:: ThoK :: Assessment Criteria: the Oral Presentation ::
Theory of Knowledge Assessment Details – First Examination 2008
The Aim of the Theory of Knowledge Course:
The aim of the course is to promote 'Critical Thinking Skills' by focussing on two fundamental questions:
- How do I know?
- What do I claim to know?
However, I find it easier to instigate critical reflection by rephrasing the questions and asking:
- What is it I claim to know?
- How do I claim to know it?
- How valid are the methods used to establish what it is I claim to know?
Knowledge Claims and Knowledge Issues:
The course focuses on identifying Knowledge Claims, which are those statements, arguments and beliefs that are often presented as being a 'fact' and true, valid and well grounded.
Knowledge Issues refers to all of the 'doubts' raised by the critical investigation of the validity of the arguments and methods used to justify a Knowledge Claim in its final presentation as a 'fact'.
Assessment Details:
There are two assessment tasks which must both show a reflection on Knowledge Issues – though slightly in a different way in each.
- The emphasis in the TOK presentation is on demonstrating an understanding of knowledge at work in the world by focussing and reflecting on a single illustrative example.
- The emphasis in the TOK essay is to show critical thinking skills with the discussion of a prescribed title using several illustrative concrete examples.
Neither the essay nor the presentation is primarily a research exercise, although some factual information may need to be included.
Part 2 &ndash The Presentation
Students must make one or more individual and/or small group presentations to the class during the course. If a student makes more than one presentation, the teacher should choose the best one (or the best group presentation in which the student participated) for the purposes of assessment.
The TOK presentation requires students to identify and explore the Knowledge Issues raised by a substantive real-life situation that is of interest to them. It is wise to avoid topics so unfamiliar to the class that a great deal of explanation is needed before the underlying Knowledge Issues can be appreciated and explored
Presentations may take many forms, such as:
- lectures;
- skits;
- simulations;
- games;
- dramatized readings;
- interviews or debates.
Students may use supporting material such as videos, MS PowerPoint presentations, overhead projections, posters, questionnaires, recordings of songs or interviews, costumes, or props. The presentation should never simply be an essay read aloud to the class.
Each presentation will have two stages:
- an introduction, briefly describing the real-life situation and linking it to one or more relevant Knowledge Issue;
- a treatment of the Knowledge Issue(s) that explores their nature and responses to them, and shows how these relate to the chosen situation.
Before the presentation, each student must complete and submit a Presentation Planning Document (Form TK/PPD). In a group presentation these may, but need not, be compiled individually. This document, in a maximum of one typed A4 page or equivalent, will:
- summarize the thinking behind the topic;
- state the specific Knowledge Issues to be addressed;
- present an outline of the intended treatment of them.
It should provide clear evidence of an inquiry in keeping with the aims and objectives of TOK, and meeting the requirements of the assessment criteria for the presentation. It must not be an essay, but should be in a skeleton or bullet point format.
Part 2 &ndash Presentation:
- Identification of Knowledge Issue
- Did the presentation identify a relevant knowledge issue involved, implicit or embedded in a real-life situation?
| Achievement Level | Descriptor |
| 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. |
- Treatment of Knowledge Issues
- Did the presentation show a good understanding of knowledge issues, in the context of the real-life situation?
| Achievement Level | Descriptor |
| 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. |
- 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?
| Achievement Level | Descriptor |
| 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. |
- 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?
- In awarding the higher achievement levels, the emphasis should be more on the quality of the consideration of connections than on the quantity of connections mentioned.
| Achievement Level | Descriptor |
| 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. |
Grade Boundaries with regard to the Oral Presentation:
| A | Excellent Performance | 19-20 |
| B | Good Performance | 16-18 |
| C | Satisfactory Performance | 13-15 |
| D | Mediocre Performance | 9-12 |
| E | Elementary Performance | 0- 8 |
| F | Candidate failed to submit an essay and there are no special circumstances | |
| G | Candidate failed to submit an essay but there are special circumstances | |