Your ToK presentation …does not involve dressing in a banana outfit. Phew.

Because at AIS we prefer gnome outfits (school policy).

But seriously… Every ToK student must make an individual or small group presentation and complete a self- evaluation/planning form about it. Your teacher may ask for additional planning documents about it, or evidence. Each presentation should be minutes in length (excluding discussion time). Students may work in pairs, but at AIS this happens at the discretion of the teacher. These presentations should be approximately minutes in length. It is marked out of 20, using 4 criteria. You receive an individual mark.

A Identification of knowledge issue Did the presentation identify a relevant knowledge issue involved, implicit or embedded in a real-life situation? 0 Level 1 was not achieved. 1-2: The presentation referred to a knowledge issue but it was irrelevant to the real-life situation under consideration. 3-4:The presentation identified a knowledge issue that was in some ways relevant to the real- life situation under consideration. 5- The presentation identified a knowledge issue that was clearly relevant to the real-life situation under consideration.

B Treatment of knowledge issues Did the presentation show a good understanding of knowledge issues, in the context of the real-life situation? 0 Level 1 was not achieved. 1–2 The presentation showed some understanding of knowledge issues. 3–4 The presentation showed an adequate understanding of knowledge issues. 5 The presentation showed a good understanding of knowledge issues.

C Knower’s perspective Did the presentation, particularly in the use of arguments and examples, show an individual approach and demonstrate the significance of the topic? 0 Level 1 was not achieved. 1-2: The presentation, in its use of arguments and examples or otherwise, showed limited personal involvement and did not demonstrate the significance of the topic. 3-4 The presentation, in its use of arguments and examples or otherwise, showed some personal involvement and adequately demonstrated the significance of the topic. 5- The presentation, in its distinctively personal use of arguments and examples or otherwise, showed clear personal involvement and fully demonstrated the significance of the topic.

D Connections Did the presentation give a balanced account of how the topic could be approached from different perspectives? Did the presentation show how the positions taken on the knowledge issues would have implications in related areas? 0 Level 1 was not achieved. 1–2 The presentation explored at least two different perspectives to some extent. 3-4 The presentation gave a satisfactory account of how the question could be approached from different perspectives, and began to explore their similarities and differences. 5- The presentation gave a clear account of how the question could be approached from different perspectives and considered their implications in related areas.

How can I choose my topic?

Reflect on your ToK course Think back over all the captivating debates you have had about burning issues in the ToK classroom. Weren’t they great?! Remember that really annoying time you didn’t get the last word on an issue about which you felt strongly? Well now you can and everyone else will just have to button it and listen! Hah!

Look at your ToK journal and the journals of other students If you have kept a good ToK journal, it should contain a variety of ToK ideas, any of which could give you a starting point, as well as providing you with your first resource.

The Title A good title will help you focus your presentation. Think back to some of the essential ToK questions we looked at right at the start of the course: How do we know? What is the truth? How do I get to the knowledge? What’s the validity of this knowledge claim?

Some examples from the IB Guide Can we be certain that global warming is taking place? How can we know whether intensive farming methods are always harmful? What constitutes reliable journalism? How can we know whether scientific conclusions are justified? What makes a work of art? Who should decide, and on what grounds, what History should be taught in schools? What evidence is there about how dinosaurs looked and behaved?

Some examples from ex-AIS students How can we reconcile the need for security with the right to privacy? Could it ever be justifiable or desirable to clone whole humans? Should we ban smoking in public? Using the literature of J.K Rowling –The controversy over Harry Potter Evaluating euthanasia laws in Holland

Enthusiasm and personal engagement The family of the student who discussed Dutch euthanasia laws, had recently made use of them. Your personal engagement with the topic may not be as intense as that (or perhaps it will be) but once again, your position as The Knower is extremely important, although at the same time, you need to show a balanced and reflective approach.

Resources and research Good research, as with the ToK essay, lends credibility to your ideas and is evidence that a reflective process has taken place within you, The Knower! As with any other assignment it must be cited and referenced. One way would be to produce a handout, with sources listed. Another would be to put them on the final slide of a PP presentation (if you are doing one). You should refer to where you found your information and evidence throughout the course of your presentation.

Get on with it! Leaving it to the last minute will NOT result in a strong presentation.

Sources Banana boy image: B E-9A2E-FD3C925685AF%7D Criteria IBO subject guide ToK Procrastination cartoon content/uploads/2008/06/procrastination.jpg Shoes image Fred Flintstone cartoon Dinosaur cartoon quite-funny.html

Sources contd. Scales image content/uploads/2008/05/energy-balance.jpg Old books image Clone image Gnome image amazon.com/images/I/41Y0KZwquPL._SL500_AA280_.jpg Chimp image