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DOK is an acronym for Depth of Knowledge. It’s a framework that is used to classify the level of cognitive demand associated with a given task.
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What is DOK?
DOK is an abbreviation for Depth of Knowledge. DOK is a way to classify the level of understanding required to answer a question or complete a task. There are four levels of DOK: recall/retrieval, surface understanding, in-depth understanding, and extended understanding.
A Definition of DOK
DOK is an acronym for Depth of Knowledge. It is a level of rigor or complexity associated with processing information and answering questions. The higher the DOK level, the more cognitive processing is required.
There are four DOK levels:
-DOK Level 1: Recall or repackaging facts and simple procedures; requires no mental processing
-DOK Level 2: Skills and Concepts; requires some mental processing
-DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking; requires significant mental processing
-DOK Level 4: Extended Thinking; requires complex mental processing
The DOK levels were originally developed by Norman Webb as a way to align assessments with standards and objectives. The levels have since been adopted by many schools and districts as a way to measure the rigor of their curriculum and instruction.
The Four Levels of DOK
DOK is an acronym for Depth of Knowledge. It’s a level of questioning that educators use to prompt higher-level thinking and promote student engagement.
DOK levels are divided into four categories, with each stage representing a deeper level of understanding. Here’s a brief overview of each level:
DOK Level 1: Recall and Reproduction
This level is often considered the lowest level of understanding because it requires students to remember or reproduce information without any analysis or interpretation. Questions at this level might include:
-Who was the first president of the United States?
-What is the capital of France?
-What are the steps in Photosynthesis?
DOK Level 2: Skills and Concepts
When students reach this level, they begin to apply their knowledge in new situations. They might need to solve problems or complete tasks using the information they’ve learned. Questions at this level might include:
-How would you solve this math problem?
-What would happen if…?
-How could you explain photosynthesis to someone who doesn’t know anything about it?
DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking and Reasoning
At this stage, students are expected to demonstrate their understanding by making connections and drawing conclusions. They might be asked to apply their knowledge in a hypothetical situation or design a solution to a real-world problem. Questions at this level might include:
-What would happen if all the plants on Earth died?
-How could you use what you know about photosynthesis to create an alternative energy source?
DOK Level 4: Extended Thinking and Reasoning
This is the highest level of DOK, requiring students to manipulate information and demonstrate their deep understanding in complex ways. Students might be asked to use their knowledge to critique an argument or design an experiment. Questions at this level might include:
Critique the following argument: “ photosynthesis is unnecessary because we have alternative energy sources like solar and wind power.”
What is the Purpose of DOK?
DOK is an acronym that stands for depth of knowledge. It is a framework that is used to gauge the level of understanding of a concept. The DOK levels range from 1 to 4, with level 4 being the highest level of understanding.
To Help Plan and Assess Student Learning
DOK is an instructional planning tool that can be used to support educators in planning and designing learning experiences that are aligned with the rigor of the content standards. The DOK levels are descriptions of the level of cognitive complexity associated with various tasks or questions. By understanding the cognitive level of a task or question, educators can design instruction and assessments that target specific student learning needs.
The DOK levels are as follows:
DOK Level 1: Recall and Reproduction
DOK Level 2: Skills and Concepts
DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking and Reasoning
DOK Level 4: Extended Thinking
To Assist in the Development of Rigorous Instruction
DOK, or Depth of Knowledge, is a framework used by educators to assist in the development ofrigorous instruction. By using DOK to guide their lesson planning, teachers can ensure that their students are engaging with material at the level of depth required to truly master the content.
DOK levels range from 1 to 4, with level 1 being the lowest level of depth and level 4 being the highest. The further down the DOK ladder a task is, the easier it generally is for students to complete. For example, a level 1 task might involve recalling basic facts, while a level 4 task might entail developing and defending an original hypothesis.
While all four levels of DOK are important, rigor in instruction often begins at levels 3 and 4, as these are the depths at which students are required to do more than simply regurgitate information. When planning lessons, educators should aim to include tasks from all DOK levels in order to provide students with a well-rounded education.
How is DOK Used in Classrooms?
DOK, or Depth of Knowledge, is a framework for thinking about the level of complexity of tasks and questions. It’s often used in education, especially in designing curriculum and assessments. In this article, we’ll explain DOK and how it’s used in classrooms.
DOK in the Classroom: An Overview
DOK, or Depth of Knowledge, is a framework for understanding the level of cognitive demand required for various tasks. It is often used in classrooms as a way to plan instruction and assess student learning.
There are four levels of DOK:
-DOK 1: Recall or Reproduction
-DOK 2: Skills and Concepts
-DOK 3: Strategic Thinking
-DOK 4: Extended Thinking
Tasks at each level require students to think at deeper and more complex levels. DOK 1 tasks, for example, might involve students remembering or reproducing information that has been previously learned. DOK 2 tasks might require students to apply skills or concepts to solve a problem. DOK 3 tasks might involve students making decisions or developing a plan of action. And DOK 4 tasks might involve students generating new ideas or evaluating multiple viewpoints.
When planning instruction, teachers can use the DOK levels to determine the level of cognitive demand required for various tasks. They can also use the DOK levels to assess student learning. For example, if a teacher assigns a task that is supposed to be at the DOK 3 level but finds that most students are only able to complete it at the DOK 2 level, this may indicate that the task was too difficult or that the students did not receive adequate support in order to complete it successfully.
Using DOK to Plan Instruction
When using DOK to plan instruction, it is important to consider the level of cognitive demand you are hoping your students will be able to meet. Asking yourself what you want your students to be able to do will help you determine which DOK level is most appropriate. For example, if you are teaching a lesson on photosynthesis, you may want your students to be able to explain the process at the fullest level of detail (DOK 4). However, if you are teaching a lesson on the different parts of a plant cell, you may only want your students to be able to identify them (DOK 1).
Once you have determined the DOK level you are aiming for, you can then begin to plan your instruction accordingly. There are a few things to keep in mind when doing this:
-The higher the DOK level, the more time and support students will need in order to be successful. This means that DOK 4 tasks will generally take more time than DOK 1 tasks.
-The higher the DOK level, the more likely it is that students will need scaffolds in order to be successful. Scaffolds can take many forms, but some examples include sentence starters, graphic organizers, and journals.
-The higher the DOK level, the more important it is for students to have prior knowledge in order to be successful. This means that if you are planning a lesson on photosynthesis (DOK 4), it would be helpful for students to already have some knowledge about plants (DOK 2).
Using DOK to Assess Student Learning
The Depth of Knowledge (DOK) is a framework used to help identify the level of cognitive demand in tasks and questions. This system was developed to provide a common language for educators to use when discussing cognitive demand. The DOK is often used as a tool to help design curriculum and assess student learning.
There are four levels of DOK:
DOK Level 1: Recall or Reproduction
-retelling a story
-identifying information from a list
-naming the parts of a plants
-labeling the states on a map
DOK Level 2: Skills or Concepts
-explaining how a plant grows
-comparing and contrasting two countries on a map
-determining the main idea of a story
DOK Level 3: strategic thinking
-planning an experiment to test how different variables affect plant growth
-comparing data from two different maps to identify trends
-analyzing multiple stories to determine common themes
DOK Level 4: extended thinking
-predicting what would happen if conditions were changed in an experiment
designing an experiment to test a hypothesis about plant growth
analyzing data from multiple sources to develop conclusions about trends
What are the Benefits of Using DOK?
DOK is an acronym that stands for Depth of Knowledge. DOK is a way of categorizing the different levels of complexity and depth that are required to answer a question or solve a problem. DOK level 1 questions are the easiest and DOK level 4 questions are the most difficult.
DOK Helps to Clarify Learning Goals
DOK, or Depth of Knowledge, is a framework that can be used to measure the level of cognitive demand in learning tasks and assessments. It is a way to understanding how complex a task or question is, and can be used to support the planning and delivery of instruction.
DOK levels range from DOK 1 (lowest level of cognitive demand) to DOK 4 (highest level of cognitive demand). Some examples of tasks at each level are as follows:
DOK 1: recalling or recognizing information
-memorizing a list of words
-identifying the capital of a state
DOK 2: demonstrating understanding or providing basic detail
-explaining how a bill becomes a law
-selecting the main idea from a text
DOK 3: applying concepts in a new way or analyzing and comparing information
-comparing and contrasting two texts on the same topic
-determining the author’s purpose for writing a text
DOK 4: extended thinking or creating something new from what was learned -designing an experiment to test a hypothesis
-constructing an argument to support a claim
DOK Assists in the Differentiation of Instruction
Differentiation of instruction is the process of tailoring teaching methods to meet the individual needs of students. It is based on the premise that students have different learning styles and preferences, strengths and weaknesses, and rates of development.
Differentiation of instruction is often used in classrooms with students of widely varying ability levels. By using DOK to plan lessons and assess student understanding, teachers can ensure that all students are able to access the material and make progress.
DOK also provides a common language for educators to use when discussing student learning. This can be helpful in planning collaboration among teachers, special education providers, and administrators.
DOK Informs the Development of Rigorous Assessments
DOK, or Depth of Knowledge, is a framework that can be used to design rigorous assessments. The framework consists of four levels, each corresponding to a different type of cognitive process:
-DOK Level 1: Recall or recognition of a fact, concept, or procedure
-DOK Level 2: Ability to use or apply a fact, concept, or procedure
-DOK Level 3: Ability to analyze and synthesize information
-DOK Level 4: Ability to evaluate information
Using the DOK framework can help ensure that assessments are aligned with learning objectives and that they measure the level of cognitive process required by the objective. Assessments at DOK Levels 3 and 4 are generally more complex and challenging than those at lower levels, and therefore can provide a more accurate measure of student understanding.
