How do I know what I know?

Dare to excel, do not limit your skills: become an IB student.

By: Sofía Von Bertrab

6th semester IB student

Where did you get the knowledge you have today? Your answer will probably be: school. However, who assures you that everything you have learned so far is true? Have you ever questioned the knowledge of your classes? We tend to take school knowledge as absolute truth, and really, all knowledge deserves to be questioned. With the IB Diploma Program we seek to form young people who rethink what they have learned and who live in a constant search for knowledge; we call these young people "knowledge actors" Would you like to be one of them?

To find out if your profile matches that of an IB student, I invite you to continue reading this article that I have prepared to share, with boys and girls like you, some of the benefits that, as a student of an IB school, you would have access to if you accept the challenge of the IB Diploma Program, specifically benefits that derive from a particular subject: TOK (Theory of Knowledge) or TOK (Theory of Knowledge). Throughout this article I will detail the reasons why, from my personal experience as a sixth semester IB student at the University of Celaya High School -which offers the IB Diploma-, it is worth being part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) community. If you are ready, read on and I'll tell you more...!

In the IB Diploma Program, great importance is given to three subjects that are the heart of the program:Extended Essay ( EE), Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) andTheory of Knowledge (TOK) and, from my experience, the latter (TOK) I believe is key to academic and personal life because of the great benefits it provides us as IB students, which I will describe below.  

TOK focuses on a branch of philosophy better known as cognoseology, through which it is expected that as a student you develop skills that help us to further understand knowledge, generating ideas based on a deep way and avoiding staying in the superficial. The aim is to instruct young people to study the origin, nature, foundations and limits of human knowledge.

Class dynamics are usually interactive, in this course you will have a space to share your opinion on the different topics addressed. The central question is "How do we know?", you will question your position in different situations and enrich your opinion by listening to different perspectives of your classmates.

Profile of knowledge stakeholders

InquirersSolidarity
InformedGood communicators
BalancedThinkers
BoldReflective
intactOpen-minded

The IB Diploma Program wants to find people willing to push boundaries, to achieve goals and to excel as a person. A knowledge actor is someone motivated to understand more about the world and societies around us, someone with curiosity. It is not just a matter of knowing, in the course the knowledge actors will seek to deepen this knowledge, to ask themselves how they obtained it and how they apply it in their daily lives.

What benefits will I obtain with Theory of Knowledge (ToK)?

The IB Diploma Program has great tools to offer; for example, skills that can be applied in your day to day life. The benefits of the IB Diploma Program are greater than one would imagine and, as a student of Prepa IB at the University of Celaya, here I tell you what they are: 

You will reflect critically

You will create a more objective judgment, you will judge knowledge from a neutral position in order to be able to form a reasoned opinion about it. You will learn to get feedback from different points of view, to respect the diversity of opinions, you will form a more rigorous criterion to identify what information is from reliable sources and what knowledge you decide to believe in.

One of the activities we had in class that most demonstrates this applied characteristic was with the subject of history. Have you ever wondered if we can really trust the history books provided by the educational system? Many times history is told from the government's perspective, causing a manipulation of information, as it seeks to create a sense of nationalism by making historical figures look like "heroes and villains".

You will learn to enrich yourself with different perspectives.

You will develop an open mind that allows you to understand that knowledge can come from everywhere, from all cultures and from all kinds of things. Knowledge can be gained from friends, family, acquaintances, experiences, books, reports, news, movies... everything around us can provide us with something valuable. You will learn in the course about different cultures and traditions, immersing yourself in new worlds that seem far away from the reality you live in. The world is immense and each individual perceives it in a unique way.

TOK tests usually involve a lot of thinking and are also developed in teams. A video or image will be provided along with questions to which you will have to give an answer. These exams usually have topics that affect society, being team work you will have to reach a conclusion with the different opinions of each team member, learning to listen and respect other perspectives in the process.

You will recognize the need to use your knowledge in a responsible manner.

All knowledge is applied and we must be aware of it, informing you of the consequences of your actions is part of using knowledge responsibly. You will see topics with great moral debates, where you will question what limitations knowledge should have, what risks there are in the search for knowledge and also discover more about the nature of the human being.

As already mentioned, the TOK subject usually covers many societal issues, so it is important to instill in students the responsible use of our knowledge. Topics such as genetic modification, nanotechnology or cellular aging will be touched upon, looking at the benefits and also the dangers of these scientific advances. They can help us a lot and at the same time have interesting ethical debates when applied.

You will apply your knowledge with greater awareness

You will identify how you make use of your knowledge and also devise ways to help your community with your skills, become more aware of the knowledge you possess and see what you contribute to the world. We all have something to contribute, we just need to learn to value our skills in order to develop them.

The subject will always encourage helping our community, for example, in the subject we talked about the care of water and based on this topic, we made an analysis of how much water we consume in our daily lives. Likewise, each student made three proposals to save water and use it more effectively.

You will generate better informed ideologies and opinions

You will get to know yourself in the process, in the search for a better understanding of knowledge you will learn about different topics in which you will be able to generate your own opinion, you will identify which values you promote and you will reflect on the reason for this. The course will require a lot of interaction, formulating opinions in different situations. You will learn about different types of arguments and you will also learn how to develop opinions so that your message reaches the receiver effectively.

You will observe the world in a different way

Theory of knowledge opens your mind to a new world of infinite possibilities; you will learn from diverse areas, focusing on how this knowledge is applied in society. How does art influence our lives? How does history affect the search for knowledge? How does politics influence our values? These questions that will be developed along the way will change you completely, will give you a better reasoning to question the world.

One of the most interesting activities that my generation experienced was going to an indigenous village near Celaya, in that adventure we learned about the traditions of the natives, their clothing, their gastronomy, their perspectives, their handicrafts. Experiences like these make you make a 180° turn in your life, they take you out of a bubble to discover that in the world there is much more than what surrounds you.

Is Theory of Knowledge worthwhile?

The subject goes beyond being part of the IB Diploma Program, this subject will give you tools in the two years of study that it entails. It will make you see the world from a different perspective, a great advantage is that you will learn how the process of knowing is rather than just learning concepts and facts. Skills such as critical thinking, the ability to share your ideas with others in an assertive way, confidence about your opinions, questioning about social issues; these skills can be developed and used to the fullest. It will be an unforgettable experience, as you will enter a higher educational level in the pursuit of knowledge . You will go deeper in your opinions, you will reflect and your way of understanding the world will no longer be the same. So without a doubt I can say that YES, Theory of Knowledge is worth it because of all the learning it will give you. Dare to become an actor of knowledge, do not doubt your abilities, develop them.

If you are interested in receiving more information about the IB Diploma Program at the University of Celaya, please contact us at https://www.udec.edu.mx/prepa-uni/ If you have any questions or concerns that you or your parents may have about this program, please feel free to contact the IB Diploma Program Coordinator at Uni de Celaya: Alejandra Núñez via email at: alenugo@udec.edu.mx or by phone +52 (461) 613 90 99 Ext. 1411.