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TOK introduction

Objective: to give students a grounding in key TOK approaches and concepts in preparation for beginning the IB
course in Y12. It also aims to encourage them to reflect on their construction of knowledge in their school and
personal lives.

Key vocabulary and notions

Knowledge Claim – ‘We all make knowledge claims, every time we claim to know something. There are many
different types, for example, they may be specific or general, concrete or abstract, explicit or implicit.’

Sprod, Tim, and Antonia Melvin. IB Prepared - Theory of Knowledge. Cardiff: IBO, 2010. Print

Knowledge issue – ‘A knowledge issue is an inquiry that arises from wondering about the status of one of our
knowledge claims. It often arises from a question that could start with “How can we know…?”

Sprod, Tim, and Antonia Melvin. IB Prepared - Theory of Knowledge. Cardiff: IBO, 2010. Print

Certain – when something is certain it is established beyond doubt or question.

Ambiguous – open to more than one interpretation, doubtful or uncertain.

Real life situation – a situation from the real world where we can examine knowledge claims.

Key questions

To what extent can we create a specific definition of knowledge that will accurately describe what it is in all
situations, all the time? Will this definition distinguish it from other things such as belief?

To what extent is it reasonable to believe that nothing is certain?


Lesson one: Thinking about knowledge

Objective: to assess the students’ initial understanding of what knowledge is, and how it is constructed and
justified.

Assessment

1. Teacher observation of students in class and group discussion


2. Student TOK diagrams

Learning experience Teacher questions and action Student Action

TOK provocation video Guiding question: what is Watch video and take notes relevant
knowledge? to guiding question
Show video: pause at key points to Participate in class discussion
ask questions and lead discussion. Students may break off into groups
Facilitate discussion about key at various points to engage in
points. discussion of questions the teacher
feels require more time to reflect
upon
Design a diagram to show how we as Show students basic diagram Discuss in groups how we gain
individuals gain knowledge. What is the origin of knowledge? knowledge
How does it reach us as individuals? Design diagrams individually

Resources to students Resources for Teachers

TOK provocation video TOK diagram rubric


Basic TOK diagram
Lesson 2: everyday knowledge

Objective: to enhance the students’ understanding of the processes by which they gather or create knowledge they
use on a day to day basis.

Learning experience Teacher questions and action Student Action

http://shades.playsleuth.com/ Quickly create a character (or use Try to solve the crime. Keep track of
Tom Own Knowles, password: who they think the murderer is at
It is likely that students will use TOKSTC for more difficult cases) and each point, with reasons.
various faculties and techniques, have the class play an investigation
which might include: (tutorial is fine) together. Keep track of what
faculties/abilities/processes/techniqu
Sense perception – examining the Teacher takes suggestions as to es they use.
scene actions from students. Students need
Hypotheses – theories as to the to give very specific instructions
criminal which they test (look in the pot etc.). Make sure
Deduction student instructions relate use real
Questioning world language. E.g. ‘Look at the pot’
Intuition (hunches) is ok. ‘Hover the mouse over the
Inference plank’ is not.
Cross-referencing
What faculties or abilities do you use
to gain knowledge about the
situation.

At a the crime scene?

In other places etc?

At various points in the investigation,


stop the class and ask them who
they think the murderer is. Ask them
to give their reasons.

Lead class discussion after game is


completed (if this is taking too much
time, the game can be stopped early,
once students have enough ideas
about how knowledge is gained)

Transcribe
faculties/techniques/processes on
board

Ask students to examine their beliefs


early in the game. Look at their
reasons for what they thought. What
were they founded on? Guesswork?
Prejudice?

Examine normal life Students brainstorm: How do we use


these processes in everyday life?
Lesson 3 Knowledge claims and knowledge issues

Objectives:

Students can identify implicit and explicit knowledge claims

Students can identify simple knowledge issues

Learning experience Teacher questions and action Student Action

Introduce knowledge claims Provide definition and examples of implicit and


explicit knowledge claims (see IB Prepared TOK
pp.12-13 for definitions and examples)
Watch the first 1:45 of The Institute of What statements are being made that relate to Create a T-chart,
Noetic Science – A world transforming ourselves or the world? identifying implicit
and explicit
http://www.youtube.com/watch? What implicit knowledge do we see being acted on? knowledge claims
v=7Acgvjw2s5k from the video.

Example:

Implicit Explicit
There is The
no molecul
atmosph es of
ere on Mitchell’
the s body
moon had
(wearing been
space prototyp
suits) ed in
some
It is ancient
possible generati
to gain on of
knowled stars.
ge
through Samadhi
epiphany is a
and feeling
inspiratio of joy
n and
(inferenc ecstasy
e from
stateme Samadhi
nt: is life
‘Instead changin
of an g
intellectu
al The
experien base
ce, it was esoteric
a experien
personal ce is the
feeling’) same in
every
culture
Introduction to Knowledge Issues Introduce knowledge issues (detailed on same page
as knowledge claims)

Explain that simple knowledge issues often arise


from problems or omissions in evidence,
justification and explanation
Identifying common issues Refer students back to the ways of knowing that Students choose four
they identified in previous lessons and in the TOK key ways of knowing
diagram. from their flowcharts
and identify cases or
Ask students to consider common problems that examples where they
might relate to the ways of knowing they have might fail.
established.

e.g. authority is no guarantee of accuracy – c.f.


David Deutsch in previous video;

sense perception is easily fooled:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAXm0dIuyug

memory is unreliable:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=il0u2s_WGXA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAXm0dIuyug
2mins to 7 mins

If students are struggling, provide examples from


the videos above.

Continue watching the noetic science Work with students to support their analysis of the Students select 3
video, identifying knowledge issues knowledge claims and their justification. important knowledge
and their justifications, explanations claims from the
and evidence. video, noting the
justification.
Alternatively, watch one of the videos
on memory which also contain many They should then
knowledge claims. analyse the claims,
identifying the
justification or
evidence for the
claims and
establishing the ways
of knowing upon
which these
justifications depend.

Next they should


identify any issues,
ambiguities or
uncertainties with the
knowledge claims and
their justifications.

Finally, students
should identify how (if
at all) they might
address these
ambiguities.

e.g. check credentials


of sources, cross-
reference.
HW: reflection – to
what extent do you
agree with David
Deutsch, that when
trying to form an
opinion, ‘the rational
thing for a layman to
do is to take seriously
the prevailing
scientific theory.’ Is
this statement
equally true in all
contexts?

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