Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK)

Aligning Assessment Questions to DOK Levels

Assessing Higher-Order Thinking

Learning Target

• You will learn to write questions across the four levels in Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK). – In order to do this, you will need to learn about

Webb’s DOK and the criteria for each level. – You will show you learned this by identifying DOK

Levels on a content area assessment.– You will use a DOK flow chart to judge whether your

questions are written properly based on the level criteria.

What is Depth of Knowledge (DOK)?

• A scale of cognitive demand (thinking) to align standards with assessments

• Based on the research of Norman Webb, University of Wisconsin Center for Education Research and the National Institute for Science Education

• Defines the “ceiling” or highest DOK level for each Core Content standard for the state assessment

• Guides item development for state assessments

• http://vimeo.com/42788913

Model and

Explain

Depth of Knowledge is not just about assessment

• Curriculum should reflect a variety of DOK levels

• Instruction in the classroom should also reflect a variety of DOK levels

…To ensure students are working at higher levels

DOK in the Classroom Content Area Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Elementary Language Arts

Sort known words as quickly as possible.

Find words in text that illustrate a defined pattern.

Create an open sort and define the rule and explain.

Illustrate through authentic writing stability in pattern and content of identified stage.

Middle School Science

Define the following terms: electrical generator, electrical motor, magnetic field, and electrical

Compare and contrast how an electrical motor operates to how an electrical generator operates.

Design and conduct an experiment to demonstrate that electrical currents produce magnetic forces.

Research and design a system to lift heavy objects using the conversion of electrical energy to mechanical energy. Build a prototype of the system using materials found in the classroom.

Bloom’s vs. Webb’s DOK

• DOK is different from Bloom’s Taxonomy

– 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 is the content?

DOK is about what follows the verb...

• What comes after the verb is more important than the verb itself.

• “Analyze this sentence to decide if the commas have been used correctly” does not meet the criteria for high cognitive processing.”

• The student who has been taught the rule for using commas is merely using the rule.

Same Verb—Three Different 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)

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.

– Adding 4,678,895 + 9,578,885 is still a DOK 1 but may be more “difficult.”

DoK Levels

• DOK levels can be cumulative– An item/standard written to DOK 3 often contains

DOK 1 and DOK 2 level demands• Not all standards can be assessed at a level 3

or 4. • DOK 1 + DOK 1 = DOK 2

Look at DOK in Your Content

The Matrices

Let’s Practice Identifying DoK Levels for Questions

Guided

Practice

Question/Task DOK Level 1-2-3-4Define the term raku 1Name the main character 1Explain, generalize or connect ideas, using supporting evidence from a text or source 3Gather, analyze, organize, and interpret information from multiple (print and non-print sources) to draft a reasoned report 4

Compare/contrast health benefits of 2 different forms of exercise 2Classify plane and three dimensional figures 2Analyze author’s craft (e.g., style, bias, literary techniques, point of view) across multiple texts 4

Identify elements of music using musical terminology 1Identify the basic rules for participating in bowling 1Identify and summarize the major events, problem, solution, conflicts in literary text 2

Explain the cause-effect of historical events 2Solve a multiple-step problem and provide support with a mathematical explanation that justifies the answer 3

Determine the perimeter or area of rectangles given a drawing or labels 1Specify a problem, identify solution paths, solve the problem, and report the results 4

Describe various styles of music 2Describe physical features of Greece 1Categorize paintings into the correct artistic period 2Analyze or evaluate the effectiveness of the concept of ‘groove’ in a musical composition 3

Level Assessment Items • Read each assessment items and identify the

item as a Level 1, 2, or 3.

Performance of

Understanding

Look Fors