Theory of Knowledge: The Verdict

[Caitlin]

I just wanted to see what the general consensus around here was regarding the IB's 6 and a halfth subject - Theory of Knowledge. I know it has some fans, while others would rather stab themselves repeatedly in the foot 1600 times than write a 1600 word essay about how the Ways of Knowing tell them that the aforementioned activity would be very painful.

So - tell us what you think, TOK: yay or nay?

[~Lc~]

a def yay for me , though that is definitely expected from a TOK geek.

why is it a yaay? well now that I'm done and I got a B in it even though I practically worshiped the subject. I think it's more because it opened my mind to general essay writing and logically thinking about matters rather than the material in the subject itself. In fact when I was rereading the Alchin book to conjure up some ideas for the essay outline thread stickied in this forum, I found myself forgetting most of what I was reading

in conclusion: it's a yaaaaaay

[Ruan Chun Xian]

yay but I'm not crazy about it. I like it and it's a good subject but...well...it makes my head hurt sometimes I loved the Alchin book as well, it was really interesting. You know I'd probably buy it if I see it again.

[Guest DyingInIBhell]

Honestly, I hated it. When we spent our first class analyzing could a machine figure out we were talking about a rectangle, I knew I was in for it. Was an easy A though =]

[Bandev]

I have enjoyed it, because I am a dreamer (INFP) and I think too much.

[Afterglow]

Well the way you put it.

Yay.

Hot.

Like sugar on strawberries.

[Guest shanelee]

I dont enjoy that class at all. I'm not sure if its just the teaching style of my teacher, but my class is not one bit enjoyable

[basilmasri21]

Althogh I'll admit I don't always look forward to it, I am glad the IB included TOK for the diploma requirements. There are many times where it's confusing as hell, such as defining ghosts or what knowledge is, but after more than a year into it, I find it really opens up one's mind. I also enjoyed getting a well deserved 20/20 by making my own fake newstation and showing reliability of knowledge obtained from media, with a focus on the four ways of knowing. It's also a nice, mid-week break, especially if your teacher likes to play relevant movies, like Pulp Fiction and American History X.

[Guest navdeepdunn]

Wannabe Philosophy. N if u av Cundall as a teacher u don't go 2 many lessons coz its a complete waste of ur time!

[~Lc~]

Althogh I'll admit I don't always look forward to it, I am glad the IB included TOK for the diploma requirements. There are many times where it's confusing as hell, such as defining ghosts or what knowledge is, but after more than a year into it, I find it really opens up one's mind. I also enjoyed getting a well deserved 20/20 by making my own fake newstation and showing reliability of knowledge obtained from media, with a focus on the four ways of knowing. It's also a nice, mid-week break, especially if your teacher likes to play relevant movies, like Pulp Fiction and American History X.

miss Lana tells everyone they got a 20/20 on their presentation she told me that last year.. and then I saw that she actually gave me an 19/20 so don't believe everything

[Guest El_Nano]

I Find it....really interesting...it's very close to phsyicology...ad it's a subject that should create interest into all of us..

Belive me ....I wasn'nt think this at the beggining of the year..specially becuse my TOK teacher is not so good..actually is rubbish..!!

But after having studied an IB TOK course for one year and going into my last year of course I have learned many new things ....speciallly to look at the world with a critical eye..!...looking at more faces of reality...and of course the phrase that all TOK knowers have stuck into their minds...HOW DO WE KNOW?....ahaha how many time hav e I heard that phrase it's killing me...so funny... lol

[Guest xmarketax]

The stuff in TOK is actually really interesting, but the way it's taught or presented is really boring...I mean I'd read about it by myself or discuss it with my friends, but just sitting there in the lesson and listening to someone read from a textbook or the teacher talking on and on is just not it...

[Ruan Chun Xian]

but just sitting there in the lesson and listening to someone read from a textbook or the teacher talking on and on is just not it...

Poor you. You have a teacher with a boring method of teaching TOK, it seems.

TOK lessons at my school are fun (well depends on your class and whether they talk, but my class ). It's just discussion and talking and going way off topic and finding our way back to the actual topic .

[Bandev]

Yeah I agree with HMS my tok teacher was my best teacher ('was' because we have handed in oour Tok essays a month ago). He was funny and intelligent and abit mean, and he didn't use all the cliche tok language which made it much more bareable.

[Guest kris_s8]

Well my teacher is terrible. . . All we do in class is listen to him talk excitedly, then pause with a question and wait for the awkward silence to spread. ... Terrible!

[Guest ~Pauly~]

I have to go with the sugar reply, TOK is great but it depends who your teacher is....

[Guest FFLcon]

yay but I'm not crazy about it. I like it and it's a good subject but...well...it makes my head hurt sometimes I loved the Alchin book as well, it was really interesting. You know I'd probably buy it if I see it again.

Haha, the Alchin books They were cool, but i never actually really whole heartedly read them (Actually... i didn't read most of that book). I mean, the thing with TOK is... it's suppose to be a lot of personal insight and thoughts etc, and yet... I dislike how teachers and markers step in and tell you how your thinking is wrong and someone else is right. And it's worse if your teacher is somewhat biased against you. The course itself however, I find pretty challenging in a fun way.

[Guest yeemonkyaw]

sweet!!....hahaha..but i dont know exactly as to where it has brought me at the end of the day.I like the subject as such though. However, it has left an enormous impact on me that i have become an atheist.. and umm....probably a cynic and may be becoming a bit skeptical!!...However still loving it muchl!

[winter]

My TOK experience was terrible... except for the essays and presentations. I enjoyed them because it was easy - I just had to write down everything I was thinking already (I adapted something I'd previously written to create my practice essay) and hand it in. I skipped every class I could because they were BORING. Sad but true.

If the way the classes were taught was changed, or even if the teachers were interesting, it would have been at least okay. Or if we were locked in a room with a topic and no teacher. B)

[Guest mandms]

Our TOK teacher doesn't teach! She just gives out readings, and one class we even watched startrek! Do any of you have similar teachers?