Discover how to prepare Theory of Knowledge Presentation
The TOK presentation is the internally assessed (IA) component of the TOK assessment. The emphasis in the TOK presentation is on demonstrating an understanding of real-life knowledge by a candidate, and is in a sense an extensive TOK reflection based on a single example pertaining to a real-life situation (RLS).
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How to do TOK presentation?
- Students make one or more individual and/or small group presentations to the class during the course.
- Presentations are delivered in a language accessible to all members of the class (if the school has been notified to submit presentation recordings, those presentations must be given in the language for which the students have been, or will be, registered).
- The maximum group size is three. Approximately 10 minutes per presenter is allowed, up to maximum of approximately 30 minutes per group.
- If a student makes more than one presentation, the teacher chooses the best one (or the best group presentation in which the student participated) for the purposes of assessment.
- Students are not permitted to offer presentations on the same specific subject matter more than once. This repetition pertains to either the same knowledge question (KQ), or the same real-life situation (RLS).
- Each candidate has to prepare one written presentation planning document (TK/PPD).
- The marks awarded to a candidate’s PPD by the teacher is based on the assessment descriptors published in the guide and the teacher’s observations recorded.
- A sample of TK/PPDs is selected and moderated by the IB.
- Formulation of KQs are the key to this task. There are two sections involved in the task completion.
- The development or preparation phase precedes the presentation phase.
How to prepare TOK presentation?
- During this phase a candidate starts exploring the KQ with reference to the AOKs and WOKs.
- There is the use of claim, counterclaim and mini-conclusion with reference to the AOKs and WOKs.
- Cogent evidences back up claims and counterclaims. Evidence can be examples from the TOK course or the candidate’s research on a prescribed title or from personal experiences. Specific and realistic examples from own life experiences are really powerful in presentations, for if they’re true they are normally really convincing.
- The mini-conclusion (MC) aims to strike a balance or synthesise two opposing insights and form a possible conclusion to the KQ.
- In the final conclusion/the Big Conclusion a synthesis of the insights present in claim, counterclaim and mini-conclusion is drawn to show a really sophisticated/developed answer to the KQ.
TOK presentation component
The components of the presentation are as follows:
- Title Page (1 minute) has the title of the presentation and the group members’ names. It captures what the learner thought about the RLS and its significance.
- Decontextualization (1 minute) explains some of the thoughts or questions on the RLS. The student starts explaining the RLS in a TOK manner with the apt use of TOK specific key words, connecting the RLS with some of the WOKs. Finally, helping to make sure that the person marking the student awards full credit for the apt use of the relevant TOK specific key words, it’s useful to do what we call signposting. This means, using the exact key words the marker was trained to look for. Also, it involves an explanation on the limits to what can be known from the RLS. This step shows the thought-journey of the learner from the RLS to his/her KQ.
- Knowledge Question (1 minute) talks about the writing down of the KQ, listing of the AOKs and/or WOKs used to explore the KQ and their relation to the KQ. This step has a mention of two KQs considered and one KQ investigated. It explains how this investigated KQ in turn explains the RLS. It also elucidates the way to answer the KQ with the help of AOKs and WOKs. There is a clear explanation of the assumptions made about the KQ and the key terms to understand the KQ.
- Development #1 (3.5 minutes) very briefly states the knowledge claim and counterclaim for the respective WOK/AOK with a clear explanation and support by evidence. It also explains how the KQ is differently handled by claim and counterclaim with the MC reconciling the gap.
- Development #2 (3.5 minutes) states the learner’s claim for the respective WOK/AOK being backed up by cogent evidence. It also explains how the KQ is differently handled by claim and counterclaim with the MC reconciling the gap.
- Development #3 (3.5 minutes) states the learner’s claim for the respective WOK/AOK being backed up by cogent evidence. It also explains how the KQ is differently handled by claim and counterclaim with the MC reconciling the gap.
- Conclusion (3 minutes) is where the candidate writes down and explains his/her conclusion, with a possible flaw in the conclusion. It also explains how this conclusion is backed up by insights drawn in the MC. It involves an explanation on the possible weakness in the conclusion and an example of disagreement by someone from a different perspective.
- Link back to the RLS (3.5 minutes) involves two interesting ways that the conclusion applies to the RLS. Here is a mention of two other RLS which may be somewhat related. These two RLS, out of which one is personal and the other is shared experience. The candidate clarifies how his/her conclusion relates to the RLS and also explains two other RLS.
- Footnote contains the KQ written on the bottom as a footer.
TOK presentation assessment criteria
- The student is required to extract and explore a knowledge question from a substantive real-life situation.
- it is advisable that students avoid real-life situations that need a great deal of explanation from outside sources before the extracted knowledge question can be understood in context.
- At the “real-world” level, there is the RLS from which a KQ must be extracted.
- This KQ, residing in the “TOK world”, is developed using ideas and concepts from the TOK course, and in this progression that other related KQs are identified in taking the argument forward.
- The product of this reflection can be applied back (during and/or after the development) to the RLS at the real world level.
- The presentation aims to demonstrates how the process of application extends beyond the original situation to other real-life situations, thus demonstrating why the presentation is important and relevant in a wider sense.
- Presentations may take many forms, such as lectures, interviews or debates. Students may use multimedia, costumes, or props to support their presentations.
- The presentation is not to be treated simply as an essay read aloud to the class. While pre-recorded inserts within a presentation are permissible, the presentation itself must be a live experience and not a recording of the presentation.
- If students incorporate the thoughts and ideas of others into the presentation, this must be acknowledged.
- Before the presentation, the individual or group must give the teacher a copy of the PPD.
TKPPD
Each student must complete and submit a presentation planning and marking document (TK/PPD).
The procedure is as follows.
- The student will complete the student sections of the TK/PPD form.
- The student will provide a hard copy to the teacher for reference during the presentation.
- The student will subsequently give the presentation.
- The teacher will authenticate each student’s form and add comments on the presentation.
- The section to be completed by the student requires responses to the following so as to describe the RLS, state his/her central KQ, explain the nexus between the RLS and the KQ, outline how to develop the presentation, with respect to perspectives, subsidiary KQs and arguments.
- The candidate is required to draw conclusion and its application to the RLS.
- This is presented in skeleton or bullet point form, typed in standard 12 font and not exceed 500 words. It is acceptable to include diagrams, as long as they are clearly related to the text. It is not permitted to exceed the two sides of the TK/PPD form.
- Participants in a group presentation are given the same marks. In a group presentation, not every student need to speak for the same amount of time, but it is the presenters’ responsibility to ensure that all members of the group participate actively and make comparable contributions.
Moderation of internal assessment-
The procedure for uploading the TK/PPD form can be found in the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme.
Assessment instrument with the level descriptors-
The assessment of the TOK presentation is done on a scale of 10.
| Level 5 Excellent 9–10 | Level 4 Very good 7–8 | Level 3 Satisfactory 5–6 | Level 2 Basic 3–4 | Level 1 Elementary 1–2 | Irrelevant 0 |
| The presentation is focused on a well formulated knowledge question that is clearly connected to a specified real-life situation. The knowledge question is effectively explored in the context of the real-life situation, using convincing arguments, with investigation of different perspectives. The outcomes of the analysis are shown to be significant to the chosen real-life situation and to others. | The presentation is focused on a knowledge question that is connected to a specified real-life Situation. The knowledge question is explored in the context of the real-life situation, using clear arguments, with acknowledgment of different perspectives. The outcomes of the analysis are shown to be significant to the real-life situation. | The presentation identifies a knowledge question that has some connection to a specified real-life situation. The knowledge question is explored in the context of the real-life situation, using some adequate arguments. There is some awareness of the significance of the outcomes of the analysis. | The presentation identifies a knowledge question and a real-life situation, although the connection between them may not be convincing. There is some attempt to explore the knowledge question. There is limited awareness of the significance of the outcomes of the analysis. | The presentation describes a real-life situation without reference to any knowledge question, or treats an abstract knowledge question without connecting it to any specific real-life situation. | The presentation does not reach the standard described by levels 1–5 |
| Some possible characteristics | |||||
| Sophisticated Discerning Insightful Compelling Lucid | Credible Analytical Organized Pertinent Coherent | Relevant Adequate Acceptable Predictable | Underdeveloped Basic Unbalanced Superficial Derivative Rudimentary | Ineffective Unconnected Incoherent Formless |
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