Depth of Knowledge: The Difference Between

Difficulty and Complexity

A little about me…

• High school ELA, science, math, music teacher for Pickford Public Schools

• Eastern Upper Peninsula ISD – social studies, ELA consultant, school improvement coordinator, high priority schools SIF

• Northern Marine Transportation• ESSTSBA

A little about you!

Objective Gain a deeper understanding of Depth of Knowledge as it relates to classroom instruction and Smarter Balanced Assessment requirements

Survival Words

• Rate yourself! Working in pairs, discuss and rate each of the words on your sheet, recording your individual familiarity accordingly.

Audit Activity

• Step 1: Look at the “statements” on tables around the room. Grab 3-4 statements that appeal to you.

• Step 2: With a partner, ID the different skills and tasks involved in the completion of each statement.

• Step 3: Post your items under one of the three headings hanging around the room.

Why Depth of Knowledge?

To ensure that the intent of the standard and the level of student demonstration required by that standard matches the assessment items.

To ensure that teachers are teaching to a level that will promote student achievement against the “DOK Ceiling” of each standard, and…

"I can recall what Webb's DOK is."

DOK is NOT...

• a taxonomy (Bloom’s)• the same as difficulty level• determined by verb choice

"I can recall what Webb's DOK is."

It’s NOT about the verb...

The Depth of Knowledge is NOT determined by the verb (Bloom’s Taxonomy), but by the context in which the verb is used and the depth of thinking required.

"I can recall what Webb's DOK is."

Same Verb—Three Different DOK Levels

• Level 1 Describe Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s views on the nature of man

• Level 2 Describe how Jean Jacques Rousseau’s views on the nature of man compare to Charles Montesquieu’s views

• Level 3 Describe how Jean-Jacques Rousseau views on man might have influenced the formation of the Constitution and provide specific evidence on which you base your conclusions

"I can recall what Webb's DOK is." "I can recall critical characteristics of each of the four DOK levels”

Same Verb – Three Different DOK Levels • Level 1 Describe a core ideal of American

society

• Level 2 Describe how peoples’ point of view may differ on a core ideal of American Society

• Level 3 Describe how peoples’ misconceptions about American Core ideals causes conflict over the role of government in American Society

Same Verb – Three Different DOK levels• Level 1 - Describe the progression of the water

level of the Nile River over the course of a year.

• Level 2 - Describe how the progression of the water level of the Nile River affects Egypt’s agricultural cycle.

• Level 3 - Describe how the progression of the water level of the Nile River affected the completion of the pyramids.

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 dissolve?”

DOK 1 – recall

If all of you know the definition, this question is an easy question.

“How many of you know the definition of evinces?”

DOK 1 – recall

If most of you do not know the definition, this question is a difficult question.

Quick Quiz

1) What is the relationship between verbs and Depth of Knowledge?

2) What is the difference between difficulty and complexity?

• Level 1: Recall and Reproduction of Information• Level 2: Basic Reasoning (Skills & Concepts)• Level 3: Strategic Thinking/Complex Reasoning• Level 4: Extended Thinking/Reasoning

Webb’s Four Levels of Cognitive Complexity

“I can explain the attributes of each of Webb's DOK levels"

“The Ocean”

Turn and Talk

• How is this new learning going to affect my instruction?

• What is occurring to me as far as how I need to change my assessment practices?

• Be ready to share.

Pre-Break Activity

• You are being given a sample Smarter Balanced Assessment item (a performance task), as well as a brief description of the four levels of DOK.

• Quickly look at your performance task as well as the handout, and rank where you believe the task falls in terms of DOK. Give a sentence or two explanation of why you selected the level you did.

• We will report out after break.

Practice

1. Describe the physical features of a place .

2. Specify a problem, identify solution paths, solve the problem and report the results.

3. Explain cause-effect of historical events .

4. Analyze or evaluate the effectiveness of literary elements (plot, setting, conflict, point-of-view…).

5. Identify and summarize the major events, problem, solution, conflicts in a literary text.

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2

3

2

1. Locate or recall facts found in text .

2. Gather, analyze, organize and interpret data from multiple (print and non-print sources) to draft a reasoned report .

3. Analyze and explain multiple perspectives or issues within or across time periods or events .

4. Compare desert and tropical areas .

5. Identify and summarize the major events, problem, solution, conflict in a literary text .

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4

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DOK: WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

• Take a moment to choose a favorite (or just a recent) lesson or unit plan.

• Using the Webb’s DOK blank chart and your “ocean,” attempt to map the components of the lesson onto the blank chart, paying particular attention to the complexity of thought required for the students to complete the necessary tasks.

• Be ready to report the “DOK ceiling” of your chosen lesson/unit and discuss why you placed your components where you did.

Smarter Balanced: A New World of Assessment

• Basic item types– Selected response– Technology enhanced– Constructed response– Performance task

View Sample Items

http://www.smarterbalanced.org/sample-items-and-performance-tasks/

•All items are interactive•Rubrics available where necessary•Scoring available with comments

Selected Response

Technology Enhanced

Constructed Response

Constructed Response

Sample Performance Task• Take a look at the sample performance task

you have just received, and attempt to answer the following prompts:

– What skills are required for students to complete the task?

– What possible roadblocks might students encounter as they attempt to complete the task?

– Record your answers on the appropriate chart using the sticky notes provided

Recap and Reflect

•Using what you learned today, choose one learning target from your classroom and brainstorm what a potential “Smarter-Balanced-like” assessment item could look like for the target you have chosen.•You have approximately ten minutes.

Debrief

• What was your biggest “take-away” from your work here today?

• Which portion of today’s session was the most beneficial to you?

• What do you still need to support your learning regarding today’s session?

• Questions?

Summarizer

• Did you meet the today’s objective?Gain a deeper understanding of Depth of Knowledge as it relates to classroom instruction and Smarter Balanced Assessment requirements

• On your way out to lunch, drop a “chip” in the “Rate-It” box in answer to the question; green is “yes, I met the objective,” yellow is “I’m almost there,” and red is “I didn’t meet the objective.”

• Thanks, and enjoy your lunch!