DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE Pittsburg Community Middle School Shay

DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE Pittsburg Community Middle School Shay Sievert

Understanding that "taxonomy" and "classification" are synonymous helps dispel uneasiness with the term. Bloom's Taxonomy is a multi-tiered model of classifying thinking according to six cognitive levels of complexity. Throughout the years, the levels have often been depicted as a stairway, leading many teachers to encourage their students to "climb to a higher (level of) thought. " The lowest three levels are: knowledge, comprehension, and application. The highest three levels are: analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. "The taxonomy is hierarchical; [in that] each level is subsumed by the higher levels. In other words, a student functioning at the 'application' level has also mastered the material at the 'knowledge' and 'comprehension' levels. " (UW Teaching Academy, 2003). One can easily see how this arrangement led to natural divisions of lower and higher level thinking.

� During the 1990's, a former student of Bloom's, Lorin Anderson, led a new assembly which met for the purpose of updating the taxonomy, hoping to add relevance for 21 st century students and teachers. This time "representatives of three groups [were present]: cognitive psychologists, curriculum theorists and instructional researchers, and testing and assessment specialists" (Anderson, & Krathwohl, 2001, p. xxviii). Like the original group, they were also arduous and diligent in their pursuit of learning, spending six years to finalize their work. Published in 2001, the revision includes several seemingly minor yet actually quite significant changes. Several excellent sources are available which detail the revisions and reasons for the changes. The changes occur in three broad categories: terminology, structure, and emphasis.

� Changes in terminology between the two versions are perhaps the most obvious differences and can also cause the most confusion. Basically, Bloom's six major categories were changed from noun to verb forms. Additionally, the lowest level of the original, knowledge was renamed and became remembering. Finally, comprehension and synthesis were re-titled to understanding and creating. In an effort to minimize the confusion, comparison images are on the next slide.

� � � Remembering: Retrieving, recognizing, and recalling relevant knowledge from long-term memory. Understanding: Constructing meaning from oral, written, and graphic messages through interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, and explaining. Applying: Carrying out or using a procedure through executing, or implementing. Analyzing: Breaking material into constituent parts, determining how the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure or purpose through differentiating, organizing, and attributing. Evaluating: Making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and critiquing. Creating: Putting elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure through generating, planning, or producing. (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001)

� Remember: Describe where Goldilocks lived. � Understand: Summarize what the Goldilocks story was about. � Apply: Construct a theory as to why Goldilocks went into the house. � Analyze: Differentiate between how Goldilocks reacted and how you would react in each story event. � Evaluate: Assess whether or not you think this really happened to Goldilocks. � Create: Compose a song, skit, poem, or rap to convey the Goldilocks story in a new form.

The Depth of Knowledge indicators are broken down into four levels. All of these levels define stratified categories of cognitive processing – in other words, how students think. � At DOK 1, students are able to give rote responses to questions because they have memorized the answer. For example, listing the birth and death dates of composers or choreographers or identifying famous works of art simply entails drawing upon known information. This level is summarized as RECALL. � At DOK 2, students most often compare and contrast information, categorize items, make connections, and demonstrate conceptual knowledge. This level is summarized as CONCEPT or SKILL. � At DOK 3, students begin to make decisions about ways to solve problems. No longer is a rote response satisfactory. Students should come up with creative solutions that draw upon previous knowledge and require application of learning in a new context. This level is summarized as STRATEGIC THINKING. � At DOK 4, students analyze the results of experiments, draw upon multiple sources to formulate creative solutions, and investigate unique and challenging problems that require complex understanding. This level is summarized as EXTENDED THINKING. �

� Review Cognitive Rigor Matrix and the Instructional Shifts �Pass � Hess Cognitive Rigor Matrix for ELA �Pass � Hess out chart Cognitive Rigor Matrix for Math/Science �Pass out chart

Knowledge (content) and Thought Processes (to demonstrate learning) + Complexity (depth of knowledge: DOK) “Hess Cognitive Rigor Matrix” (Bloom’s Taxonomy + Webb’s 4 levels of DOK)

Bloom � What type of thinking (verbs) is needed to complete a task? Webb � How deeply do you have to understand the content to successfully interact with it? � How complex or abstract is the content?

� The intended student learning outcome determines the DOK level. What mental processing must occur? � While verbs may appear to point to a DOK level, it is what comes after the verb that is the best indicator of the rigor /DOK level. � –Describe the process of photosynthesis. � –Describe how the two political parties are alike and different. � –Describe the most significant effect of WWII on the nations of Europe.

� Depth of Knowledge For the Four Content Areas; Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies � Depth of Knowledge for the Content Areas Flip-Chart � Depth of Knowledge for the Fine Arts Flip. Chart

21 st Century Standards � Focuses on 21 st century skills, content knowledge and expertise. � Builds understanding across and among core subjects as well as 21 st century interdisciplinary themes � Emphasizes deep understanding rather than shallow knowledge � Engages students with the real world data, tools, and experts they will encounter in college, on the job, and in life--students learn best when actively engaged in solving meaningful problems � Allows for multiple measures of mastery

� Twenty-first-century learning involves enabling today's students to be academically competitive in global situations; good citizens within their community, country, and world; and effective within their workplace. It means that education must engage new technologies, equip students with rigorous academic coursework, and foster innovation and creativity.

� Twenty-first-century learning involves a great deal beyond the use of technology and digital media. Living in a digital world as we do, students certainly need to learn to use the tools that have become essential to life and work in the 21 st century. However, the effective use of technology is only one element of 21 st century learning. A 21 st century education still requires that students master core academic subjects, but it has been proposed that the content be infused with certain defined themes and skills that are considered to be vital ingredients to success in the 21 st century. � Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Map � Pass out chart

Raise Level of Content � Valuing Depth � Increasing Text Difficulty � Creating Connections � Evaluating Content � Reviewing without Repetition Rigor is NOT a Four Letter Word Barbara R. Blackburn, Winthrop University www. barbarablackburnonline. com www. eyeoneducaton. com

Increase Complexity � Complexity � Complexity through Projects in Writing Assessing Prior Knowledge with Vocabulary in Review Games Rigor is NOT a Four Letter Word Barbara R. Blackburn, Winthrop University www. barbarablackburnonline. com www. eyeoneducaton. com

Give Appropriate Support � Scaffolding During Reading Activities � Modeling Expected Instructional Behaviors � Providing Clear Expectations � Chunking Big Tasks � Multiple Opportunities to Learn Rigor is NOT a Four Letter Word Barbara R. Blackburn, Winthrop University www. barbarablackburnonline. com www. eyeoneducaton. com

Open Your Focus � Open-ended Questioning � Open-Ended Projects � Open-ended Choices for Students Rigor is NOT a Four Letter Word Barbara R. Blackburn, Winthrop University www. barbarablackburnonline. com www. eyeoneducaton. com

Raise Expectations � Expecting the Best � Expanding the Vision � Learning is NOT Optional � Tracking Progress � Creating a Culture Rigor is NOT a Four Letter Word Barbara R. Blackburn, Winthrop University www. barbarablackburnonline. com www. eyeoneducaton. com

� Any questions? � Questions on Resources? � Everyone have everthing?

� David Coleman: Instructional Shifts (ELA Lead for Common Core Standards) April 28, 2011 presentation � 2009 Hess Cognitive Rigor Matrix: Karin Hess, Dennis Carlock, Ben Jones, John Walkup, www. nciea. org � Rigor is Not a Four-Letter Word, Barbara Blackburn