Report. I will publish a similar post about The Exhibition in a couple of days. I have written similar posts about previous ToK Subject Reports in the past (linked & linked).
What do we learn about the ToK Essay from the May 23 ToK Subject Report ?
1. Students need to address all parts of the prescribed title. Don’t ignore parts of the question, this affects coherence of the answer (top of P5.)
2. Precise and direct reading of question is important (e.g Q2 M23 “For artists & natural scientists” many students did not consider artists & natural scientists, they just considered ‘for the general public’.).
3. A stepped approach to build an argument is most effective for complex essays that contain multiple elements (eg #4M23: "Do you agree that it is "astonishing that so little knowledge can give us so much power" (Russell)? Discuss with reference to the NS & one other AoK"). This essay requires students to deal with each element in turn, and to develop knowledge arguments relating to each. Contrasting claims / counterclaims / evaluation points are particularly important in complex essays (eg #4 M23, bottom of pg 6/top of 7).
4. Visual representations (eg charts & graphs) are now appropriate in ToK essays (Essay 5 M23).
5. Focus on writing a critical exploration of the PT (the driving question) rather than on a descriptive essay. A critical exploration includes:
Arguments supported by examples
Implications
Awareness of & evaluation of different points of view.
Limitations of arguments
6. Use of “points of view” rather than counterclaim. Points of view allows for a more nuanced range of points than a counterclaim. Points of view do not necessarily contradict, nor cancel out, the initial claim.
7. Examples should be explicitly connected to the knowledge argument and shown to justify a point.
8. Examples drawn from the student’s own studies, or own life, generally make better examples because it is easier for the student to analyse them and to understand the implication of the example (para 3, Pg 8).
9. AoK History should consider:
The history of events that are at least 10 yrs old.
The history of events that have been investigated by historians (rather than e.g. by journalists).
The process of the production of historical knowledge rather than the event itself.
10, Geography & Economics are often used well as Human Science disciplines.
11. The Planning & Progress Form is of increasing importance as an academic integrity check given the growth of AI etc.
OK - this is just a very brief summary of some of the main points. Some of these points are included because they are surprising, or new, to me. If you want more details on the subject report I recommend downloading it from the Programme Resource Centre. A similar summary of points about the ToK Exhibition in the May 23 Subject Report will be out soon.
Stay ToKTastic,
Daniel, Lisbon Feb 24
Watch this post as a video:
Choosing Objects for the Exhibition: The big debate.
Should students choose their objects before the prompt, or should they choose the prompt before their objects, in the IB ToK Exhibition ?
Quote from many IB ToK Teachers !
IB has been quite clear that students should choose their objects before they choose the prompt for their ToK exhibition. However, I have always argued that students should choose the prompt, and write knowledge arguments, before they choose their object. In this blog post I will run through IB’s argument, explain my concerns with it. I will then explain why I recommend choosing the prompt before the object.
IB’s recommended approach.
IB have always recommended that students choose their objects before they choose the prompt for their ToK Exhibition. The reason for this recommendation is the driving question of the ToK exhibition, namely that students ‘reflect upon how ToK manifests itself in the world’ around them. In theory, I totally agree with this approach. Of course, I hope that my students can identify knowledge issues, knowledge arguments, and knowledge problems arising from the physical world around them. If students see knowledge issues arising from the objects around them ,and use this for their ToK exhibition, they will develop more informed and holistic Tok discussions. As such, in theory, I am entirely in agreement with the IB’s recommendation. However, as we shall see later, even the IB acknowledges that there are problems with this approach.
Prompt & Knowledge arguments BEFORE objects.
I recommend that students both choose a prompt, and write three knowledge arguments, before they choose objects for their ToK Exhibition. My recommendation is the exact opposite of the IB’s recommendation, and is born from the experience of doing the exhibition with students in the past couple of years. My experience of letting students choose objects first is that when they come to write their commentary they often find that the objects don't fully link to, nor illustrate, the prompt and knowledge arguments. They then have to go back and change their objects to more appropriate ones. Now, of course, this could be a deficiency in my teaching, I'm clearly not able to develop the desired reflective capacity of my students. therefore, if you are in anyway like me, and wish to find the most effective way to optimise teaching time for Theory of Knowledge, then you may also want to front-end the process by fitting knowledge arguments to objects, as I do.
In order to access the higher marks in the ToK Exhibition students have to justify the inclusion of each specific object in the exhibition. The May 23 subject report says that this is a “stronger and more detailed explanation of the link between the object and the prompt” (pg 11). In reality this is a specific knowledge argument linking that specific object to the prompt. Therefore, a shortcut to getting into the higher Mark range is for students to identify these knowledge arguments at the beginning of the exhibition process. This is why I advocate writing knowledge arguments before choosing objects.
Specificity is the real issue.
On page 15 of the May 2023 subject report IB do recognize that choosing the prompt first can also lead to valid and high scoring marks. they say students may start with a prompt which they find particularly interesting and have ideas about the objects that they will choose. entry points are equally valid what matters is the thinking that goes with them.
On reading successive subject reports and notes for examiners we find that the important issue to do with the objects chosen for the Tok exhibition is specificity. The IB are recommending choosing objects first because they think that if students choose the prompt first they are more likely to choose generic objects and write generic commentaries. In the last few Subject Reports they have explained in some detail the difference between a generic use of an object and a specific use of an object. Just search for the words Family Bible in the May 2023 subject report to find this example, or click on this blog post for a full explanation of what is meant by a specific object.
Summary.
If your students can easily see the ToK issues manifest in the world around them ask them to choose objects before a prompt to write object specific commentaries.
If your students find it challenging to see the ToK issues manifest in the world around them, ask them to choose prompts and write knowledge arguments before choosing specific objects to write specific commentaries.
The specifically important point is the specificity of the specific objects specific to the specific prompt.
Stay specific my friends,
Daniel, Lisbon, Feb 24
ToK Games as Lesson Activities
I love using ToK games and drama when teaching ToK. In this blog I give you 5 ToK game suggestions, and a bit of the thinking ("pedagogical justification") behind the use of games.
ToK learning should be:
active rather than passive.
fun and engaging.
low stakes and low risk.
often done standing up.
short frequent changing activities.
Generally it should avoid:
reading lengthy passages of text.
watching long videos (10 mins+)
intellectual snobbery & exclusion.
Photo by kat wilcox on Pexels.com
To try to make the above happen in my ToK classroom I love using games and drama to teach ToK. I have some simple guidelines for my ToK classroom:
Every ToK lesson starts with students standing up doing an activity, usually in a circle.
No whole class activity should last more than 15 minutes.
Groupwork* increases the learning capacity of the group.
No ToK homework is required other than writing Exhibition / Essay.
*balance/combine with individual & pairwork.
2 simple ToK learning activities to use in your classroom tomorrow.
Activity 1: What am I (concepts) ?
This is a ToK version of the classic "Who am I ?" game.
Objective:
(i) To increase familiarity with ToK Concepts.
(ii) To increase understanding of ToK Concepts.
Resources: Post it notes, pens/pencils, ToK Concepts.
Process:
a) students work in pairs.
b) Each student writes a ToK concept on a Post-it note without their partner seeing what they've written.
c) Each student sticks the Post-it on their partner's forehead.
d) Each student asks their partner 5 questions to guess which concept is written on the Post-it on their forehead. (They are not allowed to use the concepts in their questions at this stage).
After 5 questions the student can have 2 guesses at which concept they are.
Eg:
Q1: "am I a concept about predicting?",
Q2: "am I a concept about variability?",
Q3: "without me would you be unsure about the future?"
etc , etc.
Guess: " Am I CERTAINTY ?"
Activity 2: ToK Knowledge Production Circle Game.
This is a ToK version of the "My mother went to market" memory circle time game. It's a sequence memory game.
Objectives:
(i) To learn the AoK.
(ii) To learn the methods of production used in an AoK, and the products of those methods of production.
Resources: none.
Process.
a) Students are in a standing, or sitting, circle.
b) The first student in the circle has to name an Area of Knowledge.
c) The next student has to remember bothe the AoK named by the first student, and they have to add to it either a method of production of that AoK, or the outcome of knowledge production of that Area of Knowledge.
d) The third student has remember the AoK of the first student, the method of production of that AoK named by the second student, and they have to add a new AoK.
e) And so the cycle continues. The first student who does not remember / misremembers an earlier step will be out.
e.g:
Student 1: "AoK Human Sciences"
Student 2: "AoK Human Sciences uses a Survey".
Student 3: "AoK Human Sciences uses a Survey, adding AoK History".
Student 4:"AoK Human Sciences uses a Survey, AoK History uses historical statistical data".
etc etc.
Obviously this game depends upon the number of students that you have in the circle etc etc.
A few closing thoughts:
The more I taught ToK the more effective I found games & drama to be as the central teaching process (far more effective than reading, writing and watching videos). More on this approach at this link.
The effectiveness of the game depends upon the ToK teacher's ability to spot the learning opportunities, and to draw out the learning from those opportunities.
The more your students play the ToK games the better they will become at them, meaning they'll learn more.
The more your students associate ToK with low risk, high fun, games the more they'll enjoy ToK...,
These games / starter activities can easily take up a lot more time than expected.
For more games:
If you're a ToK teacher, and you find these useful please feel free to let me know in the comments, and to pass them on to other ToK teachers.
Stay Toktastic my friends,
Daniel, Lisbon, Nov 2023
Halloween ToK Triple Bill
If you're getting into that Halloween spirit, or if you're a teacher and your students are getting into that Halloween spirit, we present The ToK of Halloween triple bill. The ToK of:
Dracula
Frankenstein
Unexplained things
The ToK of Dracula and Frankenstein
The two gothic horror books are considered through the lens of ToK. We use the techniques and frameworks to analyse these books that students could use to develop knowledge arguments from objects in their ToK Exhibitions.
The ToK of the unexplainable.
This third element of our ToK of Halloween is a little more esoteric (but also more substantial) than the first two. In this third element we're focussing on the ToK concept of explanations. We look at a range of issues relating to explanations (e.g. the quality of explanations, the purpose of explanations, the implications of explanations). We do this using the work of Graham Hancock (Lost civilisation hypothesis). The story of the development, and possibly increasing acceptance, of his work has many ToK themes incl. the nature of evidence, gatekeepers, power hierarchies, paradigms etc etc.
If you have any suggestions for the ToK of Halloween next year please let me know (Daniel@ToKToday.com), and if you have any suggestions for any (non-halloween) related content also feel free to get in touch.
Enjoy your halloween season!
Daniel, Lisbon, Oct 23
Can history ever be both reliable AND valid ?
Whether it is possible to produce historical knowledge which is both reliable and valid was explored in my holiday reading this year. I read the book Upheaval, How Nations Cope with Crisis and Change by Jared Diamond. You may know Jared Diamond, he's the guy who wrote Guns, Germs and Steel. It's a very popular TOK book that many teachers, students, and interested people have read.
This is his second follow-up book, Upheaval. In this blog will not be going into his findings, and what he actually says about how nations cope with crisis and change. That's not really TOK, that's history or global politics. But this book is really interesting for us to understand how historical knowledge is made and how conclusions are reached when we're making historical knowledge. It is of particular relevance to solving the challenge of whether history can be both reliable and valid.
The challenge of history for historians.
Historians have some key questions to answer when creating historical knowledge:
First of all is the idea of can you establish history which is both valid and reliable. Valid means that it's an accurate description or explanation of that particular moment, or that particular event or time in history. Reliable means the conclusions that we can draw from that historical event apply in other situations. As such, if the knowledge is reliable we will be able to generalise it to other historical events.
Students often write in their TOK essays that the function of history is to learn from it so that we don't repeat the same mistakes in the future. Now whether that actually is the function of history is immaterial for this blog. But what that supposes is that the things that we learned from an earlier period could also apply in / to other periods. As such, history would have to be both valid and reliable.
Jared Diamond is a professor at UCLA, he trained as a biologist and physician. His initial training was in AOK Natural Sciences. However now he's moved more into social sciences, human sciences and history in explaining and describing human behaviour. This initial training informs his understanding of, and approaches to, methodology.
A historian explains, and justifies, his methodology
The prologue of this book is really interesting for ToK students as Prof Diamond writes about the methodology used to write the book. He explains that ideally he would use quantitative methods to establish reliable cause and effect relationships. That means he would build mathematical models, statistical models , into which he would pump lots of data, and that data would give him mathematical and statistical outcomes from which he could establish cause and effect variables.
Those statistical outcomes tend to be highly reliable, sometimes valid and sometimes less valid. Generally most ToK. students (and most people in general) prefer statistical outcomes. For example: If you're getting on a plane, you may ask is this plane safe? If someone says it's safe most of the time, well you want to know what does "most of the time" mean? What's the danger to me? And the best answer, the one which would satisfy you the most is a statistical answer. So if you were told "the plane is safe 51% of the time, 49% of the time it's not safe", then you're probably not going to get on the plane. If they say "well in testing it's safe 99.975% of the time" then you're probably going to get on the plane with a little knot in your stomach.
The challenge of quantitative methodologies in AoK History
We like statistics, we like knowledge that is characterised as a "scientific fact". However, how do we prove scientific facts in ? How can we arrive at conclusive causal facts in history? Prof Diamond explains that he would like to use quantitative methodologies to answer the research question of the book, but then he explains that it's really difficult to establish quantitative cause & effect relationships when you're answering the question "How do nations cope with crisis and change? ".
Trying to make history that is both reliable and valid.
It's really difficult to use quantitative methodologies for many reasons, incl:
there are so many different nations that you could consider.
there are so many instances of crisis and change in those nations that you could consider.
How do you even build a representative sample of nations and the crises and changes that they've gone through?
How do you operationalise variables such as crisis and change ?
How do we hold some of variables constant and manipulate others to see the effect on the dependent variable, i.e. coping with crisis and change ?
How do we establish control conditions ?
It's very difficult to apply a reliable quantitative methodological framework to a quarter of a million years of human existence ? History relies on historical evidence, such evidence is subject to selection and interpretation biases that are far less prevalent and powerful in the Human and Natural Sciences. In many ways it is far more challenging to establish reliable historic knowledge than it is to establish reliable scientific knowledge.
Prof Diamond's solution to the challenge of reliability in history.
Prof Diamond's solution to the challenge of establishing reliable historical knowledge is that he chooses just seven countries, and looks at particular instances of crisis and change in those seven countries. He chooses countries that he's lived in and that he has a lot of experience with. He also speaks the language of most of those seven countries. As such, he's chosen countries that he has a deep knowledge of. Having deep knowledge of something, or accurate knowledge of something is having valid knowledge. So, in the prologue of this book, he's saying that he is establishing reliability through the use of validity. And that's really interesting for people when they're writing about AOK history.
So if you are discussing AOK history in your TOK exhibition or your TOK essay, probably more in the TOK essay this would apply to and you're wrangling with that idea of how historians establish reliability when they're discussing cause and effect. Well, here's a real life situation that you could cite. Jared Diamond's book, Upheaval How Nations cope with crisis and change.
Context relevant variable identification in historical knowledge.
Prof Diamond takes the instances of crisis and change in those seven countries and the looks at the vast range of variables which affect those crises and changes.
Some of those variables include pre-existing conditions, changes in the global conditions and global dynamics, changes in the geopolitics globally, the historical cultural antecedents, the historical cultural context, and the global historical context of those nations. It could also include the individual actors at their moments of crises and change, the aims of those actors etc. There are just so many variables involved and they're different for each nation and they're different in each instance of crisis and change in that nation. Prof Diamond puts all of those variables together to try to establish a high level of validity. Clearly the conclusions reached are from one commentator's perspective despite drawing upon a vast range of evidence to build this highly valid picture, As such, it is recognised that this highly valid picture may not be entirely valid, but it may be the best that we can can do given current methods and technology. But maybe it's only reliable for that nation and in that instance, maybe it is of limited generalisability.
I hope that that's given you some ideas if you're writing about AOK history and the challenge of establishing knowledge that is both valid and reliable in historiography. In a future blog we will explore the differences between a narrative historical explanation and a statistical methodological historical explanation (e.g economic history).
We have lots of resources to help ToK Students with the ToK Essay and ToK Exhibition. For example we have exemplar exhibitions, videos on how to how to do your TOK exhibition. For the ToK Essay we've got explanations of the essay prompts, a video series on how to do the TOK essay. And we've got lots of notes that can help you to avoid the biggest mistakes in the TOK essay. You can start exploring here.
You can get in touch with me, daniel@toktoday.com. I always welcome suggestions on how to improve the site, improve the resources and to produce new resources.
Daniel, Bangkok, September 2023
Can History be "true"?
First thoughts on ToK Essay 4 -6 May 24
The ToK Essays for May 24 candidates were published a little over a week ago. I got together with experienced ToK teacher, and ToK guru, Gareth Stevens to get an overview of the main themes and concepts in ToK Essay 4-6 May 24.
These videos are not the detailed TokToday Essay Breakdown videos for each title, they will be published at the beginning of October.
The blog post & videos for Essays 1-3 can be found here.
These videos are short and reflective, and they're fairly unstructured. They're just a record of a discussion between two experienced ToK teachers about their initial thoughts on the ToK Essay May 24 titles. I decided to publish them because they may be useful for ToK teachers and students alike who are tackling the May 24 ToK Essay.
Videos on ToK Essays 4-6 May 24 (just first thoughts)
The 'first thoughts videos for Essays 4-6 are linked below. The main essay breakdown videos will come in early October.
PT#4: Transfer of knowledge
PT#5: Custodians
PT#6: Recent Evidence
Please like & subscribe on YouTube to help the channel, and to stay up to date with all of the latest content.
How to Write the ToK Essay in 6 Easy Steps
The ebook "Write the ToK Essay in 6 easy steps" was used by hundreds of students across the world to successfully complete their ToK Essay in 2022-23.
It can help you every step of the way so that you can ace your ToK Essay.
Other help available for ToK Essay May 24
Final thoughts.
I was slightly hesitant about posting these videos. Whilst Gareth & I raise many of the relevant issues for students writing ToK Essay May 24, they are not the structured & clear content that will be in the main breakdown videos (make sure that you come back for those videos in early October). However, I hope that they will be useful for some teachers and students. I really enjoyed these discussions with Gareth, I hope that you do too!
If you have any questions, or suggestions for content, I'd love to hear from you: Daniel@TokToday.com.
Stay TokTastic my friends!
Daniel, Bangkok, Sept 2023
First thoughts on ToK Essay 1 -3 May 24
The ToK Essays for May 24 candidates were published a little over a week ago. I got together with experienced ToK teacher, and ToK guru, Gareth Stevens to get an overview of the main themes and concepts in each title.
These videos are not the detailed TokToday Essay Breakdown videos for each title, they will be published at the beginning of October.
These videos are short and reflective, and they're fairly unstructured. They're just a record of a discussion between two experienced ToK teachers about their initial thoughts on the ToK Essay May 24 titles. I decided to publish them because they may be useful for ToK teachers and students alike who are tackling the May 24 ToK Essay.
Videos on ToK Essays 1-3 May 24 (just first thoughts)
Videos for Essays 1-3 are published today, 4 - 6 will be published tomorrow (Mon 11th Sept). The main essay breakdown videos will come in early October.
PT#1: Subjectivity
PT#2: Generalization / Specialization
PT#3: Fresh Ideas, slow adopt
Please like & subscribe on YouTube to help the channel, and to stay up to date with all of the latest content.
How to Write the ToK Essay in 6 Easy Steps
The ebook "Write the ToK Essay in 6 easy steps" was used by hundreds of students across the world to successfully complete their ToK Essay in 2022-23.
It can help you every step of the way so that you can ace your ToK Essay.
Other help available for ToK Essay May 24
Final thoughts.
I was slightly hesitant about posting these videos. Whilst Gareth & I raise many of the relevant issues for students writing ToK Essay May 24, they are not the structured & clear content that will be in the main breakdown videos (make sure that you come back for those videos in early October). However, I hope that they will be useful for some teachers and students. I really enjoyed these discussions with Gareth, I hope that you do too!
If you have any questions, or suggestions for content, I'd love to hear from you: Daniel@TokToday.com.
Stay TokTastic my friends!
Daniel, Bangkok, Sept 2023
Reducing the use of Artificial Intelligence in the ToK Essay.
For the last few months I've been working on ways in which we can use AI tools in ToK teaching and learning. Whilst AI can provide a range of beneficial educational aids in a number of learning functions, there are obvious problems if students overly rely on them to write their ToK essays. The concerns for compromising academic integrity and learning outcomes are significant.
3 direct strategies for reducing the use of AI in Essay Writing:
Instilling Ethical Behaviour
Before delving into practical teaching strategies, it's vital to instil ethical standards in your students. Understanding the value of academic integrity and original thought is paramount. Discuss the ethical implications of using AI-generated content, emphasising that it undermines their learning experience and is essentially another form of plagiarism.
According to Greene et al (2015) "ethical behaviour is more likely to occur when individuals believe that it is the right thing to do, rather than merely being the result of external pressures" (www.jstor.org/stable/44075334). In other words, students should be led to value ethical behaviour intrinsically rather than as a mere rule-following exercise. Through class discussions, real-world examples, and ethical dilemmas, cultivate an environment where doing the 'right thing' becomes second nature.
ethical behaviour is more likely to occur when individuals believe that it is the right thing to do, rather than merely being the result of external pressures.
Greene et al (2015)
Implementing Planning Strategies
Planning is the backbone of good essay writing and an effective way to discourage students from taking shortcuts with AI tools. Teach students to create outlines, brainstorm ideas, and conduct proper research before diving into writing. By establishing a structured workflow, students are less likely to seek the 'easy way out' via AI-generated content. Additionally, make it a habit to discuss essay outlines in class or during individual consultations, making adjustments as needed.
You can get more details on the planning stages of the ToK Essay at this detailed blogpost.
Promoting Self-Regulation
Self-regulation is crucial for independent learning and is particularly relevant in the context of discouraging AI tool misuse. Provide frameworks for students to monitor their writing progress, set realistic goals, and assess their performance critically.
Greene et al (2015) highlight that "self-regulation is significantly enhanced when students have clear, attainable goals and appropriate self-monitoring strategies". Therefore, consider integrating self-assessment rubrics and progress-tracking methods into your teaching. Guide them on how to evaluate their skills realistically, take appropriate corrective actions, and seek help when needed.
Final Thoughts
AI language models are here to stay, but their ethical use in education is a collective responsibility. By instilling good ethical behaviours, implementing effective planning strategies, and fostering self-regulation skills, we can guide students towards authentic academic growth. The goal is not merely to prevent cheating but to cultivate a learning environment where students appreciate the genuine rewards of intellectual exploration.
Stay Toktastic my friends,
Daniel, Bangkok, September 2023
References:
Greene, Jeffrey Alan, et al. “Fostering High-School Students’ Self-Regulated Learning Online and Across Academic Domains.” The High School Journal, vol. 99, no. 1, 2015, pp. 88–106. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44075334. Accessed 1 Sept. 2023.
Some ToK Essays easier than others ?
The May 24 TOK essay titles are out, so I think it's a good time to reprise a question which I looked at this time last year: What makes some TOK essay titles easier than other titles?
I made a video on this last year which not many people watched, and I think that not many people watched it because it's 28 minutes long. TLDW too long, didn't watch.
Here's a link to that video, and the blog (also linked) so that you can watch it if you want and get more detail.
Today's blog (& the associated video) is much shorter, we're just going through the six main points which makes some TOK essays easier than other TOK essays.
Factor #1: Closed-ended claims vs Open-ended claims.
The questions are all open-ended. The command term is usually "discuss", but some of them have closed-ended claims, and some of them have open-ended claims. I believe that ones that have closed-ended claims in the question are easier to do than open-ended questions. And if you want to know more about that, remember to watch the video, or read the blog that I made this time last year.
Factor #2: Assumptions within the question.
Some of the questions have assumptions contained within them. Some of those assumptions are implicit. Some of those assumptions are explicit. Some of the assumptions can be both implicit and explicit. The fewer assumptions that are contained within the question, the easier the question is. If you want to know more check out the more detailed blog, and video.
Factor #3: Quotes in the question.
Some of the questions have quotes from famous or important people. I think that generally questions without quotes are easier than questions with quotes. If you want to know more about that: Blog link,video link.
Factor #4: Definitions.
All of the questions require you to operationalize key concepts or give definitions for the concepts contained within the question.
My experience is that it's easier to define concepts that are TOK core concepts, one of the 12 concepts, than it is to define concepts which have just been brought in from the course from Althuss-Wack. If you want to know more about that, you know what to do.
Factor #5: Claims - clear or ambiguous ?
Some of the prescribed titles have claims in them. Some of the claims are clear, i.e. they have one direction. In other essay titles the claims are ambiguous, that is they do not indicate a direction. I believe that titles that have a clear directional claim are easier than titles that have ambiguous claims. For more details see the earlier detailed blog and video.
Factor #6: Freedom of Area of Knowledge.
Some of the titles define the areas of knowledge that they want you to look at. They might tell you to look at one specific area of knowledge or two specific areas of knowledge. However, some titles do not define the areas of knowledge at all. My general belief is that it's easier if they direct you to the areas of knowledge they want you to look at than if they don't. If they're directing us to specific areas of knowledge then they're giving us a clue as to the sorts of arguments they expect us to explore. On the other hand, if they don't direct you to the areas of knowledge, then it's easier to stray into ToK debates which are of marginal relevance to the question. If you want to know more about this see the earlier detailed blog and video.
Conclusion
We have lots more content coming up on ToKToday about the May 2024 essay titles. We've got round table discussion about the titles, guides to the titles and FREE downloads to help you . So, if you're writing the May 24 titles keep checking back here for more information
Stay ToKtastic my friends.
Daniel, Bangkok, Sept 23