Knowledge Issuesand

the TOK Presentation

“Real” World

----------------------------------------------------------------TOK World

Real-Life Situation

Knowledge IssueKnowledge Issue(s)

developed

Other Real-Life Situation

Other Real-Life Situation

extra

cti

on

Development

Progression

application

“Real” World

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TOK World

Demonstrations in China against

Japanese textbook

Who should decide what history is taught

in schools?

The nature of historical truth;

functions of history;

Other disputed

explanations of history

Accounts of causes of

WWI

extra

cti

on

Development

Progression

application

Knowledge Issues

• Knowledge issues apply to any aspect of knowledge:– Acquisition– Shaping– Production– Classification– Acceptance or rejection

Knowledge Issues• A knowledge issue is any issue that arises with

regards to a knowledge claim:– How was that knowledge claim arrived at– What ways of knowing are relevant to the knowledge claim– What evidence is there to support the knowledge claim– Who is making the knowledge claim– What are the possible limitations, biases, assumptions, and

values associated with the knowledge claim– How is that knowledge claim being used– How is that knowledge claim related to other knowledge claims

on that topic– What are the possible counter-claims

Knowledge Issues

• Knowledge issues can be general:– What constitutes good evidence?

• or specific:– How can we distinguish between valid and invalid

arguments?– What should the role of emotion be in the

justification of ethical decisions?

Good knowledge issues

• Open-ended questions that admit more than one possible answer. Eg. “What can be achieved with stem-cell research?”

• Explicitly about knowledge in itself and not subject-specific claims. Eg. “How do we know whether stem cell-research is ethical?”

Good knowledge issues

• Framed within the TOK conception: AsofK, WsofK, and linking concepts: belief, culture, evidence, experience, interpretation, justification, truth, values.Eg. “How do we know whether abortion should be legal or not?” and“What role should emotion and reason play in justifying abortion?”

Good knowledge issues• Child marriage in India

• Should anyone have to marry against his or her will?

• How do we know if there are any universal ethical laws?

• What roles do emotion and reason play in justifying ethical behaviour?

Good knowledge issues• “Andean nations bring ancient Inca tongue back from dead”

(SCMP 12/12/09)

• The revival of Quechua

• Do individuals have a right to speak the language of their choice?

• Why should we fight against the demise of minority languages?

• How do we know that language diversity is justifiable?

Good knowledge issues• “Killer of baby may be spared jail term” (SCMP 12/12/09)

• Criminal Law in Hong Kong

• Does punishment deter crime?

• How can we decide how to punish?

• How can we decide the appropriate punishment for a crime?

• What role should reason, culture and values play in justifying the correct type of punishment for a crime?

Good knowledge issues• “Fossil of early predator sheds lights on evolution”

(SCMP 12/12/09)

• The theory of evolution

• What kind of evidence do fossils provide in support of the theory of evolution?

• Should we believe in the theory of evolution?

• What constitutes a scientific theory and how is it justified?

Knowledge Issues in the Media

Analysing a Newspaper Article• Selection: what is being written about and what is left out?

• Emphasis: What is being highlighted?

• Word choice: What type of words are being used? Are they loaded words? Are there any other options?

• Context: In what context has the report been written?

• Opinion: Is opinion being introduced surreptitiously?

Analysing a Newspaper Article

• Identify Knowledge Issues (KI)

• Identify the divergent claims of interest groups • Identify the Ways of Knowing employed by interest groups and the

media in its representation of the issue in the newspaper

• Identify the linking questions used or implied

• Identify opposing interest groups and how they would employ the Ways of Knowing

• Define what further research you would do to understand the issue more thoroughly

Analysing an Issue• Identify the knowledge issues (KI) • Consider KI in relation to the Ways of Knowing

and relevant Areas of Knowledge • Identify knowledge claims, strong and weak

arguments, for and against

• Consider counter arguments, what opponents might argue

Presentation : Grade Bands

May 2009 E 0-8D 9-12C 13-15B 16-18A 19-20

May 2008 As in 2009

A Identification of Knowledge Issue (5 points)

The presentation identified a knowledge issue that was clearly relevant to the real-life situation under consideration.

Assessment Criteria

B Treatment of Knowledge Issues (5 points)

The presentation showed a good understanding of knowledge issues.

C Knower’s perspective (5 points)

The presentation, in its distinctively personal use of arguments and examples or otherwise, showed clear personal involvement and fully demonstrated the significance of the topic.

D Connections (5 points)

The presentation gave a clear account of how the question could be approached from different perspectives and considered their implications in related areas.

The Assessment Criteria

Sample TOK Presentations

• Israel-Palestine Conflict

• Religious proselytism

• Use of the word "nigger"

The OCC and other online resources

• www.ibo.org Online curriculum centre (OCC)

• The philosophers' magazine Games “So you think you are logical?• Fallacies tutorial• Visual cognition lab (Basketball passes)