Essential Understanding

When subject teachers help students to explore their subject from different perspectives, they are embedding TOK into that subject area.

This element focuses on the importance and influence of perspectives and context. This includes reflection on the students’ own perspectives and what informs them, as well as how different people or groups view or approach knowledge in the different themes/areas of knowledge. It also includes reflection on historical perspectives and how knowledge changes over time.

Examples of knowledge questions relating to perspectives include the following.

• What is the significance of key historical developments within these themes/areas of knowledge?
• What do these themes/areas of knowledge identify about knowledge that is rooted in particular social and cultural groups?
• Are some types of knowledge less open to interpretation than others?
• Is an understanding of the perspective of other knowers essential in the pursuit of knowledge?

AOK's and Perspectives

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Exploring perspectives

Scenario: Should our (hypothetical) nation send troops to Nation X to help provide for that country’s national security?

The perspectives are:

• An immigrant from Nation X who fled a tyrannical dictator
• A wealthy investor who has invested large sums in mines in Nation X
• The mother of a soldier who has already served three tours abroad
• A general who is concerned with the ultimate security of his nation
• A health care worker worried about people who need medical insurance and other domestic healthcare issues

Each person in the group takes on one of the roles and the group discusses what each person might feel is the right answer to the question.

Explain How your character came to hold his/her opinion on the question. Identify the sources of your character's beliefs.

Consider where our perspectives come from. (culture, family, religion, education etc.)

Activity: Placemat

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Reflections

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Different perspectives in the subject areas

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Developing an activity for use in class

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Resources and Activities

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