TOK: Knowledge and Technology Summative Socratic Seminar

Overview: “The Socratic method of teaching is based on Socrates’ theory that it is more important to enable
students to think for themselves than to merely fill their heads with ‘right’ answers. Therefore, he regularly
engaged his pupils in dialogues by responding to their questions with questions, instead of answers” (Adams).
Socratic Seminars are a way to explore perspectives and make meaning as a group. Through discussion and
questioning, participants come to a deeper understanding of the topics. Socratic Seminar is a dialogue, not a
debate, and participants are not expected to arrive at a “correct” or single answer to the questions. All
participants should contribute ideas and use specific evidence to support their claims. After the seminar,
participants will have to submit a reflection including thoughts about the discussion overall, and any ideas that
they did not get a chance to express during the seminar.

Deliverables:
● Preparation notes due before the Socratic seminars begin as 1 submitted document on SEQTA (must be
completed and submitted before the class’ first Socratic Seminar)
● Seminar participation
● Final Reflection

Seminar Questions:
1. How might technology exacerbate or mitigate unequal access, and divides in our access, to
knowledge?
Technology gives us a more efficient global perception in all factors and shows the social ideologies and
cultures that we can learn and acquire to our own knowledge. Also, the wide scale of technology
outcomes that can happen with one search can also give a wide amount of informationand perspectives
from personal to expert explanations. The lack of technology in some areas may affect the awareness in
external access. Also, it might affect the way we view the needs of people that surround the area for not
being able to know a global understanding of people and society. Also for personal education some
people might lack certain studies for not knowing expertise and being based on own experiences.
2. How does technology shape how we know? In what ways does technology extend or transform
knowledge?
The Usage of technology is used primarily for dissemination of personal, global, and Scientific
information. But there are other attributes of technology that are used for external communication,
games and entertainment. That was the initial idea of many people in 2010 or below but there was a very
important misunderstanding that took technology to a massive extent which was the revolutionary
automatization and knowledge. “It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded
our humanity.” - Albert Einstein. There is no control whatsoever of the outcomes of this evolution and
when things get out of hand it can transform peoples lifes and mentality. Many individuals that have
access to technology end up having a dynamic feeling in which they are obsessed.
3. How does technology aid and/or hinder cognition?
Technology can enhance cognitive abilities by providing tools for learning, memory, and
problem-solving. For instance, digital tools such as educational software, online courses, and video
 tutorials can provide an interactive and engaging learning experience that supports cognitive
development. Technology can assist with tasks that require mental effort or focus, such as scheduling
and organizing, by providing tools such as digital calendars, task lists, and reminders.
Technology can provide access to vast amounts of information and knowledge, facilitating research and
learning. However, Technology can be a distraction that interferes with concentration and attention.
Social media, notifications, and email alerts can pull our attention away from important tasks and reduce
our ability to focus. Also, Technology can lead to information overload, making it difficult to process
and retain information effectively. Overuse of technology can lead to addiction and negative impacts on
mental health, such as anxiety and depression. Overall, technology can aid cognition when used
effectively and judiciously, but it can also hinder cognition when overused or used inappropriately.
4. Are there ethical limits to the progress we make in knowledge acquired through the use of
technology?
Yes, there are ethical limits to the progress we make in knowledge acquired through the use of
technology. As with any area of research and development, technological advancements must be
balanced against ethical considerations to ensure that they do not cause harm to individuals or society as
a whole. One reason shows that lately, Technology has the power to collect and store vast amounts of
personal data, which raises concerns about privacy violations and potential misuse of data in political or
social beliefs. The development of AI raises questions about the potential misuse of intelligent systems
and the potential impact on employment and human autonomy. The use of technology can create new
safety and security risks, such as cyberattacks, data breaches, and other forms of digital threats.
Technological advancements can have a significant impact on the environment, such as energy
consumption, e-waste, and other forms of pollution. The benefits and risks of technology are not
distributed evenly, and there is a risk that some groups may be disadvantaged or marginalized by the
development and use of technology. It is important to recognize and address these ethical considerations
when developing and using technology to ensure that technological advancements align with our values.
5. Do social networks reinforce our existing perspective rather than boosting our engagement with
diverse perspectives?
“The usage of social networks is primarily used to communicate” this is an ideology that many networks
and software creators had initially expected. Except, The facebook owner itself Mark Zuckenberg had
other ideas that could expand our awareness of other people using visual videos and images to let people
show and post anything. However, There are various ideologies spreading today that mentioned that
politicians or other organizations had taken our data. “the firm harvested private information from the
Facebook profiles of more than 50 million users without their permission, according to former
Cambridge employees, associates and documents, making it one of the largest data leaks in the social
network’s history.” This created a massive debate whether they should fine facebook for their invasion
of privacy or just ban facebook from the internet and mobile phones. Therefore, Some people believe
that social media is effective but can affect the safety and usage of a person. Other examples involve the
plagiarism and easy encyclopedia and informatic access to personal usage. Researchers in Purdue have
collected data of over 10,000 individuals who use computers on a daily basis and more than 30% of
people have used “copy pasted” information for projects and essays. The sample was anonymously
chosen but still reflects how people are not learning properly and using other peoples perspectives to
 save time or to get work done faster.

Works Cited
https://online.purdue.edu/blog/education/how-has-technology-changed-education

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/17/us/politics/cambridge-analytica-trump-campaign.html

How Do I Prepare?

1. Make your own copy of this document & share it with Mr. Knight.

2. Review the proposed questions listed above. Define important terms. Rephrase the questions in your own
words.

3. Brainstorm potential responses to the questions. Consider multiple perspectives, not just your personal
opinion.

4. Based on your brainstorm, reflect and conduct research to deepen your understanding of each question. Be
sure to include MLA citations for all research. Independent research from various credible sources is expected
(minimum 1 source in reference to each question – 5 sources in total).
Some useful links for MLA citations are: the OWL Basics Guide & Sample MLA Works Cited

5. Develop a nuanced response to each of the questions. Try to incorporate Real Life Situations and Areas of
Knowledge that you would like to discuss in connection with the questions (these do not have to be separate
from your research). All responses should be focused on knowledge and should make reference to TOK
concepts.

6. Organize your notes, share them with me, and print them, so that you can easily refer to them during the
seminar.

If you don’t complete and submit the preparation notes by the deadline (start of class on the day of the
discussion) and submit the prep notes to SEQTA, the top mark you can receive on the “Preparedness” section of
the rubric would be a 4 (“Satisfactory” but not “Good/Excellent”).

Final reflection:
(this is where you should write 300-500 (500 is maximum) words about the ideas you had during the seminar
that you wanted to say during the seminar, but didn’t get the chance to. Eg. “When we were talking about ____,
I wanted to refer to _________________ but didn’t get the chance to”)
This reflection has to be submitted to the SEQTA assignment AFTER the Socratic Seminar but on the
SAME DAY before midnight. If you don’t submit this by the deadline, the top mark you can receive on the
“Focus” section of the rubric would be a 6 (“Satisfactory” but not “Good/Excellent”).

Group A (1st) Group B (2nd)

Tuesday, March 14 Thursday, March 16
Alessio Lara

Maria Sophia

Pipe Samuel

Valeria Santi

Gabi Isa

Paula Julian
 Here is the rubric that will be used to evaluate your prep work and contributions to the
discussion:

TOK: K&T Social Dilemma Formative Socratic Seminar Rubric

Criteria: Description-- An Excellent Insufficient Developing Satisfactory Good/
0 1-2 3-4 Excellent
Socratic Seminar Participant 5-6
Will:
Preparedness ● Prepare and submit clear,
( /6) detailed notes that demonstrate
(in the preparation in-depth awareness and nuanced
document) evaluation of the seminar
questions
● Cite (in MLA format) reliable
sources when incorporating
ideas from research in notes
Evidence ● Use multiple examples from
( /6) Real Life Situations and TOK
(in the preparation Concepts as evidence to
document and effectively support a discussion
● Give credit to sources verbally
during the while expressing ideas that are
Socratic Seminar) based on research
Criteria: Description-- An Excellent Insufficient Developing Satisfactory Good/
0 1-3 4-6 Excellent
Socratic Seminar Participant 7-8
Will:
Focus ● Share ideas focused on
( /8) exploring the seminar questions
(during the ● Contribute regularly to the
Socratic Seminar, discussion through relevant &
meaningful comments
and also in your ● Add insights to the discussion
reflection) rather than simply summarizing
the thoughts of others
● Direct the discussion, facilitate
the involvement of others, ask
thought provoking questions
● Coherently build on the ideas of
others
● Use appropriate communication
that does not distract from the
questions

Total /20
Sentence Frames for Clarification:
_________________, could you please rephrase that?
I did not understand ____________________, could you repeat that, please?
I did not understand ___________, do you mean __________? (here you rephrase what you think
the group member said and wait for clarification)
It’s not quite clear. Can you explain what you said about ________?
Can you say more about that?
In other words, are you saying _________?
I have a question about ________. State your question.
Sentence Frame for changing the subject:
I think we’ve exhausted the topic of ________, can we move on to ______?
Moving on to _________
Does anyone have any final comments to add about ______ or shall we move on to a new
subject?
Sentence Frames for affirming an idea and adding to it:
My idea is related to ____________’s idea ___________.
I really liked ______’s idea about _________.
I agree with ______. Also, _________.
My idea builds on ______’s idea. I __________.
Presenting a different angle on a subject:
While I can see why you believe this, I see this differently. In my opinion _______.
I understand where you are coming from, but I see it a bit differently. From my perspective,
_________.
That’s a valid point, but I feel __________.
On the other hand, __________.
I do agree with the part about _________ but __________.
Expressing your opinion:
I believe that _________.
In my opinion __________.
I feel that ___________.
I think that __________ because ________.
To me, it seems obvious that _________.

Stem Questions that Facilitate & Sustain Dialogue

Agree / Disagree
● Has anyone else had a similar . . .?
● Who has a different . . .?
Clarification
● I'm not sure I understand . . .?
● Tell me more about . . .?
● Do you see gaps in my reasoning?
● Are you taking into account something different from what I have considered?
Support Questions
● Can you give us an example of . . .?
● Where in the story . . .?
● What would be a good reason for . . .?
● What is some evidence for . . .?
Cause and Effect
● Why do you think that happened?
 ● How could that have been prevented?
● Do you think that would happen that way again? Why?
● What are some reasons people . . .?
Compare / Contrast
● How are __________ and _______ alike? Different?
● What is that similar to?
● Can you think of why this feels different than . . .?
● How does this (poem, book, incident, etc.) remind you of . . .?
Benefits / Burdens
● What are some of the reasons this wouldn't (would) be a good idea?
● Would anyone like to speak to the opposite side?
● Those are some reasons this would work; what reasons might it not work?
Point of View / Perspective
● How might she/he have felt . . .?
● What do you think he/she was thinking when . . .?
● He might not like that, but can you think of someone who would?
● _____________ has expressed a different opinion. Are there others?
○ Do you have a different interpretation?
○ Do you have different conclusions?
○ How did you arrive at your view?
Structure / Function
● If that was the goal, what do you think about . . (the action, reaction)?
● What were her/his choices of how to . . .?
● Why was she/he doing that? (Reply gives reason) What do you think of that approach?
● What better choices could he/she have made?
● What rules would we need to make sure . . .?
Counterexample
● Would that still happen if . . . ?
● What might have made the difference?
Different Situation
● Can you describe a situation that would . . .?
● Suppose ________________. Would that still be true? Why or why not?
Solicit Questions
● What are some things that you wonder about?
● What would you like to know about?
● Are there questions we should remember now?
Personal Experience
1. What would you do in that situation?
2. Has anything like that ever happened to you?
3. In what way are you alike or different from . . .?