AOKS

Each AOK has a framework that consists of five components to characterize the
knowledge of that AOK and allows for comparisons to other AOKs.

Areas of Knowledge
Ethics
Mathematics
The Arts
History
Human Sciences
Natural Sciences
Religious Knowledge Systems
Indigenous Knowledge Systems
1. Look at the framework overview and in groups, choose the AOK of your choice. See if you can
fill in each of the five components using what you already know about that AOK.
2.

Compare your framework to the one the TOK guide provides. Answer the questions:
Was there anything you missed? Why do you think so?
Was there anything you included that the guide did not? Why do you think so?
What was something in the guides framework that surprised you? Why?
Do you feel the framework gives you a better overview of the knowledge belonging to that AOK?
3. Present your findings to the class.

Area of Knowledge: Frameworks

Scope/Application
what is the subject matter of this AOK: what does it talk about and what questions does it ask?
What determines its outside boundary?
how we we use the knowledge in this area?
what are its broad goals in constructing knowledge?
what important contribution does it make to our knowledge as a whole?
Concepts/language
what central concepts characterize the subject matter?
how does the naming of concepts-- the language we use to classify them-- affect the way
knowledge is created?
Methodology (how knowledge is acquired)
how does the combination of subject matter and goals affects this areas methods of inquiry
(or in other words, how do WHAT and WHY influence the HOW)?
how are the 8 ways of knowing combined interactively to gain, exchange, and evaluate
knowledge in this area?
what, if any, are the ethical constraints in the methods of this area?
do practitioners in this area use a diversity of methods or do they follow methods in common?
what is the role, if any, of theories and models?
how does the areas construction of knowledge in the present build on its knowledge
constructed in the past?
Development
in what ways has knowledge in this area been a product of its human and historical
circumstances? have particular unique events or key contributions significantly affected its
development?
Links to personal knowledge
how do people as individuals or groups contribute personal knowledge to this area? how do
they gain from its shared knowledge?
in what ways does this area contribute to your own personal knowledge?
is it important to be aware of your own personal perspective in this area?
Chosen Area of Knowledge:
Scope/Application

Concepts/language

Methodology (how knowledge is acquired)

Development

Links to personal knowledge