Understanding Depth of Knowledge A revised/updated Bloom’s Taxonomy Dr. Norman Webb ~ 1997

What is Depth of Knowledge? The degree of depth or complexity of knowledge reflected in the content standards and assessments How deeply a student needs to understand the content for a given response/assessment

Webb’s DOK Levels Level 1 Recall and Reproduction Level 2 Skills & Concepts Level 3 Strategic Thinking Level 4 Extended Thinking

Depth of Knowledge Levels Level 1: Recall Recall, recognition; skill, behavior or sequence of behaviors learned through practice and easily performed Level 2: Skill/Concept Engagement of some mental processing beyond recalling; the use of information or conceptual knowledge; requires making some decisions regarding how to approach a question or problem Level 3: Strategic Thinking More sophisticated reasoning and analysis; deep understanding; students are required to solve problems & draw conclusions Level 4: Extended Thinking Requires integration of knowledge from multiple sources and ability to represent knowledge in a variety of ways; usually requires work over an extended period of time The DOK has 4 levels. Depth of Knowledge, or DOK, is a way to think about content complexity, not content difficulty. That is the first thing with which people must come to understanding. Complexity is different from difficulty. For example, if students have not seen the word or content before, it might be difficult for them, but it is not complex. Level 1 DOK is recall and recognition. Level 2 – is about using a skill or a concept, i.e. Paraphrase. Conceptual understanding generally refers to the integration and application of concepts and other ideas within a content area. Procedural understanding denotes knowledge about skills and sequence of steps, when and how these should be used appropriately, and their efficient and accurate applications. Level 3 DOK requires strategic thinking. Analysis and other examples are given here. Non-routine problem solving like in reading and determining author’s purpose is Level 3. Level 4 DOK requires extended thinking usually requires work over a period of time, including gathering information, analyzing findings, preparing reports, and presenting findings.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears Main character On the table she found . . . She decided to rest her feet and saw . . . She began to feel very tired and found . . . Soon, someone comes home. They find the bowls, the chairs and beds. Goldilocks screams and . . .

Goldilocks and the Three Bears List the things that goldilocks did while she was in the Bears house. What events in this story could not really have happened? In your opinion, was Goldilocks good or bad? Answering which of these would be categorized as Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4?

Understanding Depth of Knowledge DOK is about intended outcome, not difficulty. DOK is a reference to the complexity of mental processing that must occur to answer a question, perform a task, or generate a product. Sorting Activity

Depth of Knowledge Levels Level 1: Recall Recall, recognition; skill, behavior or sequence of behaviors learned through practice and easily performed Level 2: Skill/Concept Engagement of some mental processing beyond recalling; the use of information or conceptual knowledge; requires making some decisions regarding how to approach a question or problem Level 3: Strategic Thinking More sophisticated reasoning and analysis; deep understanding; students are required to solve problems & draw conclusions Level 4: Extended Thinking Requires integration of knowledge from multiple sources and ability to represent knowledge in a variety of ways; usually requires work over an extended period of time Use this slide as participations work through the word sort…. When everyone finishes their sort…show the next few slides so they can check their answers.

DOK Level 1 Examples List animals that survive by eating other animals. Locate or recall facts explicitly found in text Describe physical features of places Determine the perimeter or area of rectangles given a drawing or labels Identify elements of music using musical terminology Identify basic rules for participating in simple games and activities Recall and reproduction Level 1 DOK 1 requires recall of information, such as facts, definition, term or performance of a simple process or procedure Answering a Level 1 item can involve following a simple, well-known procedure or formula. Simple skills and abilities or recall characterize DOK 1.

DOK Level 2 Examples Compare desert and tropical environments Identify and summarize the major events, problem, solution, conflicts in literary text Explain the cause-effect of historical events Predict a logical outcome based on information in a reading selection Explain how good work habits are important at home, school, and on the job. Classify plane and three dimensional figures Describe various styles of music DOK 2 includes the engagement of some mental processing beyond recalling or reproducing a response. Items require students to make some decisions as to how to approach the question or problem. These actions imply more than one mental or cognitive process/step.

DOK Level 3 Examples Compare consumer actions and analyze how these actions impact the environment Analyze or evaluate the effectiveness of literary elements (e.g. characterization, setting, point of view, conflict and resolution, plot structures) Solve a multiple-step problem and provide support with a mathematical explanation that justifies the answer Level 3 Strategic thinking DOK 3 requires deep understanding as exhibited through planning, using evidence, and more demanding cognitive reasoning. The cognitive demands at Level 3 are complex and abstract. An assessment item that has more than one possible answer and requires students to justify the response they give would most likely be a Level 3.

DOK Level 3 Examples Develop a scientific model for a complex idea Propose and evaluate solutions for an economic problem Explain, generalize or connect ideas, using supporting evidence from a text or sourc Create a dance that represents the characteristics of a culture

DOK Level 4 Examples Gather, analyze, organize, and interpret information from multiple (print and non print sources) to draft a reasoned report Analyzing author’s craft (e.g., style, bias, literary techniques, point of view) Create an exercise plan applying the “FITT (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type) Principle DOK 4 requires high cognitive demand and is very complex. Students are expected to make connections – related ideas within the content or among content areas – and have to select or devise one approach among many alternatives on how the situation can be solved. Due to the complexity of cognitive demand, DOK 4 often requires an extended period of time. However, extended time alone, is not a distinguishing factor.

DOK Level 4 Examples Analyze and explain multiple perspectives or issues within or across time periods, events, or cultures Specify a problem, identify solution paths, solve the problem, and report the results Write and produce an original play

Same VERB – three DOK levels Elementary Mathematics DOK ? Determine the formula for the area of a rectangle and explain reasoning through modeling DOK ? Demonstrate and model multiplication (repeated addition, arrays) and division (repeated subtraction, partitioning) DOK ? Model, describe, and draw – lines, rays, angles including right, obtuse, and acute angles. DOK 3 DOK 2 DOK 1

Same VERB – three DOK Levels Science DOK? – Describe a model that you might use to represent the relationships that exist within the rock cycle DOK ? – Describe the differences between metamorphic and igneous rocks DOK ? – Describe three characteristics of metamorphic rocks DOK 3 (requires deep understanding of rock cycle and a determination of how best to represent it. DOK 2 (requires cognitive processing to determine the differences in the two types of rocks) DOK 1 (simple recall)

Same VERB – three DOK Levels Social Studies DOK ?  examine the amendment process of the West Virginia Constitution, give examples of amendments and explain why they occurred.         DOK ? Use correct geographic terminology to explain direction, location, time zones, physical features of the earth. DOK ?   explain how nations benefit when they resolve conflicts peacefully.  DOK 3 DOK 1 DOK 2

Essay Choose one level to explain and give an example. This may be a lesson you have seen your Mentor do or a lesson you have been involved with in one of your classes. Write a three paragraph, one-page, double spaced, MLA formatted essay. 1) Begin by explaining the level you have chosen. Research! 2) Talk about how/where you see this level. Give an example. 3) Now give your opinion. Is this good/bad/necessary, or whatever you think of DOK in the context you have written. Submit your essay to Turnitin by Friday, March 22nSd.