What+is+Knowledge,+Who+is+the+Knower,+and+Why+are+we+here?

THE TOK DIAGRAM



Knowledge issues, Knowers and Knowing
====The goal of our first unit will be to explore the center of the TOK diagram, the Knower. Someone you can all identify, the Knower attempts to gather, decipher, categorize knowledge to better understand the world around him or her. For more information on the nature of knowledge and this illusive prey, the "knowledge issue", see this excerpt from the TOK subject guide Knowledge and Knowledge Questions====

= = =__Essential Questions __= 1. **What defines knowledge? (The Nature of Knowing) More Related Questions**

2. **Who is the Knower? (Knowers and Knowledge Communities) More Related Questions**

3. **So where does our knowledge come from? (Sources of Knowledge) More Related Questions**


 * 4. What is the difference between "I know" and "we know"? (Personal vs. Shared Knowledge) More Related Questions**

5. **How reliable are the knowledge claims we make? More Related Questions**

__**Assessments**__
Knowledge Question Assignment Global Impression Rubric for Writing in TOK (Will be used to assess your Knowledge Question Assignment)

__**Lessons and Unit Calendar (6 weeks)**__ Introduction to Socratic Discussions Ground rules for participation in ToK discussions (similar to the skills outlined in the above link) can be found on this pdf file: An exercise in practicing ground rules for ToK discussions- Can you Spot the TOK Question? Questions
 * = ==Week== ||= ==Topics== ||= ==Activities== ||
 * = ===1=== ||= **What defines knowledge? (The Nature of Knowing)**
 * Learning Community Agreements and How to be a Successful TOK Student** ||= Develop Classroom Expectations and Review Guide to Being a "Successful" TOK Student* and

Create a List of 10 "I know ..........." Statements Sample "I know" Statements How well do you know what you say you know? Download and complete chart Class Discussion- "What is the difference between **//I believe//** and //**I know**//?" || Car Self Diagnostic
 * = 2 ||= **The Knower and Knowledge Communities** ||= "Who am I and how I do I know who I am?"

"Does knowledge come from inside or outside? Do we construct reality or do we recognize it?" Map the Communities that you belong to. Download of Handout-

[|Example of a Defining Knowledge Community: Meet the Hitlers Trailer]

Class Discussion: To what extent are we defined by the knowledge communities we belong to? How much of one’s knowledge depends on interaction with other knowers? Are there types of knowledge that are specifically linked to particular communities of knowers? To what extent can we act individually in creating new knowledge? What are the strengths of working in a knowledge community? What are the dangers? ||
 * = 3 ||= **Personal vs. Shared Knowledge** ||= [[file:Personel vs. Shared Knowledge.pptx]]

My Knowledge Venn Diagrams

Optional Video Support for Class Discussion: __Am I Normal: Spirituality__ (On DCS Files-TOK Videos) Class Discussion: How does the balance between personal and shared knowledge impact the reliability of our knowledge claims? || ||= What would you believe? Scenarios
 * = 4 ||= **Reliability of Knowledge Claims**

Classifying Our Beliefs Activity

Introduction to Justified True Belief and the 3 S Approach



[|Justified True Belief Revisited-Soycrates-Edmund Gettier(Original Post)]

Home work Assignment:

Readings on sources of knowledge: (This is a great resource for the different types of Knowledge Claims)

[|Plato and Aristotle on Authority of Government]

Discuss Universal vs. Relative and Objective vs. Subjective Knowledge Claims

Discussion activity:

[|Example of Is Seeing Believing? Dutch Girls Trip to SE Asia]

How much of our knowledge is universal (reliable everywhere) and how much is relative? ||
 * = 5 ||= **Socratic Discussion on Knowledge** ||= Introduce Socratic Discussion on Knowledge Task



Socratic Discussion on Knowledge (Double Ring Discussion) ||
 * = 6 ||= Introduction to Knowledge Framework ||= The Knowledge Framework [[file:The Knowledge Framework-1.pptx]]

Sample Application of the Knowledge Framework-

Drawbridge Activity- Extraction of Knowledge Question

Handout on Understanding Knowledge Questions

Knowledge Question Assignment ||

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TOK Lexicon for this Unit
//By the conclusion of this unit you should have developed at least a working definition of each of the below terms. Refer to the TOK Lexicon to see how our community of learners is contributing to the "definitions" of these and other terms.//
 * = Know

||= ==Believe== ||= ==Justify== ||
 * = ==Truth== ||= ==Certainty== ||= ==Subjective== ||
 * = ==Objective== ||= ==Bias== ||= ==Evidence== ||
 * = ==Universal== ||= ==Relative== ||= ==Empirical== ||
 * = ==Rational== ||= ==Value== ||= ==Metaphysical== ||

=__Additional Resources on Knowledge, the Knower and Knowledge Questions=

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© International Baccalaureate Organization 2006