1. Increasing Rigor Through Questioning and Depth of Knowledge Strategies
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D.,
& Tonia Heffley, M.Ed.
Jefferson County Public Schools
Golden, CO
Blanche
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

2. Learning Target and Success Criteria
We will use explore tools and resources that enable implementing depth and complexity through questioning strategies and techniques.
Blanche
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

3. Rigor
...demands students acquire a balance of conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application/problem-solving skills.
This has to be connected to
rigorous curriculum.
Blanche
review components of definition
Challenging - engaging, vigorous and stimulating instruction
takes all three

4. Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.
Blanche: What does rigor mean in your setting…. w/elbow partner
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

5. then we must plan differently and intentionally for this outcome.
Planning
If we want to all prepare students to explain their thinking about why learning the content is important, relevant and engaging,
then we must plan differently and intentionally for this outcome.
Blanche: Another aspect of we must consider is Planning - we have heard a good bit from schools during IR about Planning -

6. Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.
SO…..
What are we really talking about here?
Cindy
We are talking about how we think and plan for the students in our classrooms. We are going to focus our time today on how to have a variety of ways for students to demonstrate their understanding. What does that mean - it means that we are talking about higher order thinking skills - we want and expect students to demonstrate their understanding but to do that through a variety of higher order thinking skills based on their level.
WHAT???????? Are we talking about making things more difficult? OR complex and challenging?
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

7. Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.
Quick Chat
Challenging vs. Difficult (3 minutes)
What does this mean for you?
What might this look like for students?
Turn to a partner
Person A goes first and answers the question.
Person B listens, paraphrases what they heard.
Person A confirms and/or adds to their final thoughts.
Person B answers the question.
Person A listens & paraphrases.
Person B confirms and/or adds to their final thoughts.
Cindy
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

8. Cognitive Complexity vs. Difficulty
What is the difference between Cognitive Complexity and Difficulty Level?
Difficulty refers to how many students answered the question correctly.
Higher Order Thinking (Cognitive Complexity) refers to how many steps it takes to answer the question.
Cindy

9. Cognitive Complexity vs. Difficulty
Higher level thinking questions:
easier for some students to answer
open ended
multiple entry points
allow for more think time
Questions heavily focused on recall
impacts students with various processing speeds
Cindy:
ELL Student Examples
GT (VSL) Student Examples - non linear process
Importance of Think Time and Production Time
Wait time…secondary wait time
Students may need time to adjust to the extra thinking and production time if they are used to quick response, low level questions
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

10. Let’s get down to business!
What are some things we ask students to do to demonstrate their understanding?
Cindy

11. Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.
Describe
Describe three characteristics of metamorphic rocks.
(Requires simple recall)
Describe the difference between metamorphic and igneous rocks.
(Requires cognitive processing to determine the differences in the two rock types)
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)
Cindy
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

12. Start with what we know….
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Tonia
Bloom's Taxonomy was created in 1956 under the leadership of educational psychologist Dr Benjamin Bloom in order to promote higher forms of thinking in education, such as analyzing and evaluating, rather than just remembering facts (rote learning). - See more at:
Revised Taxonomy
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

13. Bloom’s Taxonomy
These “action words’ describe the cognitive processes by which thinkers encounter and work with knowledge
Remembering: can the student recall or remember the information?
Understanding: can the student explain ideas or concepts?
Applying: can the student use the information in a new way?
Analyzing: can the student distinguish between different parts?
Evaluating: can the student justify a stand or decision?
Creating: can the student create new product or point of view?
Tonia
Hand out Blooms & ELL; Blooms question stems

14. Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.
The Cogs of Cognition…
Tonia
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

15. Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

16. What is Depth of Knowledge?
DOK is a model used by Norman Webb (U. of Wisconsin) to align standards and assessments.
DOK is the complexity of reasoning we expect from our students based on the questions we ask orally and on assessments.
It is different from Bloom’s Taxonomy in that Bloom’s relates to the type of instruction and strategies you are using as you teach.
Tonia
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

17. What Does DOK Accomplish?
Instruction parallels the level of desired outcomes (student demonstration/assessment)
Respectfully challenge all students
*Adapted from Steve Williams, Fine Arts Consultant, MO Dept. Of Elementary and Secondary Education 2008
Tonia
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

18. Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
Bloom’s Taxonomy
KNOWLEDGE
“The recall of specifics and universals, involving more than brining to mind the appropriate material.
COMPREHENSION
“Ability to process knowledge on a low level such that the knowledge can be reproduced or communicated without a verbatim repetition.”
APPLICATION
“The use of abstractions in concrete situations.”
ANALYSIS
“The breakdown of a situation into its component parts.”
SYNTHESIS AND EVALUATION
“Putting together elements and parts to form a whole, then making value judgments about the method.
Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
RECALL
Recall of a fact, information, or procedure (i.e.. What are three critical skill cues for the overhand throw?)
SKILL/CONCEPT
Use of information, conceptual knowledge, procedures, two or more steps, etc.
STRATEGIC THINKING
Requires reasoning, developing a plan or sequence of steps, has some complexity, more than one possible answer.
EXTENDED THINKING
Requires an investigation; time to think and process multiple conditions of the problem or task.
Tonia
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

19. Remembering/Understanding/Recall
Focus is on specific facts, definitions, details
Use routine procedures
One right answer
Examples:
Label locations on a map
Describe features
Recall details of a story
Use basic algorithm
Cindy Social Studies analogy: In Colorado social studies NAMING the capitol of Coloardo. DENVER

20. Applying/Skill/Concept
Focus is on application
Requires deeper knowledge than definition
One right answer
Examples
Relationships (compare, cause-effect) main ideas
Explain how or why (explain how to solve a puzzle)
Making decisions (Decide which facts to include in my writing)
Estimating (estimate the area of a rectangle )
Interpreting in order to respond (interpret various information viewpoints to write a response)
Cindy In Colorado social studies: What is the LONGITUDE and LATITUDE of Denver…Using SKILLS in map reading and plotting

21. Analyzing/Strategic Thinking
Focus is on reasoning & planning
Complex and abstract thinking
More than one “correct” response or approach is often possible
Examples:
Support reasoning with details
Determine the author’s purpose
Apply a concept in another context
Cindy In Colorado social studies: Explain why our state founders felt that Denver was a good choice for our state capitol. Use primary source documents to support thinking

22. Evaluating/Creating/Extended Thinking
Focus is on complex reasoning and planning
Multiple steps in assessment
Examples:
Apply mathematical model to solve a problem
Analyze and synthesize information from multiple sources
Critique (a movie, article, etc.)
Evaluate (whether reasoning and conclusions are supported by evidence)
Real-world applications made in new situations
Cindy In Colorado social studies and current events: Recently in an election we had a group of residents who wanted to secede from our state and form their own. Evaluate this plan and determine whether or not it would be beneficial for ALL residents and propose your own solution. OR Is Denver still the best choice for our state capitol. Look at current resources to support your thinking.

23. Cognitive Complexity vs. Difficulty
Looking at the resources you have been given so far, how do you see cognitive complexity evolving in your learning environment?
REVISIT…
What is the difference between Cognitive Complexity and Difficulty Level?
Difficulty refers to how many students answered the question correctly.
High Order Thinking (Cognitive Complexity) refers to how many steps it takes to answer the question.
Turn and talk: Looking at the resources you have been given so far, how do you see cognitive complexity evolving in your learning environment?

24. Livebinder
Tonia

25. Cognitive Rigor Matrices
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

26. Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.
Blanche Cognitive Rigor Matrix= Interweaving of Blooms Taxonomy with DOK… NOT a checklist; ascending levels of Depth and complexity as we move from top left to bottom right
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

27. Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.
Blanche Pulling out apply…
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

28. Resource Review
One thing I notice about this resource that will help teachers plan with diverse learners in mind ______________.
One thing I notice about the resource is ____________________.
Blanche Use Accountable Talk posters to support structured conversations while looking at the CRM

29. Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.
Cindy
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

30. Application, Evaluate & Analyze
Application, Evaluate & Analyze
Cindy:
Set up video: we will stop every 3 minutes to record thoughts and ideas on processing template
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

31. Resource Exploration..
Tonia

32. Tonia: Using a story that we are all familiar with, we will design a rigorous series of learning activities that move students through the CRM.

33. Tonia: Using a story that we are all familiar with, we will design a rigorous series of learning activities that move students through the CRM.

35. Tonia: Using the story that we just reviewed…begin in the lower right hand corner and backwards plan the scaffolded lessons, activities and questions that will help ALL learners to be able to engage in the final activity.

36. Thinking Through Quality Questioning
Show book and examples from book…

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47. Questions
Contact information:
Dr. Blanche Kapushion:
Tonia Heffley:

48. Learning Target and Success Criteria
We will use explore tools and resources that enable implementing depth and complexity through questioning strategies and techniques.
8:10
Jenny
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.

49. Feedback
What is one thing you you will take back to your school/classroom?
What is one resource you can use during planning?

50. Blanche Kapushion, Ph.D. , Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.
Thank you
Blanche Kapushion, Ph.D. , Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.
Blanche Kapushion Ph.D., Tonia Heffley MA. Ed.