theoryofknowledge.net

TOK WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS

 

 

About theoryofknowledge.net theoryofknowledge.net was set up in 2009 by Michael Dunn, a Cambridge and Edinburgh-educated History and TOK teacher. Initially just a small homemade website, it quickly grew to become the most popular online resource for TOK in the world. It now comprises a free 200 page website accessed by up to 5500 users every day, an Android and iOS mobile app, a newsletter that is sent out in 2 versions to nearly 10,000 subscribers worldwide, a range of social media resources, and a range of teaching resources that have been purchased by individuals and schools in over 750 towns and cities in more than 100 countries around the world. This means that theoryofknowledge.net’s ideas and strategies are an integral part of the learning process for thousands of IB Diploma students globally. Michael collaborates with some of the most respected institutions and educators in international education, such as Cambridge University Press, for whom he leads PD workshops, co-develops resources, and writes blogs, and Sue Bastian, one of the architects of TOK, and with whom he co-writes the TOK essay guide for teachers. For all questions and queries about our resources and support services, please email Michael at michael.dunn@theoryofknowledge.net. He will respond within 24 hours to all product enquiries. All the resources listed here are described in more detail on the website.

Seminars and workshops In association with Cambridge University Press, and independently, Michael offers a range of in-school and online TOK seminars and workshops for IB students and teachers. These events are designed to fit in with the requirements of your school, either to introduce or consolidate the skills required for a solid understanding of theory of knowledge. If you’d like him to kick-off TOK with your students or teachers, explain why it provides such a great preparation for understanding and interacting with the world, get them thinking about a particular aspect of the course, or outline strategies to integrate it with the rest of your IB Diploma teaching, he will do so in a clear, jargon-free, and engaging way. Email Michael for a full listing of events customized to your school’s needs – these can range from a short hour-long presentation, or a two-day interactive workshop.

 

Workshop modules for teachers The following modules are offered as the basis of our half-day, full day, or two-day workshops. Each module is designed to last around 2 hours, and comprises a presentation and hands-on activity. However, this can be adapted to suit the needs of your school, and level of familiarity of staff members with TOK. A typical half-day workshop comprises 2 modules; a full day would include 4 modules. Two-day workshops involve 6 modules. We can combine the modules in any way, or design something different for your school if you have a particular focus you’d like to cover.

1. A brief introduction to TOK TOK can be an enigmatic entity to teachers, just as it can to students. But given that it is such a defining element of the IB Diploma, it is important that all Diploma teachers have a good understanding of what it is. This module provides a brief introduction to the aims and structure of TOK, and how it can enrich and enliven non-TOK classes, and help you to deliver your own subject.

2. Designing a TOK programme of study The TOK curriculum has now expanded to include more areas of knowledge and ways of knowing. What should be included, and what should be excluded, and how should you balance an approach that offers a solid structure with one that it driven by up-to-date on real life situations? We think about the make up and location of your school, and what would best work for you.

3. How to introduce TOK to your students for the first time TOK is an alien concept for most students. How should you first introduce it to your students so that they are engaged by its uncertainties, rather than resentful of them? This module suggests some strategies to begin the course successfully.

4. Overseeing the essay The TOK essay is a tough task for students. What level of support should you be providing at a teacher, and how do you best prepare them so they can tackle the essay effectively? Also included in this module: a consideration of how the new assessment criteria have changed the way the essay is tackled.

5. Overseeing the presentation The presentation is a more open-ended assessment task. How should you oversee your students as they design, write, and present their work? Also included in this module: a consideration of how the new assessment criteria have changed the way the presentation is tackled.

6. Understanding knowledge questions Knowledge questions are what TOK is built on, as well as being the central element that is assessed in the essay and presentation. But students (and teachers) are often confused by what they are, and how to include them in presentations and essays. We look at how KQs fit into the TOK course, and how to give students a clear understanding of what they are.

7. Putting TOK at the heart of the IB Diploma If delivered properly, TOK can bring together all strands of the IB Diploma, enrich non-TOK classrooms, and encourage meta-thinking amongst both students and staff members. This module looks at why TOK is such an important part of the IB Diploma, and suggests strategies for putting it at the centre of the Diploma Programme in your school.

8. Dealing with real life situations The new TOK curriculum places even more emphasis on applying TOK concepts to the real world. This module looks at how this works in practice, and suggests ways in which you can bring contemporary news events and issues into the classroom.

9. How TOK can help your students gain a place at university TOK sets IB Diploma students apart from those following other educational programmes. We look at ways students can make the most of it in order to improve their chances of gaining a place at university.

10. TOK and technology TOK needs to draw on the most up-to-date real life situations possible. We consider ways in which technology and social media can help you engage your students with what’s going on in the world, and apply the concepts of TOK to make sense of it.

First published September 2015 ��� Michael Dunn, Cambridge, United Kingdom Phone: +44 1223 560060 Website: http://theoryofknowledge.net ���

© theoryofknowledge.net 2015

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