TOK - Theory of Knowledge.

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TOK - Theory of Knowledge.
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What is TOK?

• The TOK course challenges students and their
  teachers to reflect critically on diverse ways of
  knowing and areas of knowledge and to consider
  the role knowledge plays in a global society. It
  encourages students to become aware of themselves
  as thinkers to become aware of the complexity of
  knowledge and to recognize the need to act
  responsibility in an increasingly interconnected
  world.

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Key Questions.

• How do I, or how do we, know that a given
  assertion is true, a belief is reasonable, or a
  given judgment is well grounded?
• How do we know what we know?

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The International Baccalaureate

• A rigorous pre-university course.
• 6 academic areas surrounding a core.
• Maintains balance.
• Encourages development in all academic areas.

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Relationship of TOK within the IB.

• TOK is at the core of the IB programme.
• It sits alongside the extended essay and CAS.
• It is designed to develop a coherent approach to
  learning which transcends and unifies the
  academic areas an encourages appreciation of
  other cultural perspectives.

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Interdisciplinary and relevant to personal
experience!
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Helps you to think differently.
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Questions how you see things
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Looks for different answers..
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Suggests a reasoned approach to personal
decisions
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Questions our ethical choices.
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The TOK Diagram

• You are at the center of the diagram.
• Your ways of knowing help you explore and
  interpret the world
• The areas of knowledge are the disciplines
  knowledge is classified.

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Assessment

• Essays 1200-1600 words
• Presentation
• No Homework but journal done online
• Class participation

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• Make a list of 5 things which you know
• and
• 5 things you would like to know

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Now decide..

• Which items on your first list do you know
  through
• School? Experience? Observation? Practice?
• Reasoning? Religious means? Other means?
• Which items on your second list will you
• Never know
• Probably never know
• Probably know at some point
• Definitely know at some point

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Some topic areas

• The following slides show just a few of the
  topics covered in the TOK course.

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Ways of Knowing Emotion
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Ways of Knowing Reason
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Ways of Knowing - Perception
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Ways of Knowing - Language

• It is very important that you learn about
  traxoline. Traxoline is a new form of zionter.
  It is montilled in Ceristanna. The Ceristannians
  gristeriate large amounts of fevon and then
  bracter it to quasel traxoline. Traxoline may
  well be one of our most lukized snezlaus in the
  future of our zionter lescelidge.

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History - What is a historic fact?

• What is history?
• What is meant by the history of the world is the
  history of the privileged few?
• Why study history?
• What value judgements can be made from historic
  events?

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Art and Artists How do we know what
constitutes good art?
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Ethics.

• These two bear cubs are waiting
  to be boiled
  alive.
  Businessmen take package tours
• where they attend ceremonies in
• which bear cubs are boiled alive,
• slowly, and their paws are then
• eaten, the belief being that this
• makes male humans more virile.
• No comment.
• As of December 31,1999, the death penalty was
  authorized by 38 states and the Federal
  Government. Texas leads nation in the number of
  executions since death penalty was reinstated in
  1976.Texas, California, and Florida have the
  largest death row populations.3,581 offenders
  were under sentence of death in the United States
  as of December 31, 2001.There are five methods of
  execution in the United States lethal injection,
  electrocution, lethal gas, hanging, and firing
  squad.

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Class Ground Rules for TOK

• TOK lessons are different to other lessons
  skills based (debating, argument, reasoning)
  rather than content.
• Mutual Respect is paramount
• Disagreement is normal
• Tolerance is vital
• Openness is crucial

• Not knowing and not understanding is ok
• Changing positions is fine
• Participation is crucial
• Rules for Debates is not win
• Communication is two way
• Negotiation is vital
• Curiosity is good

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Lesson Style.

• Discussions
• Note taking
• Exercises
• Presentations
• Research
• Role-play
• Music
• PowerPoint
• Student input is mandatory

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Thank you for your time and concentration.

• The TOK Department.