1. Practical Tips for Increasing Student Thinking & Learning
Dr. Cindy Koss, Deputy Superintendent for Academic Affairs and Planning

2. Understanding Depth of Knowledge (DOK) Teaching, Learning & Assessing at all Levels

3. Understanding Depth of Knowledge (DOK)
DATE: July 2016
VOCABULARY:
Depth of Knowledge (DOK)
Cognitive Rigor
Difficulty vs. Complexity
Higher Order Thinking (HOT)
Questioning Strategies
EXIT SLIP:
Connect: Identify how you can share information about DOK, and Questioning Strategies with other educators.
TOPIC: Depth of Knowledge, Learning Strategies
LEARNING GOAL:
Apply Higher Order Thinking, Depth of Knowledge, and Questioning Strategies to strengthen student learning.
At-A-Glance:
Cognitive Rigor
What Is Depth of Knowledge?
Difficulty vs. Complexity
DOK in the Classroom
What Are DOK Levels?
DOK Examples
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How does increasing the rigor in your classroom instruction and formative assessment enhance the learning of your students?

4. Before we begin… Cognitive Rigor
Activity: Take a minute and write your definition of cognitive rigor as it relates to instruction, learning, and assessment.

5. Cognitive Rigor
The kind and level of thinking required of students to successfully engage with and solve a task
Ways in which students interact with content

6. The Ant and the Grasshopper
In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.
     "Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?"
     "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same."
     "Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "We have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil.
     When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger - while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for days of need.

7. Cognitive Rigor
Your class has just read some version of the “Ant and the Grasshopper.” What is a basic comprehension question you might ask? What is a more rigorous question you might ask?

8. Developing the Cognitive Rigor Matrix
Educators use different models to describe cognitive rigor. Each addresses something different. Bloom –What type of thinking (verb) is needed to complete a task? Webb –How deeply do you have to understand the content to successfully interact?

9. What is Depth Of Knowledge (DOK)?

10. Anticipation Guide - DOK
Place a √ next to each sentence that is true. ___Depth of Knowledge (DOK) is about difficulty. ___DOK is about complexity. ___DOK is about what students are expected to know and be able to do related to complexity. ___DOK is about what follows the verb. ___DOK is a system for categorizing cognitive demand. ___DOK has four levels (recall, basic reasoning, strategic thinking, extended thinking).

11. ACTIVITY: Anticipation Guide Table Talk After you individually decide on your responses, share with a partner and table group the reasoning for your responses. I think. You think. We think.

12. What is DOK?
DOK measures the degree to which knowledge is elicited from students.
DOK is a common language educators use to describe the complexity of learning tasks and test items.

13. Beginning at the Beginning
What DOK is can best be explained by saying first what DOK is NOT!
DOK is not a verb.
DOK is not about the “difficulty” of the task.
DOK is not a grade-level indicator.

14. 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.

15. DOK Is Not About Difficulty
Difficulty is a reference to how many students answer a question correctly. “How many of you know the definition of ‘exaggerate’?” DOK 1- recall If all of you know the definition, this is an easy question. “How many of you know the definition of ‘vociferous’?” DOK 1 – recall If most of you do not know the definition, this is a difficult question.

16. DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE LEVELS
Level 1 Recall and Reproduction
Show I know the skill – just the facts
Level 2 Basic Reasoning
Show I can use the skill – book learning
Level 3 Strategic Thinking
Choose when to use the skill - selection
Level 4 Extended Thinking
Apply the skill in new areas - extension

17. Same Verb – Three DOK Levels
DOK 1-Describe three characteristics of metamorphic rocks
Requires simple recall
DOK 2-Describe the difference between metamorphic and igneous rocks.
Requires cognitive processing to determine the differences in the two rock types
DOK 3-Describe a model that you might use to represent the relationships that exist within the rock cycle.
Requires deep understanding of rock cycle and a determination of how best to represent it.

18. Module 3 – Difficulty vs. Complexity Bringing Rigor Into Instruction
Hess’ Cognitive Rigor Matrix
Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
Bloom’s Cognitive Process

19. DOK is About Complexity
Level 1 requires students to use simple skills or abilities.
Level 2 includes the engagement of some mental processing beyond recalling.
Level 3 requires some higher level mental processing like reasoning, planning, and using evidence.
Level 4 requires complex reasoning, planning, developing, and thinking over an extended period of time.

20. DOK is About Complexity
DOK focuses on complexity of content standards in order to successfully complete a task or assessment. The outcome (product) is the focus of the depth of understanding.
The intended student learning goal determines the DOK level.
Instruction and classroom assessments must reflect the DOK level of the objective or intended learning outcome.

21. Depth of Knowledge Level 1 Recall
Recall of a fact, information, or procedure.
Level 2 Skill/Concept
Use information or conceptual knowledge, two or more steps, etc.
Level 3 Strategic Thinking
Requires reasoning, developing plan or a sequence of steps, some complexity, more than one possible answer.
Level 4 Extended Thinking
Requires an investigation, time to think and process multiple conditions of the problem.

22. DOK Level 1: Recall and Reproduction
Requires recall of information, such as a fact, 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

23. DOK Level 2: Skills and Concepts
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
Actions imply more than one mental or cognitive process/step

24. DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking
Requires deep understanding exhibited through planning, using evidence, and more demanding cognitive reasoning
The cognitive demands are complex and abstract
An assessment item that has more than one possible answer and requires students to justify the response

25. DOK Level 4: Extended Thinking
Requires high cognitive demand and is very complex
Students are expected to make connections, relate ideas within the content or among content areas, and 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.

26. Practice Using the Cognitive Rigor Matrix
Using your example of the sample questions from “The Ant and The Grasshopper”…
Determine the DOK levels of each question.

27. Cognitive Rigor Matrix
Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy
Webb’s DOK Level 1
Recall & Reproduction
Webb’s DOK Level 2
Skills & Concepts
Webb’s DOK Level 3
Strategic Thinking
Webb’s DOK Level 4
Extended Thinking
Remember
Recall Facts
Understand
Identify characters, setting, etc.
Identify main ideas
Identify/make inferences about explicit/implicit themes
Apply
Use language structure (pre/suffix) or word relationships to determine meaning of words
Use context to identify the meaning or words
Analyze
Compare-Contrast
Analyze multiple texts/sources using text evidence for support
Evaluate
Justify judgments using details/evidence from text
Evaluate accuracy & completeness of information from multiple sources
Create
Brainstorm ideas, concepts, problems or perspectives related to topic or concept
Develop a creative summary
Develop an alternative solution to story

28. From DOK 1 to DOK 4
Text: Gettysburg Address DOK 1: What date is Lincoln referencing when he says, “Four Score and Seven Years Ago?” DOK 2: What is the connection between the date “Four Score and Seven Years Ago” and the argument Lincoln is trying to make? DOK 3: Lincoln’s address lays out a thesis and argument in support of equality. Analyze his line of reasoning and evidence he uses to advance his point of view. DOK 4: Draw from additional related sources to write a research paper that discusses the role war plays in nation building.

29. Module 6 DOK Examples

30. DOK Review Choose 3 questions from the DOK cards.
Identify the DOK level.
Turn to your partner to discuss.
Share with group.

31. Some General Tips
If there is only one correct answer, it is probably level DOK 1 or DOK 2
DOK 1: you either know it (can recall it, locate it, do it) or you don’t.
DOK 2: (conceptual) apply one concept, then make a decision before applying a second concept.
If more than one solution/approach, requiring evidence, it is DOK 3 or DOK 4
DOK 3: Must provide supporting evidence and reasoning (not just HOW solved, but WHY – explain reasoning).
DOK 4: all of “3” + use multiple sources or texts.

32. How Do We Develop Deeper Thinking?
Making thinking apparent in everything you teach.
Use Think Aloud strategy to model your thinking and meta- cognition.
Include opportunities for students to “think aloud” with partners, small groups, and with the entire class.
Encourage multiple responses or answers to the same question.
Use questions in class and on assessments that require deep thinking and application.

33. Other Strategies…Think Tank
Pull a question out of the hat.
Create a 5 minute speech supporting your topic with evidence.
Other Strategies…Key Word Strategies
Pick the three words you find necessary to retell this section.

34. Other Strategy…Written Discussion
Write 1-2 sentences in reaction to an article of passage.
Pass, react to your partners comments.
Pass, react to both comments.
What DOK level is each step?
Turn and talk to your partner.

35. Cognitive Rigor & Implications for Classroom Assessment
Assessing only at the highest DOK level will miss opportunities to know what students do and don’t know – use a range; end “high” in selected/prioritized content.
Performance assessments can offer varying levels of DOK embedded in a larger, more complex task.
Planned formative assessment strategies and tools should focus on differing DOK levels.
STRATEGY CARDS SPAN LEVELS OF DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE

36. Reflecting on Your Learning
Revisit the definition of rigor – has it changed/been refined? In what way?
What is one way you might apply these ideas in your work?
What existing curriculum/assessment materials could you/your school examine for a range of cognitive rigor?
What classroom/instructional practices support the different levels of DOK?