Most educators are more familiar with Bloom’s Taxonomy than with Webb’s Depth of Knowledge.

Blooms Taxonomy

In 1965 Benjamin Bloom identified three types of learning:  cognative (mental skills/knowledge), affective (emotional/attitudes) <could be “habits of mind”>, and psychomotor (manual/physical skills)  Within the cognative area, there are six progressive categories in the development of intellectual skills.  Each step must be mastered before the next can occur.  (Note the levels listed below do not reflect the 1990’s revision of the taxonomy)

• Knowledge
• Comprehension
• Application
• Analysis
• Synthesis
• Evaluation

As the use of technology has become an integral part of what we do, digital examples of Bloom’s Taxonomy have been developed to give teacher a better idea of how technology integration fits.

Bloom’s Taxonomy does not adequate describe the depth of knowledge students have on a subject.  Norman Webb has developed a Depth of Knowledge chart.  Depth of knowledge is an essential component of 21st century skills.

Webb’s Depth of Knowledge

The Depth of Knowledge is the degree of understanding a student needs to respond to an assessment item.  There are 4 DOK progressive levels:

• recall
• skills,
• strategic thinking
• extended thinking

In the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, the Florida Department of Education uses three levels of Depth of Knowledge.  The Florida DOE uses the term low to describe Webb’s Recall level, then combines Skills and Strategic Thinking into a level called Moderate, and uses the term High to describe Webb’s Extended Thinking level.

Webb’s Depth of Knowledge

Level 1 – Recall                        (NGSSS Level – Low)

Level 1 Activities require the recall of information such as a fact, a definition, following steps in a simple procedure, performing simple calculations, applying a formula, and making measurements.  A student answering a Level 1 question either knows the answer or they do not.

Action Verbs for use in creating Level 1 Activities:  Arrange, Calculate, Define, Draw, Identify, Illustrate, Label, List, Match, Measure, Memorize, Name, Quote, Recognize, Repeat, Recall, Recite, Report, State, Tabulate, Tell,  “Who, What, When, Where, Why”

Example Technology Integration/ Instructional Strategies for Level 1

Teacher Directed:

• Use appropriate technology resources for drill & practice, color coding, text highlighting, concept sorts, measurement, and practice test questions
• Use appropriate technology resources in teaching Marzano’s High Yield Strategy:
  • Questions, Clues, and Advanced Organizers
• Use appropriate technology to support activities in which students practice recall, simple calculations, etc. including
  • CAI – Computer Assisted Instruction
  • Assign Homework/ Practice (Marzano’s High Yield Strategy:  Homework & Practice) that leverage to digital tools in online textbooks.

Student Directed:

• Use CAI – computer assisted instruction
• Use digital games for drill & practice (computer-based or internet-based)
  • Examples:  Aracademic Skill Builders, Spelling City, Math Playground, Science Games
• Use digital study tools (electronic flash cards, practice test questions, etc.)
• Use online manipulatives and calculators for simple calculations.   Examples:  What’s My Angle,  Measure It,  Virtual Manipulatives K-6,  Virtual Manipulatives

Technology Resources to Support Level 1

Hardware:

• Interactive Whiteboard (IWB)
• Document Cameras
• Computers
• Calculators
• Science Probes

Software:

• IWB Tools (Spotlight, Highlighter, Ruler, Protractor, etc.)
• Productivity (word processing, spreadsheet)
• Concept Mapping

Digital Resources

• BEEP Teacher Portal: Online Textbooks
• BEEP Student Portal:  Online Textbooks

Web 2.0 Tools Find the Right Web 2.0 Tool

Level 2 – Skill/Concept         (NGSSS Level Moderate)

Level 2 Activities require connecting recalled information and making some decisions about problem solving or procedures.  Level 2 activities require students to interpret and develop relationships between concepts.

Action Verbs for use in creating Level 2 Activities: Cause/Effect, Classify, Categorize, Collect & Display, Compare, Construct, Distinguish, Graph, Infer, Identify Patterns, Interpret, Make Observations, Modify, Organize, Predict, Relate, Separate, Show, Summarize, Use Context Clues

Example Technology Integration/ Instructional Strategies for Level 2

Teacher Directed:

• Use technology resources for question/answer, graphic organizers, brainstorming, graphing, highlighting/color coding as part of guided reading practice, organizing ideas, summarizing, compare/contrast, making observations, and class discussions.
• Use appropriate technology resources in teaching Marzano’s High Yield Strategy:
  • Similarities and Differences
  • Summarizing and Note Taking
  • Nonlinguist Representations
  • Questions, Clues, and Advanced Organizers
  • Generating and Testing Hypotheses
• Use appropriate technology to support activities in which students make connections between recalled information and make some decisions about problem solving including
  • Controlled Inquiry
  • Cloze
  • Journaling
  • Jigsaw

• Assign Homework/ Practice (Marzano’s High Yield Strategy:  Homework & Practice) that leverage to digital tools in online textbooks and Web 2.0 tools.

Student Directed:

• Use CAI – computer assisted instruction
• Use digital resources, software, and Web 2.0 tools software for classification, cause/effect, relate, comparison, summarizing, producing nonlinguistic representations.

Technology Resources to Support Level 2

Hardware:

• Interactive Whiteboard Tools (Spotlight, Highlighter, Ruler, Protractor)
• Document Cameras
• Computers
• Calculators
• Science Probes

Software:

• Productivity (word processing, spreadsheet)
• Concept Mapping (Inspiration/Kidspiration)
• Graphing Software
• Comic Creation Software (Comic Life)

Digital Resources

BEEP Teacher Portal

Web 2.0 Tools

• Find the Right Web 2.0 Tool
• Chart of tools support Marzano
• Online concept mapping
  • Mind42, Bubbl.us,
• Notetaking/summarizing
  • Google docs, Zoho, Writeboard, Scrib Link,
• Nonlinguistic representations
  • Do Ink

Level 3 — Strategic Thinking (NGSSS Level – Moderate)

Level 3 Activities require reasoning, planning, using evidence, and in most cases involves the student explaining their thought processes.  Typically level 3 activities have more than one correct response or approach to a problem.

Action Verbs for use in creating Level 3 Activities: Apprise, Assess, Construct, Compare, Critique, Cite Evidence, Compare, Draw Conclusions, Develop a Logical Argument, Differentiate, Explain Phenomena in Terms of Concepts, Formulate, Hypothesize, Investigate, Revise, Use Concepts to Solve Non-routine Problems

Example Technology Integration/ Instructional Strategies for Level 3

Teacher Directed

• Use appropriate technology (document camera/LCD projector/Interactive whiteboard) in class discussions for contrasting/comparing; draw conclusions; differentiation; revision; assessment; teaching/ demonstrating problem-solving strategies, evidence citation, etc.
• Use appropriate technology resources in teaching Marzano’s High Yield Strategy:
  • Similarities and Differences
  • Summarizing and Note Taking
  • Nonlinguist Representations
  • Questions, Clues, and Advanced Organizers
  • Generating and Testing Hypotheses
• Use appropriate technology to support activities in which students plan, reason, and explain their thought processes including
  • Cooperative Learning
  • Debate
  • Role Playing
  • Guided Inquiry & Modeled Inquiry
  • Concept Attainment
  • Research Projects
  • Journaling
  • Structured Controversy

• Assign Homework/ Practice (Marzano’s High Yield Strategy:  Homework & Practice) that leverage to digital tools in online textbooks and Web 2.0 tools.

Student Directed:

• Use CAI – computer assisted instruction that includes simulations or problem solving scenarios
• Use digital resources, software, and Web 2.0 tools software to construct, compare, critique, develop conclusions, explain phenomena, hypothesize, formula, investigate, etc.
  • Cooperative Learning
  • Debate
  • Role Playing
  • Guided Inquiry & Modeled Inquiry
  • Concept Attainment
  • Research Projects
  • Journaling
  • Structured Controversy

Technology Resources to Support Level 3

Hardware:

• Interactive Whiteboard Tools (Spotlight, Highlighter, Ruler, Protractor)
• Document Cameras
• Computers
• Calculators

Software:

• Productivity (word processing, spreadsheet)

Digital Resources

BEEP Teacher Portal and BEEP Student Portal

Find the Right Web 2.0 Tool

Level 4 – Extended Thinking         (NGSSS Level – High)

Level 4 Questions require complex reasoning, planning, developing most likely over an extended period of time. (The extended time is not a distinguishing factor if the work is repetitive and does not require applying significant conceptual understanding and higher-order thinking)

Action Verbs for use in creating Level 4 Activities: Apply Concepts, Analyze, Critique, Connect, Create, Design, Prove, Synthesize

Teacher Directed

• Use appropriate technology to support activities in which students plan, reason, and explain their thought processes.

Student Directed

• Use appropriate technology to activities in plan, reason, and explain thought processes including
  • Case Studies
  • Modeled and Free Inquiry
  • Research Projects
  • Problem-based Learning
  • Problem-based Learning Network
    
  • http://pbln.imsa.edu/model/template/Project-based Learning
  • Project-based Learning Online
  • Buck Institute for Education (Project-based learning)

Web 2.0 Tools Find the Right Web 2.0 Tool

Technology Resources to Support Level 4

Hardware:

• Interactive Whiteboard Tools (Spotlight, Highlighter, Ruler, Protractor)
• Document Cameras
• Computers
• Calculators

Software:

• Productivity (word processing, spreadsheet, concept mapping, movie making/video editing, podcasting/audio editing)

Digital Resources

BEEP Teacher Portal

Web 2.0 Tools