On Thursday 29th June, Bedford School hosted this year’s Theory of Knowledge (TOK) exhibition for Lower Sixth students of both BGS and Bedford School. 

Lower Sixth IB student, Alex Gentry reflected about the event:

“In our theory of knowledge exhibition, IB students from BGS and Bedford School came together in Bedford School’s library to each present three objects of their choosing, relating to one of the 35 prompts supplied by the IB which encouraged investigation into not solely the subject specific knowledge that is examined in the Diploma programme, but wider questions about knowledge and the knower. Having attended last year’s cohort’s theory of knowledge exhibition, I thoroughly enjoyed taking a more active part in this year’s display.  

“What impressed me the most was the wide range of topics covered in the exhibition. From the scientific method to the power of language, the students investigated different areas of knowledge, allowing for alternative perspectives to be adopted even when answering the same question. Each exhibit provided a unique perspective and encouraged visitors to think about their own beliefs and ideas. Some of the prompts used were ‘What role do experts play in the consumption or acquisition of knowledge?’ and ‘Is bias inevitable in the production of knowledge?’, and it was very interesting how students could take these questions in different directions, under different themes and areas of knowledge.

“One exhibit that stood out to me included a painting which appeared, at least to me, as someone who is far from being an art student, to be a canvas painted with stripes of red paint. While at first this object’s contribution to an exhibition could seem immaterial, the student discussed how our interaction with others could affect the knowledge we gain from the piece of art, a concept I had not previously considered.

“Overall, the joint TOK exhibition between Bedford School and Bedford Girl's School was a strong success. It not only allowed the students to showcase their personal growth throughout the Theory of Knowledge course and development in creative thinking and ability to structure and argument, but also fostered a sense of community and collaboration between the two schools. Personally, the exhibition reminded me of the importance of questioning what we know and being open to new ideas.”

View photos from the exhibition here.