By Kim Kriege, TOK Learning Leader
If you had to choose one object to represent how you view the world, what would it be? A doll from your childhood? Your dog’s tennis ball? Perhaps even a train map? Knowledge, and our understanding of it, surrounds us, yet we seldom stop to ask ourselves why we think the way we do. What is it about our past experiences that changes the way we take in new information? And what knowledge can we really say we “own” more than someone else?
Every year, the Grade 11’s tackle these questions through the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Exhibition. This experience gives students the chance to bring abstract ideas into the real world by connecting complex TOK prompts to tangible objects from their lives.Each student selects three real-world objects, anything from a coffee cup to a childhood toy, and links them to one of 35 thought-provoking prompts. These prompts range from, “Are some things unknowable?” to “Who owns knowledge?”
Alongside these objects, students craft a written commentary that dives into the TOK concepts behind their choices, weaving in personal insight and academic reflection. On Tuesday, May 5th, the YIS community participated in this year’s Grade 11 TOK Exhibition. Parents, students, and teachers all interacted with the Grade 11 students, and even helped them refine their thinking as they move into polishing their final written drafts. It’s a major part of the TOK course and represents a culmination of their learning for the year.
So, the next time you’re in a convenience store, ask yourself: “What knowledge do I need here to make an informed choice?” Or perhaps, have the age-old debate: “How can I really know that Seven-Eleven is better than Family Mart? And how could I prove this?” Through these types of questions, you’ll get a little closer to the types of learning happening in Grade 11 Theory of Knowledge.