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Ways of Knowing Final Project

Ways of Knowing Final Project

Review what we have learned about all the Ways of Knowing:

Perception

Language

Reason

Emotion

Imagination

Memory

Faith

Intuition

In groups of 3-5 people each, prepare a ten-to- twelve presentation (no longer than twelve minutes), including a PowerPoint, on the most important ways five Ways Of Knowing can help and hinder our gaining of knowledge. You should include as many examples as possible. Your presentation should include Perception, Language, Reason, Emotion and your choice of one from the remaining four.

You will also have to begin your presentation by defining knowledge and end it by explaining which WOK you think is the most important one.

You will five days to prepare and practice your presentation.

You will have one week to prepare your presentation. Everyone should have a speaking role using index cards. Your PowerPoints will be posted on the blog for viewing by other TOK classes.

Please upload your presentation to Authorstream and post the link to it in the comments section of this post.

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Student Towers

Students had to build towers with two sheets of paper, a 10 inch piece of tape, ten paper clips, and a scissors — without talking, and complete it in twenty minutes. We were studying what ideas could — and couldn’t — be communicated with gestures. The group in the first picture won the contest by building the tallest one.

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Support Resources For The May, 2014 Essay Titles

Here are three useful resources for the May, 2014 Essay Titles:

Theory of Knowledge Dot Net has some good guidance on each question.

IB TOK Spot also has some good resources.

TOK Tutors continue to regularly send out new resources for each question:


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ToK Prescribed Essay Titles (May 2014)

1. Ethical judgments limit the methods available in the production of knowledge in both the arts and the natural sciences. Discuss.

2. “When the only tool you have is a hammer, all problems begin to resemble nails” (Abraham Maslow). How might this apply to ways of knowing, as tools, in the pursuit of knowledge?

3. “Knowledge is nothing more the systematic organization of facts.” Discuss this statement in relation to two areas of knowledge.

4. “That which is accepted as knowledge today is sometimes discarded tomorrow.” Consider some of the knowledge issues raised by this statement in two areas of knowledge.

5. “The historian’s task is to understand the past; the human scientist, by contrast, is looking to change the future.” To what extent is this true in these two areas of knowledge.

6. “A skeptic is one who is willing to question any knowledge claim, asking for clarity in definition, consistency in logic and adequacy of evidence” (adapted from Paul Kurtz, 1994). Evaluate this approach in two areas of knowledge.

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Theory Of Knowledge Schedule 2013-14

Theory Of Knowledge Schedule 2013-14

Mr. Ferlazzo’s Email Address: mrferlazzo@aol.com

Homework:

You must have a binder that is kept up to date and divided into the different Ways of Knowing and Areas of Knowledge.  You should keep separate “Warm-Up” sheets for each of them, too.   I will periodically check binders.

Read assigned chapters.  For each one, write what you think are the three most important points and why you think they are important (two sentences for each one is sufficient), two short key quotes and at least a sentence explaining why you chose each one, and two questions you have.  In addition, you must choose one “linking question” at the end of each chapter and write an “ABC” paragraph responding to it.  “A” means answer the question; “B” means back it up with at least one piece of evidence from the chapter; “C” means make a comment/connection — share an informed opinion based on what you learned from the chapter and connect it to something else you know from something you read or experienced.  Homework will be shared in class.  Most of this will be done in January, and then the focus during the second semester will be the group presentation and essay.

Occasional assignments on TOK Class Blog (https://theoryofknowledge.edublogs.org/)

Group TOK Presentation – It will be videotaped. Substantial time in class will be provided to prepare, but outside time will also be needed.  Your grade on this group presentation will be one of the two components of your official grade from IB.  You will make two group presentations on two different topics .  The one with the higher grade will count.

TOK Essay – At least one essay where substantial time in class will be provided (assuming we can get access to computer lab), but outside time will also be needed.

If you are an IB Diploma candidate or are seeking an IB TOK Certificate, you will also have to write a TOK essay in the fall of 2014 during your senior year that will be submitted to IB and will comprise the second component of your official IB grade (the Group Presentation will be the other portion).

This schedule is subject to change in consultation with the class.

SEPTEMBER:

  • Introduction to TOK
  • The Problem and Nature Of Knowledge, p. 3-40 — two chapters (homework due 9/16)
  • CAS Plan developed
  • Knowledge Issues
  • Allegory of the Cave
  • Perception p. 88 -105 (homework due 9/23) – also, do the assignment on the blog titled “Why Do People Believe What They See?” by the same date.

 

OCTOBER

  • Language p. 47-79 (homework due October 7th)
  • Reason and Logic  p. 111-141 (homework due Oct. 14th)
  • Emotions p. 145-169 (homework due Oct. 21th)
  • Imagination, Faith, Intuition & Memory (no homework)

 

NOVEMBER:

  • Math p. 187-213 (homework due November 4th)
  • The Arts p.328- 356 (homework due Nov. 11th)
  • CAS Review
  • History p. 300-322 (homework due Nov. 18th)

 

DECEMBER:

  • Ethics p. 363-396 (homework due Dec. 9th)
  • Natural Sciences p. 220-250 (homework due December 16th)

 

JANUARY:

  • Human Sciences p. 256-288 (homework due January 6th)
  • Religious Knowledge Systems p. 403- 431 (homework due January 13th)
  • Indigenous Knowledge Systems (no homework)
  • TOK Presentation Planning – Decide on topic and group by January 24th. Assuming we can get access to the computer lab or laptops, you will have four class periods each week to work on it for four weeks. Your written plan will be due on February 10th.

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FEBRUARY

  • You will make your presentation in late-February.  Presentations will be video-recorded
  • CAS Review
  • The class will decide if it wants to move immediately into preparation for the second Presentation or if it wants to spend the first two weeks of March “teaching lessons.”

For teaching lessons, small groups will pick from a wide choice of materials for each Way of Knowing and Area of Knowledge.  Each week, groups will prepare short lessons on the material they chose to present to a small group.  You will be provided a guideline, and creativity will be encouraged.  You will have one class period to chose and  prepare; there will be one-to-two class periods to present.

 

MARCH/APRIL:

  • First two weeks of student-created lessons or immediately begin preparing second presentations.
  • Begin work on TOK Essay in late April

 

MAY:

  • Work on Essay
  • Essay due on June 9th

 

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Perception Tests

Take these tests. Write in the comments what, if anything, you learned, and if you agree with the results:

Go to Project Implicit. Go to the Demonstration tests. Sign-up, and take the Race Test. It’s the last one on the list. Do you agree with its conclusions? Why or Why not? What do the results say about how perception affects what we believe? Leave your answers in the comments section of this post.

Follow the instructions in this video and work with a partner.

Lab In The Wild

Test My Brain

Games With Words

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Two More Assignments For Final Project

As we’ve discussed, you must choose two out of three options for your final project. They must be completed by Wednesday, June 12th. You will have all the time in class beginning from June 3rd and ending on June 12th (you will have the first hour on June 12th) to complete them.

One option is the Explain It Like I’m Five project. You may do that alone or in pairs.

Another option is “The Ways Of Knowing & Areas Of Knowledge As A List.” For that project, write what you think are the six most important words for each of the WOK’s and AOK’s. In addition to listing the words, you need to define them and explain why you believe each one deserves to be one of the six most important words to understand the topic. You also have to illustrate the one word you think is most important and explain why you think it’s the most important. You may do this project alone or in pairs. Here’s an example of a similar project.

The third option is a modified version of the “What If?” history project we did earlier in the year. For this project, however, you must respond to this question (taken from Science Magazine):

You can travel back in time to share one piece of scientific knowledge from today. Where do you go? Describe the date and place you choose, the information you share, and how it might change the course of history. (Assume that the people you visit will understand and believe you!)

Make a slideshow similar to one you made in the earlier project, and lay-out the different ways history might be changed. Use the same format. You may do this project alone or in pairs.

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“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough”

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough” is often attributed incorrectly to Albert Einstein, though he did say something similar.

In addition to your ten words final project, you are going to apply this quotation in class.

You will choose one concept from each of the Ways of Knowing and explain it to five year-old. Reddit has a series of videos called “Explain It Like I’m Five,” which provide good examples. You may perform in class, create a video, make animations using one of these easy tools; create comic strips using these tools; make a PowerPoint to go along with a presentation; use this Google Docs story tool, or do something else (that has to be approved by Mr. Ferlazzo).

Any performance, video or presentation should last no longer than four minutes.

You may work alone or in pairs.

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San Francisco Field Trip Assignment

A group of space aliens have arrived during our San Francisco field trip. They do not understand English and, in fact, do not appear to have anything like a language.

Your job is to prepare a slideshow showing how you are explaining to them each of the four Ways Of Knowing (emotion, reason, language, perception) and each of the Areas of Knowledge (math, arts, history, ethics, physical science, human sciences). You can not use any written or spoken language. You must take images, and explain briefly in text each image and how it is showing them what each WOK and each AOK is.

For example, you could show history by taking a photo of a brand new building, then one of a medium-aged building, and then one of a very old one.

Try to incorporate San Francisco landmarks.

Here’s an example:

SAN FRANCISCO

More PowerPoint presentations from Sabreena
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Oral Presentation Schedule

The Oral Presentation Schedule will be similar in 2015. We’ll start on February 23rd, with the guinea pig group presenting during the week of March 23rd and everyone else will present the week of April 6th and the following week.

Here is our Oral Presentation Planning Schedule:

Week of February 4th:

Introduction to Oral Presentation

Read Oral Presentation Guide and discuss.

Read this guide and discuss.

Read these this guide and this guide and discuss.

Read this guide and discuss:

Giving a Good TOK Presentation by Michael Smith

Review Revised Oral Presentation Outline

Review Oral Presentation Outline Model.

Review this Oral Presentation PowerPoint (found online by a student)

Watch an oral presentation and one from last year’s class:

Here’s a link that won’t be blocked by YouTube Safety Mode: TOK Presentation

Watch Presentation On Preparing For The TOK Oral Presentation.

Decide on partners and general topic.

Week of February 11th:

Identify Knowledge Issues (Problems of Knowledge) and begin developing draft outline

Go to TOK Guide starting at page 34

Review What Is A Knowledge Issue?

Review Excellent Examples Of Knowledge Issues For Oral Presentation

Review Excellent Models Of Student TOK Oral Presentation Outlines

Review Nobody Wants To Hear Your Academic Gobbledygook

Learn about telling stories at the second half of The Best Digital (& Non-Digital) Storytelling Resources.

Week Of February 18th:

Complete draft outline & begin learning about, and preparing, PowerPoint

Only after draft outline is submitted, begin reviewing Student Models Of PowerPoints For Oral Presentations

Review The Best Sources Of Advice For Making Good Presentations

Review Final Hints For Oral Presentation & PowerPoint and Oral Presentations Update.

Draft outlines returned with comments.

Decision made on “guinea pig” groups to present the following week.

Week of February 26th

Guinea pig groups present and are publicly critiqued. Rest of class has remainder of week to finalize their presentations. Names picked out of hat to determine presentation schedule.

Week of March 4th

Presentations

Week of March 11th

Finish presentations and prepare for second ones.

Weeks of March 18th & 25th

Second Presentations

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How History Is Shaped By The Ways Of Knowing

In a “Jigsaw” activity, groups read histories of World War Two, the Middle East conflict, and the Mexican American War that were told from different perspectives. They then prepared presentations on how language, emotion, reason, and perception all affected how those histories were told.

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Instructions For Day When Mr. Ferlazzo Is Not Here

TOK Blog Instructions

IMPORTANT CHANGE: Go to this post on Knowledge issues and follow the instructions.

2) First, click on “perception” under categories and do the homework if you haven’t done so already.

3) Look through the following sections on the blog’s sidebar. Write down between five and ten things you find interesting, and explain why you think it’s interesting. Please write them down on a piece of paper:

“What is TOK?”

“Perception”

“Language”

“Knowledge”

“CAS”

“Reason”

“Emotion”

Anything else that looks interesting

Old blog posts

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TOK Essay Prompts For May, 2013 Released!

May 2013

Theory of knowledge prescribed titles

Instructions to candidates

Your theory of knowledge essay for examination must be submitted to your teacher for authentication. It must be written on one of the six titles (questions) provided below. You may choose any title, but are recommended to consult with your teacher. Your essay will be marked according to the assessment criteria published in the Theory of Knowledge guide. The focus of your essays should be on knowledge issues. Where appropriate, refer to other parts of your IB programme and to your experiences as a knower. Always justify your statements and provide relevant examples to illustrate your arguments. Pay attention to the implications of your arguments, and remember to consider what can be said against them. If you use external sources, cite them according to a recognized convention.

Note that statements in quotations in these titles are not necessarily authentic: they present a real point of view but may not be direct quotes. It is appropriate to analyse them but it is unnecessary, even unwise, to spend time on researching a context for them.

Examiners mark essays against the title as set. Respond to the title exactly as given; do not alter it in any way.

Your essay must be between 1200 and 1600 words in length, double spaced and typed in size 12 font.

1. In what ways may disagreement aid the pursuit of knowledge in the natural and human sciences?

2. “Only seeing general patterns can give us knowledge. Only seeing particular examples can give us understanding.” To what extent do you agree with these assertions?

3. “The possession of knowledge carries an ethical responsibility.” Evaluate this claim.

4. The traditional TOK diagram indicates four ways of knowing. Propose the inclusion of a fifth way of knowing selected from intuition, memory or imagination, and explore the knowledge issues it may raise in two areas of knowledge.

5. “That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.” (Christopher Hitchens). Do you agree?

6. Can we know when to trust our emotions in the pursuit of knowledge? Consider history and one other area of knowledge.

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TOK Class Schedule 2012-13

Theory Of Knowledge Schedule 2011-12

Homework:

Read assigned chapters. For each one, write what you think are the three most important points and why you think they are important (two sentences for each one is sufficient), two short key quotes and at least a sentence explaining why you chose each one, and two questions you have. In addition, you must choose one “linking question” at the end of each chapter and write an “ABC” paragraph responding to it. “A” means answer the question; “B” means back it up with at least one piece of evidence from the chapter; “C” means make a connection — share a personal experience that supports your answer. Homework will be shared in class. Most of this will be done by January. After that time, “homework” will be primarily preparation for TOK Presentation & Essay. However, substantial class time will be made available for you to work on the presentation and essay.

Occasional assignments on TOK Class Blog

Group TOK Presentation – give it twice with the higher-grade counting. Each will be videotaped. Substantial time in class will be provided to prepare, but outside time will also be needed.

TOK Essay – At least one essay where substantial time in class will be provided (assuming we can get access to computer lab), but outside time will also be needed.

This schedule is subject to change in consultation with the class.

SEPTEMBER:

• Introduction to TOK
• The Problem and Nature Of Knowledge, p. 3-40 (homework due 9/14)
• CAS Plan developed
• Knowledge Issues
• Perception p. 88 -105 (homework due 9/21) – also, do the assignment on the blog titled “Why Do People Believe What They See?” by the same date.
• Language p. 47-79 (homework due September 28th)

OCTOBER

• Reason and Logic p. 111-141 (homework due Oct. 5th)
• Emotions p. 145-169 (homework due Oct. 12th)
• Math p. 187-213 (homework due Oct. 19th)
• The Arts p.328- 356 (homework due Oct. 26th)

NOVEMBER:

• CAS Review
• History p. 300-322 (homework due Nov. 9th)
• Ethics p. 363-396 (homework due Nov 16th)

DECEMBER:

• Natural Sciences p. 220-250 (homework due November 30th)
• Human Sciences p. 256-288 (homework due December 7th)
• TOK Presentation Planning – Decide on topic and group by December 14th. Assuming we can get access to the computer lab, you will one class period each week to work on it, plus two periods immediately prior to when presentations begin – a total of eight class periods. Your written plan will be due on January 18th , but I strongly recommend that you review a draft with me prior to December 20th – if not sooner.

You will make this presentation in late January and early February next semester, and then again shortly afterwards. The one with the higher grade will count. Presentations will be video-recorded.

JANUARY:

• Starting this month and going until the end of the school year, small groups will pick from a wide choice of materials for each Way of Knowing and Area of Knowledge. Each week, groups will prepare short lessons on the material they chose to present to the class – either to another small group or to the entire class. You will be provided a guideline, and creativity will be encouraged. You will have one class period to chose and prepare; there will be one-to-two class periods to present; and the remaining days each week will be spent on your TOK presentation or essay.
• Student-created lessons on perception during the week of January 6th
• Student-created lessons on language during the week of January 13th
• Prepare TOK Presentations
• Written TOK Presentation Plan due January 18th
• Draft PowerPoint for presentation due on January 25th
• Final written Presentation Plan and PowerPoint due on February 1st
• CAS Review

FEBRUARY:

• “Guinea Pig” oral presentations give & publicly critiqued by teacher and class on Wednesday, February 6th
• Groups make changes based on critique on Feb. 7th and 8th
• TOK Presentations start on Feb. 11th and done throughout the week
• Groups revise their presentations during the rest of the month
• Student-created lessons on Reason and Logic during the week of February 13th
• Student -created lessons on Emotions during the week of February 20th

MARCH:

• Second presentations begin Monday, March 4th
• Class celebration!
• TOK Essay Planning beginning March 12th. You must pick a prompt for your essay by March 16th
• Student-created lessons Math during the third week of March. Work on essay.
• Student-created lessons on The Arts during the fourth week of March. Work on essay

APRIL:

• Essay Outline due on March 29th. Draft is due April 19th. Second draft is due May 10th. Final is due June 7th.
• Student-created lessons on History during the third week of April
• Student-created lessons on Ethics during the fourth week of April
• CAS Review

MAY:

• Student-created lessons on Natural Sciences during the first week of May
• Student-created lessons on Physical Sciences during second week of May
• Plato & Cave Unit
• Final essay due on June 7th