1. The nature of TOK Students are encouraged to consider questions such as: What counts as knowledge? What methodology is used in different subject areas? What is the value and limitations of this knowledge? Does the subject matter vary depending on one’s position in the world?

3. TOK encourages critical thinking, enables students develop an understanding of knowledge as a human construction and helps them to discover and express their views on knowledge issues.

4. WHAT IS ‘AFRICA’ LIKE? 1. Image and reality

5. Africa in the media Poverty War Famine Aids Corruption One homogenous continent? Photo: American Red Cross

6. Some basic facts Nairobi: a different image 47 countries 100 major languages 888 million people Desert, Savanna, Rainforest, Coast… Christianity, Islam, Animism, Judaism…. Huge diversity Photo: www.bauck.com

7. South Africa Chad Infant Mortality: 59 per 1000 Population growth: -0.47% GDP per capita (PPP): $10,600 GDP growth rate: 5% p.a Labour force in agriculture: 9% Infant Mortality: 102 per 1000 Population growth: 2.32% GDP per capita (PPP): $1,600 GDP growth rate: -1.3% p.a Labour force in agriculture: 80% Revealing the complexity Source: CIA World Factbook

8. WHAT ARE OUR IMAGES OF AFRICA? WHERE DO THESE IMAGES COME FROM? HOW ACCURATE ARE THEY? Possible questions to consider

9. Manipulation of data: who is the biggest polluter?

14. Possible questions to ask Why was this particular data set chosen? What would be other possibilities? How might my conclusions differ if other data were used? How do I decide what is the ‘right’ data to use? How could this data be used to manipulate?

15. Measuring development: An Alternative index? 1. Vanuatu 2. Colombia 3. Costa Rica 31. China 81. Germany 99. Denmark 148. Burkina Faso 150. USA 154. UAE Which index has resulted in this ranking?

16. Happy Planet Index The ‘Happy Planet Index’ combines environmental impact with well-being to measure the environmental efficiency with which people live long and happy lives. Life Satisfaction, Life Expectancy and Ecological footprint. What are the strengths and limitations of the Happy planet index? Source: www.happyplanet.org (NEF)

17. Which map to use? Source: Oxfam

18. What is the difference?

19. Another perspective

20. And another!

21. Visible and invisible: Name one of each A world leader An important historical event A scientist A famous artist A famous author A religious leader

22. How many people on the list were: Female? African? Latin American? ……. Why?