Introducing TOK - a Practical Vehicle to Teach Critical, Creative and Applied

Thinking Skills

Aims

Explore the IB framework and requirements for TOK

Highlight some principles of KGV’s programme Illustrate some TOK teaching practices

Starter Activity

Who is this and what is he perhaps most well known for?

How did you know (anything)?

Reflect on the different types of ‘input’ you used

TOK refers to these as ‘Ways of Knowing’ (WOK’s)

Reflect on any specific ‘frames of reference’

TOK refers to these as ‘Areas of Knowledge’ (AOK’s)

The Rumsfeld Paradigm

‘As we know, there are known known's.

There are things we know. We also know

there are known unknowns. That is to say

there are some things we know we don’t

know. But there are also unknown

unknowns, the ones we don’t know we

don’t know.’

Your Current TOK Perspectives

Things you already know ie your ‘known known’s’

Things you know you don’t know ie your ‘known ‘unknowns’

Bonus prize to anyone who can list their ‘unknown unknowns’!

So…

Feedback from Prior Reflection Questions

1) What do you understand TOK to be ABOUT?2) What do you understand TOK to be FOR?3) Can you give an example of where you have encountered TOK

issues?4) Does being a really good (IB) teacher require you to understand

TOK?

What is TOK about?- An IBO Diagram – one of three!

Assessment

• 1200-1600 word essay

1 from 10 prescribed titles

eg. “ Evaluate the strengths

and weaknesses of

reason as a way of

knowing”.

• 10 min. oral presentation

on a real life knowledge

issue ‘of personal interest’

PREVIEW OF ‘KNOWERS & KNOWING’

What does it actually mean ‘to know’ something?You must be able to define this!

What is YOUR ‘picture of knowledge’?It might be useful to actually draw an image!

How do YOU come ‘to know’ something?Consider how this could be unique to you!

PREVIEW OF ‘WOK’S’

The ‘Ways of Knowing’ are tools and/or filters for acquiring and understanding knowledge.

KEY LEARNINGS – WOK’s are;1) ‘Double-edged swords’

a) Sources of knowledge andb) Obstacles to knowledge

2) Their roles vary within the different ‘Areasof Knowledge’.

PREVIEW OF ‘AOK’S’

The ‘Areas of Knowledge’ are subject areas

and/or disciplines in which knowledge is

frequently classified

KEY LEARNINGS – AOK’s help us to;

1) Understand the conceptual and methodological reasons for classification

2) Explore how comparisons and contrasts between disciplines serve to;

a) Clarify such partitioning of knowledge and

b) Challenge such partitioning of knowledge

What is TOK for?

Enquiring into the known Challenging the ‘obvious’

Researching detail Thinking about meaning

Defining what things are or might be Considering my experience and where I stand

Considering the implications of all this

What can it look like?

TASK 1 Your map of the world

You have 2 minutes in which to draw, as accurately and completely as you can, a map of the world.

Do your best and discover what you carry in your mind as your picture of the world. You will not be marked (or otherwise judged) on the accuracy of your map.

Be prepared to show and discuss your map of the world with others in the class.

Task Debrief

1. In what ways are your maps similar and/or different to other people’s maps?

What part of the world is in the centre? What part(s) have you drawn in the greatest

detail? Why is that? What parts of the world have you drawn in

little detail (or even left out)? Why is that?

2. Looking at your map, what can we conclude about your picture of the world?

Development: Task 2A

Consider these three ‘professional’ maps of the world:

1. Which is most familiar to you? Why?

2. Which seems most “right”? Why?

3. Do any of the maps seem “wrong”? Why?

Map 1

What ‘knowledge’ (or view) of the world does

this map convey?

Map 2

What ‘knowledge’ (or view) of the world does this map convey?

Map 3

What ‘knowledge’ (or view) of the world does

this map convey?

Task 2B

1. Watch clip 1 (T drive) What do we learn

about how country ‘size’ belies a country’s geopolitical influence on the global stage?

2. Watch clip 2 (T drive)

Task 2A/B De-briefKnowledge comes both from direct experienceand information provided by others

THREE types of knowledge:1. Experiential – i.e. knowing something by direct,

face-to-face encounter with her/him/it.2. Practical – i.e. knowing how to do something

i.e. a skill or proficiency (e.g. learning how to swim)

3. Propositional – i.e. knowledge of facts or truths stated in propositions; entirely language-dependent

e.g. knowledge that all horses are mammals (i.e. told)

TOK Journal Reflection

How have today’s mapping activity, discussion/debrief, and West Wing clips challenged:

1. Your view of knowledge?

2. Your understanding of what you know and don’t know?

3. Your own picture(s) of knowledge?