DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGEBy Beth Scarboro

WHAT IS DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE ?

Adapted from the model used by Norman Webb, University of Wisconsin, to align standards with assessments

Used by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) for assessment alignment in more than ten states

WHAT IS DOK …

• Focuses on content standard in order to successfully complete an assessment and/or standard task.

• Descriptive, not a taxonomy• Not the same as difficulty• The Brain Power used to answer

questions

DOK-WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT IS NOT A common language for

discussing complexity A tool for complexity

alignment A way to “tune” common

assessments A conversation starter about

content A part of reflective teaching Most state/national tests will

have DOKs 1 & 2 with few DOK 3; however, the PARCC test in 2014-2015 will have DOK 4.

•

A state mandate A silver bullet Based on verbs A taxonomy A wheel DOK is not an exact science. DOK is not about difficulty but more

about the cognitive demand needed to meet the standard.

Modeled by MRESA

DOK LEVELS

LEVEL ONE - RECALL Recall of a fact,

information, or procedure (1 step thought process) LEVEL TWO –

SKILL/CONCEPT Use information or

conceptual knowledge (2 step thought process)

LEVEL THREE – STRATEGIC THINKING

Reasoning, developing a plan, more complex and abstract, students must justify responses

(3 step thought process) LEVEL FOUR – EXTENDED

THINKING Requires an investigation,

collection of data and analysis of results; often occurs over an extended period of time

(Using multiple steps to process and create)

The Depth of Knowledge is NOT determined by the verb, but the context in which the verb is used and the depth of thinking required.

Depth of Knowledge "The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be

kindled.“

—On Listening to Lectures (Plutarch)

DOK LEVEL 1 EXAMPLES

List animals that survive by eating other animals

Locate or recall facts 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

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 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)

Solve a multiple-step problem and provide support with a mathematical explanation that justifies the answer

Develop a scientific model for a complex idea Propose and evaluate solutions for an economic

problem Create a dance that represents the

characteristics of a culture

DOK LEVEL 4 EXAMPLES

Gather, analyze, organize, and interpret information from multiple 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 Principle(frequency, intensity time and type)

Analyze and explain multiple perspectives or issues within or across time periods, events or cultures

Write and produce an original play

CONTEXT OF STANDARD

Both standards use the verb “Explain”

Explain the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

Explain the domestic impact of World War I, as reflected by the origins of the Great Migration, the Espionage Act, and socialist Eugene Debs.

SAMPLE QUESTION

Math, grade 4Each day that Jasmine turns in her homework on time, she earns 5points. Jasmine has turned in her homework on time for the last 8 days. How many points has Jasmine earned altogether?

a)30b)35c)40d)45

The fact that this is a story problem does not make this more than a level 1 item. The text here quickly reveals that the problem is simple multiplication. However, story problems can often have higher DOK levels even if the computations required are only level 1, as long as there is some skillful or strategic thinking required in determining what computations to perform.

Sample Question

Science, grade 10 A scientist synthesizes a new drug. She wants to test its effectiveness

in stopping the growth of cancerous tumors. She decides to conduct a series of experiments on laboratory mice to test her hypothesis. What should she do?

a)Give half the mice the drug, the other half none, and compare their tumor rates. b)Give the drug to all mice, but only to half every other day, andrecord tumor rates. c)Double the dosage to all mice each day until tumors start to disappear. d)Give the drug only to those mice who have tumors and record their weights.

This item is level 2. Students must at least apply knowledge of controlled experiment design to this situation, or derive it from this problem.

REVIEW

Task Collecting data sample

over several months Organizing the data in a

chart Using this chart to make

and justify prediction Developing a generalized

model from this data and applying it to a new situation

Thinking Recall

Skills/Concepts

Strategic Thinking

Extended Thinking

EXAMINE DOK

Describe the characteristics of a short story.

Describe the difference between a short story and a novel.

Describe how the author of a short story must be cognizant of how much space he actually has to develop the elements of the story because he is confined by that space.

What level is this?Marc Umile poses for a picture in front of a projection of the string of numbers known as pi in Philadelphia, Friday, March, 2, 2006. Umile is among a group of people fascinated with pi, a number that has been computed to more than a trillion decimal places. He has recited pi to 12,887 digits, perhaps the U.S. record. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Sample Question

Social StudiesA newspaper prints a story that criticizes the current administration’s Policies. The Bill of Rights allows a government official to respond to this headline bya)arresting the publisher of the newspaperb)closing down the newspaperc)demanding that the newspaper print a new headlined)writing a letter of protest to the editor

This item is level 3 because it requires students to apply the concepts of the Bill of Rights to a given situation represented by the newspaper headline to determine the correct answer.

Q&A