Real-life situations in ToK provide clear examples for which we can explore abstract ideas. RLS enable students to understand the construction and application of knowledge to the real world.
The Diploma program requires students to pick and discuss one real-life situation in their Theory of Knowledge essay and exhibition.
RLS aren’t a major emphasis of the ToK course. However, they do provide the framework for which students can investigate knowledge issues.
This post looks at an overview of real-life situations, where they apply, and how to choose them. We also give you some examples with their respective knowledge questions to give you an idea on how to come up with RLS with ease. Plus, we can help you apply RSL in the case where you need help with ToK essay and exhibition.
What are Real-life Situations in ToK?
Real-life situations in Theory of Knowledge are genuine and specific events from the world around you, from a news event and scientific breakthrough to a personal experience and specific cultural practices.
Anything counts as a real-life situation, as long as it’s concrete, identifiable, raises questions about knowledge. According to IBO, a real-life situation can’t be hypothetical, historical, or ambiguous.
Every real-life situation lays the foundation for exploring the different ways of knowing and areas of knowledge within the ToK framework.
Where Do Real-life Situations Apply in the ToK Framework?
Real-life situations are important in the ToK framework because they enable you to:
- Formulate knowledge questions focused on knowledge acquisition and justification.
- Apply abstract concepts to real-world contexts with the help of RLS.
- Explore the ways in which different cultures and people understand and interpret a similar situation in different ways.
Because real-life situations are central to making ToK meaningful and relevant, IBDP students are able to reflect on the nature of knowledge and the application of knowledge to everyday life.
How to Choose a Real-life Situation
Before you settle on a real-life situation, identify an area of knowledge where the situation would apply and a way of knowing most relevant to it.
Then, ensure the RLS is compelling, controversial, relevant, and simple. More importantly, ensure you’re original and specific when choosing your RLS.
Consider Your Interest
You most probably have come across things that intrigue you, and these translate to personal experiences. In our view, good presentations draw from real-life experiences, mostly because people draw into situations to which they can easily relate.
If anything, remember that RLS in ToK are mainly from daily interactions.
Use Your Intuition and General Knowledge
Look up at something that draws your attention, especially if it’s something you’ve always wanted to explore and know.
Draw your information from several relevant sources. Consider anything that feels intriguing from your community, and don’t hesitate to look into international events, as long as the events are well known and available in public repositories.
Make Your RLS Compelling
Consider your audience, your audience, and yourself when selecting a real-life situation in Theory of Knowledge.
Identify a circumstance that intrigues on all level, so you can easily include all stakeholders in the analysis of knowledge issue associated with the situation.
Add Some Controversy
In addition to being precise, succinct, and engaging, ensure your RLS is contentious to elicit discussion from the onset.
A controversial real-life situation generates different and competing points of view. Additionally, a controversial RLS enables you to analyze an essay topic or an exhibition prompt from different perspectives using appropriate Theory of Knowledge techniques.
Consider Relevance
Incorporate a real-life situation into your analysis if it enables you to explain how an overall analysis applies to a context larger than the current situation.
By choosing a highly relevant RLS, you elevate your work to a much higher level that earns good points in your essay and exhibition.
Keep It Simple
Don’t choose a situation that demands extensive explanation. Instead, select a concise and specialized state that involves a knowledge issue, which you can discuss in simplicity.
To make things easier, consider a situation in which you have a firm footing, especially if it’s something based on your personal experience.
For example, say your ToK instructor has asked you to research an aspect of IB Psychology. If you’d explored an aspect such as what men and women seek for in a spouse, it becomes easier for you to identify simpler themes to examine.
Be Original and Specific
Avoid real-life examples that appear on previously published documents. Consider ideas that haven’t become cliché instead.
These ideas can be from quotes, known facts, or stories. While originality doesn’t mean the best way, it demonstrates you took the time to conduct in-depth research.
Lastly, the RLS has to be explicitly specific, meaning you have to settle for an example that relays the intended information as quickly as possible, particularly because people have a lower attention span these days.
What Are Some Real-life Examples in Theory of Knowledge?
The following table shows some real-life situation examples relevant to Theory of Knowledge along with their respective knowledge issues or simply KQ:
| Real-life Situation | Knowledge Issue/ Question |
1. | The assassination of the 35th US President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy | In what way can we separate myth from reality in history? |
2. | The relationship between cumulative smoking and cancer | In what way does emotional hinder or contribute to our understanding of correlation? |
3. | The 1,178 artworks of Salvador Dali | How much do we need to know about an artist to recognize and understand his or her art? |
4. | India changing the name of some of its cities | To what extent do labels affect our perception? |
5. | Making History a compulsory subject in school to students 16 years and under | To what extend should teachers rank academic disciplines based on their usefulness? |
6. | The end of cold war according to the song Wind of Change | In what way does art affect our perception on current events? |
These examples are by no means a complete list but simply inspiration to help you discover more RLS and their related issues to investigate in your ToK assessments.