Garibaldi Secondary Mr.

Ludeman International Baccalaureate Programme Course Outline

Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

Introduction The modern world is a complex place, with immense amounts of information, sometimes conflicting, bombarding us from innumerable sources. By the time students enter the TOK classroom, they have had about 16 years of life experience and more that 10 years of formal education behind them. They have accumulated a vast amount of knowledge, beliefs, and opinions from their lives both inside and outside the classroom. How does one make sense of all of this? What is one to do with it? In the TOK course, we have the luxury of stepping back and thinking about the big picture, to make sense of what we encounter in life. At the core of our inquiry are 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? TOK activities and discussions aim to help students discover and express their views on knowledge issues. At first, these issues may seem abstract or theoretical. But it is hoped that through listening to others and sharing our ideas, we will come to deeper understanding of how human knowledge is constructed and shaped, and our role in that process. Students are encouraged to make connections between what is learned in different academic areas as well as what is encountered outside of academic life. Through this inquiry, students will begin to think critically about what they encounter in life, rather than just passively accepting things. Units of Study 1. Knowers and Knowing 2. Ways of Knowing a. Language b. Sense Perception 3. Areas of Knowledge a. Mathematics b. Natural Sciences c. Human Sciences d. History c. Reason d. Emotion e. The Arts f. Ethics g. Religion

4. Time will be allotted in class to go over the requirements of these IB diploma requirements (not officially part of TOK): a. The Extended Essay (EE) b. Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS)

Policies and Procedures Behaviour You need not be reminded that the classroom is a place where teaching and learning happens. Expect consequences for any actions or behaviours that interrupt a productive learning environment. Arrive to class on time, remain on task at all times, and keep noise appropriate to the task at hand. Most importantly, respect the opinions and ideas of your classmates. Absences Bring a note from a parent explaining all absences. It is your responsibility to find out what you missed during your absence. Frequent or extended absences will make it very difficult to keep up with the course requirements. Plagiarism If part or all of your work is copied from another source (without proper citation), you will receive a zero. Repeated offenses will be reported to the office and you may be withdrawn from the course. Work load At this level, it is expected that homework will always be completed, except very rarely, in extenuating circumstances. Therefore, late work will not be accepted without a note/phone call/discussion with a parent. Expect to have homework every night. Assessment Report card marks will be calculated from an assessment of each students participation in debates, seminars, and presentations, as well as the completion of various written assignments. The school based grade breakdown is as follows: TOK blog Final TOK presentation Large in-class projects (essays, presentation, debates, etc) Homework completion and participation The formula for calculating the IB diploma points is as follows: External Assessment (to be completed before early in the grade 12 year) 40 points One essay on a title chosen from a list of ten titles prescribed by the IBO for each exam session. Internal Assessment (to be completed before the end of the grade 11 year) 20 points One presentation to the class of approximately 10 minutes per student (groups of 1-5 students). A maximum of three diploma points can be earned for a students combined performance in TOK and the extended essay. Students who fail to complete TOK will not be awarded a diploma. 20% 30% 30% 20%