Responses 002 (2011-2012)
Looking at the new list began to be interesting in a whole new way with Question 2: "Compare and contrast knowledge which can be expressed in words/symbols with knowledge that cannot be expressed in this way. Consider CAS and one or more areas of knowledge."
It's the first question I've seen that would be partly incomprehensible except to a student of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. That's because it has the term 'CAS' in it — an acronym for 'Creativity, Action, Service'. This core element of the Diploma is supposed to act as a counterbalance to academic work, and consists largely of activities one might think of as 'experiential learning'.
And that immediately supplies us with one possible key. To participate in CAS is to design a course of study for yourself, but one which acts as a counterpoint to traditional academic studies — all of which consist largely of knowledge expressed and assessed by words/symbols. Evaluation in CAS consists of documenting your reflections on what you have done and how that has affected your outlook and perception of life; it's more about knowledge that can be described but not expressed fully without going through similar experiences.
That's not to say that none of it can be expressed in words and symbols. If you've learnt how to make pots or have been digging latrines in Peru, the physical and material aspects can be communicated — e.g. 'How to Dig a Latrine in 5 Easy Steps', or 'How to Make a Basic Pot' — in words and diagrams. But what you've learnt about cameraderie, teamwork and working in an alien environment — these are much less easy to convey.
This is a difficult question, though, because of at least one philosophical position. If your brain is a machine, then its inputs and outputs can theoretically be completely described in words and symbols. All your sensory perceptions, emotional changes, communication abilities and reasoning processes can be converted to symbolic form. It's a big 'if', but a discussion of its 'iffiness' is crucial to the discussion of this question.
So... what exactly is knowledge that CANNOT be expressed in words or symbols? Is there such a thing? Or does it only exist in a way because some people are just not articulate enough to express their knowledge by such means? A famous researcher is rumoured to have said, "There is no such thing as qualitative research, just quantitative research that hasn't been adequately defined." Ho ho.
It's the first question I've seen that would be partly incomprehensible except to a student of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. That's because it has the term 'CAS' in it — an acronym for 'Creativity, Action, Service'. This core element of the Diploma is supposed to act as a counterbalance to academic work, and consists largely of activities one might think of as 'experiential learning'.
And that immediately supplies us with one possible key. To participate in CAS is to design a course of study for yourself, but one which acts as a counterpoint to traditional academic studies — all of which consist largely of knowledge expressed and assessed by words/symbols. Evaluation in CAS consists of documenting your reflections on what you have done and how that has affected your outlook and perception of life; it's more about knowledge that can be described but not expressed fully without going through similar experiences.
That's not to say that none of it can be expressed in words and symbols. If you've learnt how to make pots or have been digging latrines in Peru, the physical and material aspects can be communicated — e.g. 'How to Dig a Latrine in 5 Easy Steps', or 'How to Make a Basic Pot' — in words and diagrams. But what you've learnt about cameraderie, teamwork and working in an alien environment — these are much less easy to convey.
This is a difficult question, though, because of at least one philosophical position. If your brain is a machine, then its inputs and outputs can theoretically be completely described in words and symbols. All your sensory perceptions, emotional changes, communication abilities and reasoning processes can be converted to symbolic form. It's a big 'if', but a discussion of its 'iffiness' is crucial to the discussion of this question.
So... what exactly is knowledge that CANNOT be expressed in words or symbols? Is there such a thing? Or does it only exist in a way because some people are just not articulate enough to express their knowledge by such means? A famous researcher is rumoured to have said, "There is no such thing as qualitative research, just quantitative research that hasn't been adequately defined." Ho ho.
Labels: Epistemology, Experience, Knowledge, Odd Questions, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research
etched with acid at 6:42:00 pm
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