It's a Thursday here at Beaumont and I am a very sad tokropher...missing my mad bunch more by the weeks. I don't know if any of you check this blog anymore, or if you receive updates when I post, but just wanted to thank you all for a wonderful two years and let you know that Beaumont just isn't the same for me anymore now that you all have left :-(
Hope everyone is having a wonderful time at university or wherever. I'm sure you all are shining bright.
Loads of tokky love,
Mrs. Mitchell
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Calling all Tokrophers!
Right, so we are very lucky, although we have lost another fellow traveller on the way to enlightenment, we have gained two!!! Pippa and Phil will be joining us in September and we're so glad to have them along. What I need from all you lovelies is to:
1. I need a group to volunteer to take Phil into your midst for the Presentation
2. I need a study buddy group to take in Pippa to help her along with the task of doing her presentation solo. (She needs people to bounce ideas off of).
Brilliant, so as a little nudge - you are to work on 2 things over the summer, your presentations and your essays. Priority one is the essay as your first draft is due the first week back. Priority two is to get with your presentation group and get planning/researching/developing how you're going to tackle this badboy head on and defeat it! Hoo-ah (as Sergeant Mo would say)! Third priority is to do something on your holidays that lets you take in the beauty of the world - this is important as we will be discussing aesthetics when we return - so take the time to watch a sunset, or stare at the night sky and wonder if there is a little green man(woman) staring back through the cosmos towards earth and wondering if there is a little naked ape staring back at them - beautiful!
TTFN
1. I need a group to volunteer to take Phil into your midst for the Presentation
2. I need a study buddy group to take in Pippa to help her along with the task of doing her presentation solo. (She needs people to bounce ideas off of).
Brilliant, so as a little nudge - you are to work on 2 things over the summer, your presentations and your essays. Priority one is the essay as your first draft is due the first week back. Priority two is to get with your presentation group and get planning/researching/developing how you're going to tackle this badboy head on and defeat it! Hoo-ah (as Sergeant Mo would say)! Third priority is to do something on your holidays that lets you take in the beauty of the world - this is important as we will be discussing aesthetics when we return - so take the time to watch a sunset, or stare at the night sky and wonder if there is a little green man(woman) staring back through the cosmos towards earth and wondering if there is a little naked ape staring back at them - beautiful!
TTFN
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
To introduce the Arts as an area of knowledge, I'd like you to pontificate on the following:1. What is art?
2. Can it be a painting, play, theatre, music, poetry, literature, photography?
3. Where do we draw the line? (What is art to one, may not be to another)
4. Can you define what is a ‘work of art’?
5. What do you expect to see in art?
6. What do you think is the purpose of art?
7. What is truth in art?
We're going to leave art as a little appetiser here. In class next Thursday I'd like you to bring in your choices for presentations and for essays. We're going to spend the next lesson researching for both.
TTFN
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
Memento video
Sorry guys, when I put my scheme of work together I had grabbed those videos (just the youtube url) and thought it still worked when I put these tasks together. Apologies that technology has let us down again. There's an argument for being a Luddite if I ever heard one :-) I will try to grab those videos for us to look at in the next lesson, because I believe it does reveal some great points about Historical knowledge. Otherwise, I am impressed with 5 of you for doing the work ahead of schedule...but some of you lovely tokrophers have yet to even get started!!! Ugh!!! Come on kiddos, don't let me down.
See you in a couple of weeks.
TTFN
See you in a couple of weeks.
TTFN
Friday, 14 May 2010
It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together. (Am I talking about the 'force' or History?)
Hey kiddos,
Ms. McCrorie is on to putting together what will happen with you over the next three weeks. So I'll leave your brains in her capable hands. Now...as for your TOKy souls...they belong to me in perpetuity. So I have uploaded little tasks for you to develop your inquiring minds further (read that as: complete for homework). All of these are to be done on your blogs and I expect all of them completed by the 17th June.
Task 1: Go to “You Tube”. Type in Memento. Watch Memento 1 (on page 2) and Memento 2 (on page 3) (9:45 each posted by 4ukan4e) in succession. Answer the following in your blog:
1) If you found yourself in the same situtation as the clips, to what extent do you think you would be able to reconstruct your identify by examining the objects in your room? What problems would you experience trying to do this, and how similar are they to those facing a historian?
2) How good is your memory, and how reliable do you think it is as a guide to the past?
3) Would you be more inclined to trust an autobiography, or a biography about the same person written by a historian?
4) To what extent do you think that people learn from their mistakes, and to what extent do you think they keep making the same mistakes?
Task 2: Create a table for the pros and cons of History as an area of knowledge. When you have finished, answer the following questions:
1) What influence do the following have on history?:
Individuals Chance Experience Generation
What other factors could be important?
2) Niall Ferguson is a historian who has asked “What if…”. This means one little thing may have helped change the course of history. Remember our brief discussion of Cleopatra's Nose Theory. What if....
A. Hitler’s England: What if Germany had invaded Britain in May 1940?
-would Britain have stood up to Hitler?
-would Britons have collaborated?
-would Britain have co-existed with a victorious Hitler?
B. Nazi Europe: What if Nazi Germany had defeated the Soviet Union?
-would Hitler have kept on going?
-how far would German culture have spread?
-who would have stood up to Hitler?
C. Stalin’s War or Peace: What if the Cold War had been avoided?
-would the US have developed nuclear weapons?
-would Stalin have co-operated with Western leaders?
-would Soviet spies have bothered infiltrating the upper echelons of US and UK governments?
D. Camelot continued: What if JFK had lived?
-what kind of President would he have been?
-would civil rights progress have been quicker?
-would Vietnam have turned out differently?
-would he be such an iconic figure?
Are these kinds of considerations useful?
Task 3: What is the reliability of primary and secondary sources: “I was there, so I know!”
Answer/DO the following:
1) How can the four knowledge tools of perception, language, reason and emotion distort the production of a primary source such as a diary? Take a look at a diary excerpt from this website http://www.dur.ac.uk/4schools/History/Diary1.htm and write six statements that you believe are true about the author of the diary.
Traditionally primary sources (from someone who was there at the time) are often thought to be more reliable. This is not true. An objective secondary account is often more reliable than a subjective primary account.
2) Go to “You Tube”. Type in “Schindler’s List. Children Driven Away- Auschwitz. TURN OFF THE SOUND. The clip is 3:40 minutes long. Write a brief script/narration for the video clip as 'propaganda' for Jews during WWII. Next write a new script/narration for the video as 'propaganda' for the Nazis. What is the effect? What language did you use? Were any words value-laden? What would be the purpose of propaganda like this?
3)Take a look at the following pictures of the October Revolution. Research and tell me why the two men in the second photo have been erased from the first.
.jpg)
4) According to a well-known adage, 'history is written by the victors'. How different do you think it would be if it were written by the losers instead?
5) Hindsight: “Travel back in Time”. If you could travel back in time, who would you interview (the person must be dead)? What questions would you ask them? What would your questions be influenced by? Why did you choose that person?
Ok, so there are three tasks for each lesson as homework. Reminder - I will be checking the blogs in my absence and will not be a very happy Mrs. Mitchell if I find they have not been done. PS - of course you are to work on your presentations as an ongoing project and it wouldn't hurt to start looking over the essay choices and pick one!
TTFN
Ms. McCrorie is on to putting together what will happen with you over the next three weeks. So I'll leave your brains in her capable hands. Now...as for your TOKy souls...they belong to me in perpetuity. So I have uploaded little tasks for you to develop your inquiring minds further (read that as: complete for homework). All of these are to be done on your blogs and I expect all of them completed by the 17th June.
Task 1: Go to “You Tube”. Type in Memento. Watch Memento 1 (on page 2) and Memento 2 (on page 3) (9:45 each posted by 4ukan4e) in succession. Answer the following in your blog:
1) If you found yourself in the same situtation as the clips, to what extent do you think you would be able to reconstruct your identify by examining the objects in your room? What problems would you experience trying to do this, and how similar are they to those facing a historian?
2) How good is your memory, and how reliable do you think it is as a guide to the past?
3) Would you be more inclined to trust an autobiography, or a biography about the same person written by a historian?
4) To what extent do you think that people learn from their mistakes, and to what extent do you think they keep making the same mistakes?
Task 2: Create a table for the pros and cons of History as an area of knowledge. When you have finished, answer the following questions:
1) What influence do the following have on history?:
Individuals Chance Experience Generation
What other factors could be important?
2) Niall Ferguson is a historian who has asked “What if…”. This means one little thing may have helped change the course of history. Remember our brief discussion of Cleopatra's Nose Theory. What if....
A. Hitler’s England: What if Germany had invaded Britain in May 1940?
-would Britain have stood up to Hitler?
-would Britons have collaborated?
-would Britain have co-existed with a victorious Hitler?
B. Nazi Europe: What if Nazi Germany had defeated the Soviet Union?
-would Hitler have kept on going?
-how far would German culture have spread?
-who would have stood up to Hitler?
C. Stalin’s War or Peace: What if the Cold War had been avoided?
-would the US have developed nuclear weapons?
-would Stalin have co-operated with Western leaders?
-would Soviet spies have bothered infiltrating the upper echelons of US and UK governments?
D. Camelot continued: What if JFK had lived?
-what kind of President would he have been?
-would civil rights progress have been quicker?
-would Vietnam have turned out differently?
-would he be such an iconic figure?
Are these kinds of considerations useful?
Task 3: What is the reliability of primary and secondary sources: “I was there, so I know!”
Answer/DO the following:
1) How can the four knowledge tools of perception, language, reason and emotion distort the production of a primary source such as a diary? Take a look at a diary excerpt from this website http://www.dur.ac.uk/4schools/History/Diary1.htm and write six statements that you believe are true about the author of the diary.
Traditionally primary sources (from someone who was there at the time) are often thought to be more reliable. This is not true. An objective secondary account is often more reliable than a subjective primary account.
2) Go to “You Tube”. Type in “Schindler’s List. Children Driven Away- Auschwitz. TURN OFF THE SOUND. The clip is 3:40 minutes long. Write a brief script/narration for the video clip as 'propaganda' for Jews during WWII. Next write a new script/narration for the video as 'propaganda' for the Nazis. What is the effect? What language did you use? Were any words value-laden? What would be the purpose of propaganda like this?
3)Take a look at the following pictures of the October Revolution. Research and tell me why the two men in the second photo have been erased from the first.
.jpg)
4) According to a well-known adage, 'history is written by the victors'. How different do you think it would be if it were written by the losers instead?
5) Hindsight: “Travel back in Time”. If you could travel back in time, who would you interview (the person must be dead)? What questions would you ask them? What would your questions be influenced by? Why did you choose that person?
Ok, so there are three tasks for each lesson as homework. Reminder - I will be checking the blogs in my absence and will not be a very happy Mrs. Mitchell if I find they have not been done. PS - of course you are to work on your presentations as an ongoing project and it wouldn't hurt to start looking over the essay choices and pick one!
TTFN
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....
Ok my lovely tokrophers, I have returned after a bit of a long absence to the blogosphere. We have wrapped up the natural sciences (for now) and are off in the opposite direction (or are we?) to look at History.
Your task for this week is to:
1) Find an account of any significant event in a history textbook. Look at:
o The language that is used
o What information has been included or omitted
o What details are stressed
o What analytic concepts have been used
o The extent to which selection, interpretation and packaging have been used to create historical “truth”
2) Find another history text which gives an account of the same event. Compare and contrast the two and determine which is more accurate. On what basis do you make your decision?
3) What will our own age be called far in the future? The Age of Democracy? The Age of Hypocrisy? The Age of Disaster? Or another alternative? Why? How do you sum up an age in one phrase?
4) For what reasons might future historians have a name for our age which we are totally unable to predict?
5) Identify an historic event which you believe has a single cause. What was the cause of that cause? Trace the sequence back as far as you feel is meaningful, and explain your choice of where to stop.
6) Do you think that all events have causes which are identifiable by historians?
7) It has been said that the historian is like a painter rather than a photographer. By examining the nature of painting and photography, explain to what extent you agree with this analogy.
Happy blogging!
Mrs. Mitchell
Your task for this week is to:
1) Find an account of any significant event in a history textbook. Look at:
o The language that is used
o What information has been included or omitted
o What details are stressed
o What analytic concepts have been used
o The extent to which selection, interpretation and packaging have been used to create historical “truth”
2) Find another history text which gives an account of the same event. Compare and contrast the two and determine which is more accurate. On what basis do you make your decision?
3) What will our own age be called far in the future? The Age of Democracy? The Age of Hypocrisy? The Age of Disaster? Or another alternative? Why? How do you sum up an age in one phrase?
4) For what reasons might future historians have a name for our age which we are totally unable to predict?
5) Identify an historic event which you believe has a single cause. What was the cause of that cause? Trace the sequence back as far as you feel is meaningful, and explain your choice of where to stop.
6) Do you think that all events have causes which are identifiable by historians?
7) It has been said that the historian is like a painter rather than a photographer. By examining the nature of painting and photography, explain to what extent you agree with this analogy.
Happy blogging!
Mrs. Mitchell
Tuesday, 16 March 2010
Pseudosciencey fun!
For this week's blog homework I want you to do a little scientific investigation of your own. Below are a list of pseudoscience topics that you can choose from, research and then apply your own scientific minds to. I want you to summarise their ideas, reflect and come to a conclusion about the 'science' behind these fields.
- astrology
- quackery
- the occult
- superstition
- ESP
- telepathy
- clairvoyance
- reincarnation
- ghosts
- witches
- channeling (astral projection)
- haunted houses
- fairies
Friday, 26 February 2010
Scientifically Speaking
Hiya Kiddos,
Just thought I'd highlight this email I received from the head of Science at Sandringham. Since we're going to start the AOK's in a week, this is really ideal that this lecture evening has come up. How's that for a deterministic universe? I would really like for as many of you to attend this as possible as I think the main feature lecture should be of real interest to what we'll be examining over the next several weeks. I've copied the email after this little intro I've written to give you all the significant information about what, when and where its going to be held. Hope to see you there.
Mrs. Mitchell
Dear all,
Monday March 15th is the beginning of National Science and Engineering Week and I want to highlight an event that may be of interest to you. Scientific Soapbox is an evening of short Science based lectures given by some of the staff at Sandringham on topics such as black holes, allergies in children and the impact of lucozade of sports performance.
The highlight and main feature of the evening is a lecture given by Dr. Tim Hunt who the main man (across the world) in cell division and cancer research. He won a Nobel Prize for his work in 2001 and these are not ten a penny as I'm sure you know. I'm told he is an excellent speaker and well worth watching.
The evening is being promoted to all 6th form Science classes at Sandringham and some Yr 11s but this is a public event so staff, students from your schools, friends and families are welcome. Tickets are free and can be collected from the Sandpit Theatre at Sandringham or by emailing the theatre (sandpit@sandringham.herts.sch.uk or rachel.lloyd@sandringham.herts.sch.uk) or by phoning the Box Office on 01727 370067.
It'd be great to see some of you there.
Lawrence Foster
Head of Science, Sandringham School
Just thought I'd highlight this email I received from the head of Science at Sandringham. Since we're going to start the AOK's in a week, this is really ideal that this lecture evening has come up. How's that for a deterministic universe? I would really like for as many of you to attend this as possible as I think the main feature lecture should be of real interest to what we'll be examining over the next several weeks. I've copied the email after this little intro I've written to give you all the significant information about what, when and where its going to be held. Hope to see you there.
Mrs. Mitchell
Dear all,
Monday March 15th is the beginning of National Science and Engineering Week and I want to highlight an event that may be of interest to you. Scientific Soapbox is an evening of short Science based lectures given by some of the staff at Sandringham on topics such as black holes, allergies in children and the impact of lucozade of sports performance.
The highlight and main feature of the evening is a lecture given by Dr. Tim Hunt who the main man (across the world) in cell division and cancer research. He won a Nobel Prize for his work in 2001 and these are not ten a penny as I'm sure you know. I'm told he is an excellent speaker and well worth watching.
The evening is being promoted to all 6th form Science classes at Sandringham and some Yr 11s but this is a public event so staff, students from your schools, friends and families are welcome. Tickets are free and can be collected from the Sandpit Theatre at Sandringham or by emailing the theatre (sandpit@sandringham.herts.sch.uk or rachel.lloyd@sandringham.herts.sch.uk) or by phoning the Box Office on 01727 370067.
It'd be great to see some of you there.
Lawrence Foster
Head of Science, Sandringham School
Friday, 12 February 2010
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
I hate (emotion) being ill (a state in which my particles are revolting against me)
Hey kiddos... well... here's the good news. I finished marking your essays. The bad news. I am ill yet again and will not be in school to share your marked work with you. More good news... I have work for you to do in my absence.
Here's what I want from your bloggy-wogs:
I'd like you to answer the following and reflect - it would be uber-amazing if we started a discussion thread on this blog about your different view points here - but failing that just blog it.
- If you can recognise emotions in people’s faces how does it help your interactions with people?
- Alternatively, if you cannot recognise emotions in people’s faces how does it hinder your interactions with people?
- Can you think of examples where people cannot recognise ANY of the emotions they see in a person’s face while they interact with them (Hint - look this up). Why is this difficult to imagine?
- Imagine a person with no emotions. The world is neutral to him/her. That person does not engage with the world, as engagement implies one part is more important than another. That person would then have no interest in living or dying. Is that person really a person?
- If you were emotionally limited how would it affect your access to the 8 areas of knowledge?
- Are emotional limitations a lens or filter to our ability to “know” our world?
- Why has emotion sometimes been seen as a less valuable way of knowing than, say, reason? Or does the value of emotion as a way of knowing depend on the kind of knowledge that is being pursued?
I expect that you will do this work during the time you would normally be in my lesson (1.5 hours) and in a homework (1 hour), so this should be easy peasy to get done.
TTFN
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Lazy Tokrophers
Here's the link to your homework lazy bones!
http://www.queendom.com/tests/access_page/index.htm?idRegTest=1121
Do the quiz from the above link to see how emotionally intelligent you are and reflect on the results in your blog for this week.
http://www.queendom.com/tests/access_page/index.htm?idRegTest=1121
Do the quiz from the above link to see how emotionally intelligent you are and reflect on the results in your blog for this week.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Fallacies blog homework
For this week's blog work, I want you to find 5 examples of logical fallacies on the internet. They can be from any forum you like – the news, the blogosphere, twitter etc…all you have to do is copy them into your blog, identify the fallacy and reflect. As I mentioned at the end of the lesson, there are several other types of fallacies out there, so if you'd like to do a little extra research you can use any type of fallacy you can find.
Sorry for the wackiness today...my brain hurts.
TTFN
Sorry for the wackiness today...my brain hurts.
TTFN
Thursday, 17 December 2009
TOK Essays
Ok kiddos, just as a reminder:
Your holiday homework is to write your TOK essay on the title you chose. You have until January 14th to write a 1200 to 1600 essay on the prescibed title of your choice. It must contain page numbers, referencing and a bibliography (preferably one that does not cite TOK lesson material :-))
Have a great holiday and we'll meet back on January 8th.
TTFN
PS - no bloggy-wog work for the holidays!
Your holiday homework is to write your TOK essay on the title you chose. You have until January 14th to write a 1200 to 1600 essay on the prescibed title of your choice. It must contain page numbers, referencing and a bibliography (preferably one that does not cite TOK lesson material :-))
Have a great holiday and we'll meet back on January 8th.
TTFN
PS - no bloggy-wog work for the holidays!
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Are our senses deceiving us...blip blip blip...
So we've finished off sense perception and I've left you all wondering whether or not our reality is 'real'. I forgot to tell you that you are to check out the Matrix site I had you copy the address down for. For those who are interested, here's a list of various sources that're out there to explore how our senses and perception can create different realities:
Film
Memento
The Matrix
The Truman Show
Dark City
The Thirteenth Floor
TV
The Prisoner (1960s tv show - brilliant!!!)
Lost
Star Trek 'The Menagerie'
Quantum Leap
On the Net
Simulated Reality Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulated_reality
Simulism Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulism#Precedents_in_popular_culture
Games
World of Warcraft (video game)
The Sims (2 and 3)
Books
Permutation City by Greg Egan
Time out of Joint by Phillip K. Dick
So here's your blog homework for next week. Answer the following in your blogs:
1) Which of the problems of perception limit human knowledge the most and the least? Why? Give examples.
2) How might humans overcome these problems? What forms of technology do we use already? Do these forms have their limitations also? What other ways might we use?
TTFN
Film
Memento
The Matrix
The Truman Show
Dark City
The Thirteenth Floor
TV
The Prisoner (1960s tv show - brilliant!!!)
Lost
Star Trek 'The Menagerie'
Quantum Leap
On the Net
Simulated Reality Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulated_reality
Simulism Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulism#Precedents_in_popular_culture
Games
World of Warcraft (video game)
The Sims (2 and 3)
Books
Permutation City by Greg Egan
Time out of Joint by Phillip K. Dick
So here's your blog homework for next week. Answer the following in your blogs:
1) Which of the problems of perception limit human knowledge the most and the least? Why? Give examples.
2) How might humans overcome these problems? What forms of technology do we use already? Do these forms have their limitations also? What other ways might we use?
TTFN
Thursday, 3 December 2009
Perception - Our Senses
Well I think I've managed to draw you all back into loving TOK again with our perception lesson. We have one more next week and then we get to do some more TOK essay fun...
But for now...let me just give you a bit more to ponder. For your bloggy wogs this week, I'd like you all to read the wikipedia article on the isolation tank - follow the link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolation_tank#History
Then, read an article on sense deprivation at Guantanamo Bay from 2002 - follow the link: http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2002/01/27/story484486728.asp
When you've read that, then read about death row in the US and sensory deprivation - follow the link: http://www.mcia-inc.org/resources/wilson_bad_juju_v2.pdf
On your blogs, I would like you to discuss the effects of sensory deprivation - What are its benefits? Is it a form of torture? Does the work on sense deprivation lead you to any conclusions about where you stand on the sense perceptions spectrum...are you a realist, idealist, representationalist or phenomanalist now?
TTFN
PS: Here's the colour blind test from today's lesson:
http://www.eye2eyeopticians.com/COLOUR-BLIND-TEST/colour-blindness-tests.htm
But for now...let me just give you a bit more to ponder. For your bloggy wogs this week, I'd like you all to read the wikipedia article on the isolation tank - follow the link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolation_tank#History
Then, read an article on sense deprivation at Guantanamo Bay from 2002 - follow the link: http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2002/01/27/story484486728.asp
When you've read that, then read about death row in the US and sensory deprivation - follow the link: http://www.mcia-inc.org/resources/wilson_bad_juju_v2.pdf
On your blogs, I would like you to discuss the effects of sensory deprivation - What are its benefits? Is it a form of torture? Does the work on sense deprivation lead you to any conclusions about where you stand on the sense perceptions spectrum...are you a realist, idealist, representationalist or phenomanalist now?
TTFN
PS: Here's the colour blind test from today's lesson:
http://www.eye2eyeopticians.com/COLOUR-BLIND-TEST/colour-blindness-tests.htm
Monday, 23 November 2009
Missing TOK again :-(
Well, I completely forgot last week that we were not going to have more TOK loveliness this Thursday because of our Inset. Big BOO! And we are just about to get onto the best WOK of all...Perception!!! Well in lieu of that lesson, here's a nice little 1970s cartoon of the late, great Plato's Allegory of the Cave - perhaps the best explanation of why our sense perceptions are not the best to give us a picture of reality.
Don't you just love the narrator's voice...classic.
Blog homework for this week - Rank the 5 senses in order from most important to least and explain why you've ranked them in this order. Reflect on whether or not you think your #1 sense has always been the most important. Finally, ask your subject teachers which of the senses is most important in their line of work. Make a record of this in your blog - names of teachers do not need to be included, just subject areas.
TTFN
Don't you just love the narrator's voice...classic.
Blog homework for this week - Rank the 5 senses in order from most important to least and explain why you've ranked them in this order. Reflect on whether or not you think your #1 sense has always been the most important. Finally, ask your subject teachers which of the senses is most important in their line of work. Make a record of this in your blog - names of teachers do not need to be included, just subject areas.
TTFN
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Knowledge Issues
Ok kiddos, I think we ended on a sour note as you were definitely not buzzing after that lesson. The KI's are intimidating when you begin, but like I said in class, the more you practice with them, the more comfortable you'll start to feel. Just think, in a few weeks time, you will be recognising the KI in everything :-)
So on to your blog work...guess what...more KI! In your blogs, I'd like you to replicate the table we did in the lesson with the exam title you chose to plan. Work it up through the table to write what your KI is. I'd also like to make this a bit of a workshop homework, so please take a look at what each other has done, give some feedback in the comments bit below each other's posts.
TTFN
So on to your blog work...guess what...more KI! In your blogs, I'd like you to replicate the table we did in the lesson with the exam title you chose to plan. Work it up through the table to write what your KI is. I'd also like to make this a bit of a workshop homework, so please take a look at what each other has done, give some feedback in the comments bit below each other's posts.
TTFN
Friday, 13 November 2009
I can't stop thinking about being an observer...
I think it's because although we had a TOK day this week, I'm feeling a little lost without my regular Thursday fix of TOKkyness. So I've been searching the internet for the name of a book I used as an example in the break out session to illustrate some of the more complex ideas Mr. Fletcher brought up in the lecture. The book I mentioned is called Quarantine. I don't expect you all to rush out and buy or run to the library to get this book (we have one copy in our school library though if you wish to give it a go).
Its all about the idea of us controlling the universe as observers, until one day someone stops us...with an impenetrable shield. Human observations of the universe were reducing its diversity and potentiality (for instance, by rendering it uninhabitable to beings that relied on stars being something other than the enormous nuclear fusion-powered furnaces human astronomers have observed them to be). Hence it is suggested that the shield was constructed to prevent humanity from wreaking massive destruction on the rest of the universe through the process of mere observation.
So if the stars go out someday...we know what caused it :-) See you all next week.
Its all about the idea of us controlling the universe as observers, until one day someone stops us...with an impenetrable shield. Human observations of the universe were reducing its diversity and potentiality (for instance, by rendering it uninhabitable to beings that relied on stars being something other than the enormous nuclear fusion-powered furnaces human astronomers have observed them to be). Hence it is suggested that the shield was constructed to prevent humanity from wreaking massive destruction on the rest of the universe through the process of mere observation.
So if the stars go out someday...we know what caused it :-) See you all next week.
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Wonderful TOK
Today was pretty awesome in terms of TOK, wasn't it kiddos? It was nice to get out of the classroom and get some well deserved brain entertainment. I thought it very cool to see the Multiverse drop in and it was really cool to get the idea that maybe the big bang was caused by a black hole in another universe...and as Gwen and Alex pointed out...does that mean that black holes in our universe create other universes?
Plus, it was nice to see that all you Beaumont babies were more than happy to let your voices be heard from the get go in the break out sessions - you made me proud!
Now, back to our normal TOKkyness. I do apologise that it wasn't very clear in last week's blog that you were just to blog the last four questions under the Bloggy Wog work, the rest was to be written into your actual paper notes, just like you would in our normal class sessions and to be discussed with each other/unsuspecting bystanders/confused strangers. But that's my fault for not being clear and not realising what absolutely wicked students you are to just go for an assignment, regardless of its length or difficulty.
You also need to be working on your presentations, which lucky you, you're going to have an extra week on. Again, I will not be in for our Thursday lesson. In case I haven't let you all know, I've not been very well and I have yet another doctor's appointment to figure out what's wrong with my particles :-) So...here's what I'd like you to do for me. From previous essay prescribed titles, I'd like you to pick one from the list that follows and write a plan for how you would tackle that particular question.
Titles:
1. To what extent is truth different in mathematics, the arts and ethics?
2. Examine the ways empirical evidence should be used to make progress in different areas of knowledge.
3. Discuss the strengths and limitations of quantitative and qualitative data in supporting knowledge claims in the human sciences and at least one other area of knowledge.
4. How can the different ways of knowing help us to distinguish between something that is true and something that is believed to be true?
5. “What separates science from all other human activities is its belief in the provisional nature of all conclusions” (Michael Shermer, www.edge.org). Critically evaluate this way of distinguishing the sciences from other areas of knowledge?
6. All knowledge claims should be open to rational criticism. On what grounds and to what extent would you agree with this assertion?
7. “We see and understand things not as they are but as we are.” Discuss this claim in relation to at least two ways of knowing.
8. “People need to believe that order can be glimpsed in the chaos of events" (adapted from John Gray, Heresies, 2004). In what ways and to what extent would you say this claim is relevant in at least two areas of knowledge?
9. Discuss the claim that some areas of knowledge are discovered and others are invented.
10. What similarities and differences are there between historical and scientific explanations?
What does your plan need to include?
1. Brief discussion of what you think of the title (your first impressions) - Is there anything about the vocabulary used that you think is important in addressing the question?
2. Outline of some ideas you would like to use to address the title - What is the logical way to address your question? What concrete examples would you use in this question?
3. A short (no more than 10 sources) bibliography of research you would use to address the question.
Additionally...Wikipedia articles were due last week, but as I wasn't in class and as I won't be in on Thursday, and we have so much to catch up on, we'll leave that for 3rd December. Your presentations are for next Thursday, 19th November and we'll do them during the 1st session.
Okee doke, that sounds like it is plenty to keep you going for the week as far as TOK goes. I want real focus to be on those essay titles, your presentations and WIKIPEDIA articles so no Blog work this week. You will also receive your marks for the blogs so far.
TTFN
Plus, it was nice to see that all you Beaumont babies were more than happy to let your voices be heard from the get go in the break out sessions - you made me proud!
Now, back to our normal TOKkyness. I do apologise that it wasn't very clear in last week's blog that you were just to blog the last four questions under the Bloggy Wog work, the rest was to be written into your actual paper notes, just like you would in our normal class sessions and to be discussed with each other/unsuspecting bystanders/confused strangers. But that's my fault for not being clear and not realising what absolutely wicked students you are to just go for an assignment, regardless of its length or difficulty.
You also need to be working on your presentations, which lucky you, you're going to have an extra week on. Again, I will not be in for our Thursday lesson. In case I haven't let you all know, I've not been very well and I have yet another doctor's appointment to figure out what's wrong with my particles :-) So...here's what I'd like you to do for me. From previous essay prescribed titles, I'd like you to pick one from the list that follows and write a plan for how you would tackle that particular question.
Titles:
1. To what extent is truth different in mathematics, the arts and ethics?
2. Examine the ways empirical evidence should be used to make progress in different areas of knowledge.
3. Discuss the strengths and limitations of quantitative and qualitative data in supporting knowledge claims in the human sciences and at least one other area of knowledge.
4. How can the different ways of knowing help us to distinguish between something that is true and something that is believed to be true?
5. “What separates science from all other human activities is its belief in the provisional nature of all conclusions” (Michael Shermer, www.edge.org). Critically evaluate this way of distinguishing the sciences from other areas of knowledge?
6. All knowledge claims should be open to rational criticism. On what grounds and to what extent would you agree with this assertion?
7. “We see and understand things not as they are but as we are.” Discuss this claim in relation to at least two ways of knowing.
8. “People need to believe that order can be glimpsed in the chaos of events" (adapted from John Gray, Heresies, 2004). In what ways and to what extent would you say this claim is relevant in at least two areas of knowledge?
9. Discuss the claim that some areas of knowledge are discovered and others are invented.
10. What similarities and differences are there between historical and scientific explanations?
What does your plan need to include?
1. Brief discussion of what you think of the title (your first impressions) - Is there anything about the vocabulary used that you think is important in addressing the question?
2. Outline of some ideas you would like to use to address the title - What is the logical way to address your question? What concrete examples would you use in this question?
3. A short (no more than 10 sources) bibliography of research you would use to address the question.
Additionally...Wikipedia articles were due last week, but as I wasn't in class and as I won't be in on Thursday, and we have so much to catch up on, we'll leave that for 3rd December. Your presentations are for next Thursday, 19th November and we'll do them during the 1st session.
Okee doke, that sounds like it is plenty to keep you going for the week as far as TOK goes. I want real focus to be on those essay titles, your presentations and WIKIPEDIA articles so no Blog work this week. You will also receive your marks for the blogs so far.
TTFN
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Work for November 5th - Apologies for my absence kiddos...
Hey all my tokrophers,
Unfortunately we'll not be able to meet this Thursday morning, I know you're very disappointed :-) In lieu of our regular session, I've got a few tasks for you to complete before our meeting next week. And before I forget, will all those coming along on our happy trip on Tuesday next week be sure to read the articles you were given in preparation for the conference?
Ok...so here come the tasks. First, I want you to examine language and thought. Answer the following in your TOK notes and discuss with anyone you happen to come into contact with today (we're going to be Socrates on a Thursday):
Let's now think of technical languages. Can a doctor actually be competent before he learns the words associated with his profession? Could a mathematician solve complex problems without employing the symbolic language of algebra? Can two computer experts converse without “techie-speak”?
Now, I think we can all agree that our mental world is far richer than our vocabulary. Can you think of any feelings or thoughts for which there aren’t any words in your first language? If you are multilingual are there any words in one of your languages which do not exist in your other language?
Second task: Identify some mental concepts for which there should be words. Why is this difficult to do? What implications does this have for the relationship between language and thought?
So, to what extent does thought rely on language? To recap:
Linguistic Determinism: the view that our thought, and therefore our knowledge, is determined and limited by our language.
Linguistic Realism: the view that our language is determined by our needs and by the world we experience around us.
That would conclude things for our first session, Period 2. Now, let's get into some really subversive stuff :-)
Before I set you to your next task, I want you to ask yourself the following questions - think of it as a mental warm-up before you're set your next mental exercise.
Without a word, does a thing exist?
Did ‘road-rage’ happen before it was named?
Once the word was used and the act defined, did it become an accepted act?
Could this particular classification of violence be discussed without the creation of a name?
To eat meat do we kill animals, do we murder/butcher/slaughter or simply process them?
Now comes the time for your mind to sweat a bit...I'd now like you to read a few things on the internet to help us delve a bit further into Language's hold on our thoughts. First, please read the appendix from 1984.
Next, I'd like you to discuss the following with other Tokrophers:
What do these statements mean?
Globalisation; They are trying to destroy our way of life; The West; Weapons of mass Destruction
What is the difference between these words?
2) Do you like or dislike it?
3) Why do you like or dislike it?
You may not use any form of spoken or written language. You may, however, use up to five objects which you must bring with you.
During the presentation, the audience will not be allowed to ask questions. They will attempt to write down the answers to the three questions above.
It would be sensible to choose a food which is relatively simple to describe – most sensible would be one which you can bring as one of your five objects. Careful preparation and significant thought should go into choosing the objects and devising a way to communicate about them and the relationships between them. Without this the task will prove impossible.
And your bloggy-wog work for next Thursday:
Reflect on the following questions...
What is the role of language in creating and reinforcing social distinctions, such as class, ethnicity and gender?
What is the role of language in sustaining relationships of authority?
Can control of written language create or reinforce power?
How do the words we use to describe an idea affect our understanding of the world?
Well kiddos, that's all for now. I really apologise for not being in today, but it couldn't be avoided. I am looking forward to hearing how these tasks go over the next week and will see quite a few of you on Tuesday. TTFN
PS - If you haven't ever read 1984, I suggest grabbing yourself a very old, well worn in copy - can be found in most used books shops or from a quirky relative - and emersing yourself in Orwell's dystopian classic. I spent the better part of a walking trip through the French countryside during the summer of 2003 fretting over Winston and Julia's fates...I couldn't read and walk at the same time, so when forced to walk by my PE hubby and his PE fanatic family, I would fret...when given 15-20 minutes breaks, I would read!
Unfortunately we'll not be able to meet this Thursday morning, I know you're very disappointed :-) In lieu of our regular session, I've got a few tasks for you to complete before our meeting next week. And before I forget, will all those coming along on our happy trip on Tuesday next week be sure to read the articles you were given in preparation for the conference?
Ok...so here come the tasks. First, I want you to examine language and thought. Answer the following in your TOK notes and discuss with anyone you happen to come into contact with today (we're going to be Socrates on a Thursday):
- Can we think without language?
- Do people who speak different languages think differently about the world because of their langauge differences?
- If French is the language of love, what is English?
- In what language do you talk to your pets (if you have them...if not, random animals you may have encountered in your life???)
- “Speech is the representation of the experiences of the mind.” ARISTOTLE
- “Man lives with the world about him, principally, indeed exclusively, as language presents it.” WILHELM VON HUMBELDT
- “We see and think as we do, mostly because of our language community.” BENJAMIN WHORF
Let's now think of technical languages. Can a doctor actually be competent before he learns the words associated with his profession? Could a mathematician solve complex problems without employing the symbolic language of algebra? Can two computer experts converse without “techie-speak”?
Now, I think we can all agree that our mental world is far richer than our vocabulary. Can you think of any feelings or thoughts for which there aren’t any words in your first language? If you are multilingual are there any words in one of your languages which do not exist in your other language?
Second task: Identify some mental concepts for which there should be words. Why is this difficult to do? What implications does this have for the relationship between language and thought?
So, to what extent does thought rely on language? To recap:
Linguistic Determinism: the view that our thought, and therefore our knowledge, is determined and limited by our language.
Linguistic Realism: the view that our language is determined by our needs and by the world we experience around us.
That would conclude things for our first session, Period 2. Now, let's get into some really subversive stuff :-)
Before I set you to your next task, I want you to ask yourself the following questions - think of it as a mental warm-up before you're set your next mental exercise.
Without a word, does a thing exist?
Did ‘road-rage’ happen before it was named?
Once the word was used and the act defined, did it become an accepted act?
Could this particular classification of violence be discussed without the creation of a name?
To eat meat do we kill animals, do we murder/butcher/slaughter or simply process them?
Now comes the time for your mind to sweat a bit...I'd now like you to read a few things on the internet to help us delve a bit further into Language's hold on our thoughts. First, please read the appendix from 1984.
Next, I'd like you to discuss the following with other Tokrophers:
What do these statements mean?
Globalisation; They are trying to destroy our way of life; The West; Weapons of mass Destruction
What is the difference between these words?
Joy Riding - Death Riding
Plant - Factory
Self-Confident - Arrogant (Loughborough springs to mind :-))
Affirmative action - Racial discrimination
Dedicated - Fanatical
Revolution - Civil War
Collateral Damage - Civilian Deaths
World Community - World Order
Great, now...are you paranoid yet? Is Big Brother watching? Here's your homework for next Thursday:
You must make a presentation lasting one minute telling the class about either a food you particularly like or dislike, explaining:
1) What is the food?2) Do you like or dislike it?
3) Why do you like or dislike it?
You may not use any form of spoken or written language. You may, however, use up to five objects which you must bring with you.
During the presentation, the audience will not be allowed to ask questions. They will attempt to write down the answers to the three questions above.
It would be sensible to choose a food which is relatively simple to describe – most sensible would be one which you can bring as one of your five objects. Careful preparation and significant thought should go into choosing the objects and devising a way to communicate about them and the relationships between them. Without this the task will prove impossible.
And your bloggy-wog work for next Thursday:
Reflect on the following questions...
What is the role of language in creating and reinforcing social distinctions, such as class, ethnicity and gender?
What is the role of language in sustaining relationships of authority?
Can control of written language create or reinforce power?
How do the words we use to describe an idea affect our understanding of the world?
Well kiddos, that's all for now. I really apologise for not being in today, but it couldn't be avoided. I am looking forward to hearing how these tasks go over the next week and will see quite a few of you on Tuesday. TTFN
PS - If you haven't ever read 1984, I suggest grabbing yourself a very old, well worn in copy - can be found in most used books shops or from a quirky relative - and emersing yourself in Orwell's dystopian classic. I spent the better part of a walking trip through the French countryside during the summer of 2003 fretting over Winston and Julia's fates...I couldn't read and walk at the same time, so when forced to walk by my PE hubby and his PE fanatic family, I would fret...when given 15-20 minutes breaks, I would read!
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