Webb

Webb’s Depth of
Knowledge Guide
Career and Technical Education Definitions

2009

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HTTP://REDESIGN.RCU.MSSTATE.EDU
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview ........................................................................................................................................................................5

Level 1 – Recall & Reproduction ....................................................................................................................................7

Level 2 – Working with Skills & Concepts ......................................................................................................................9

Level 3 – Short-term Strategic Thinking ......................................................................................................................11

Level 4 – Extended Strategic Thinking .........................................................................................................................13

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OVERVIEW

Webb (1997) developed a process and criteria for systematically analyzing the alignment between standards and
standardized assessments. Since then the process and criteria have demonstrated application to reviewing
curricular alignment as well. This body of work offers the Depth of Knowledge (DOK) model employed to analyze
the cognitive expectation demanded by standards, curricular activities and assessment tasks (Webb, 1997). The
model is based upon the assumption that curricular elements may all be categorized based upon the cognitive
demands required to produce an acceptable response. Each grouping of tasks reflects a different level of cognitive
expectation, or depth of knowledge, required to complete the task. It should be noted that the term knowledge, as
it is used here, is intended to broadly encompass all forms of knowledge (i.e. procedural, declarative, etc.). The
following table reflects an adapted version of the model.

DOK Level Title of Level

1 Recall and Reproduction

2 Skills and Concepts

3 Short-term Strategic Thinking

4 Extended Thinking

DOK level are assigned to each course objective the following served as general guidelines for developers:

 The DOK level assigned should reflect the level of work students are most commonly required to perform
in order for the response to be deemed acceptable.
 The DOK level should reflect the complexity of the cognitive processes demanded by the task outlined by
the objective, rather than its difficulty. Ultimately the DOK level describes the kind of thinking required by
a task, not whether or not the task is “difficult”.
 If there is a question regarding which of two levels a statement addresses, such as Level 1 or Level 2, or
Level 2 or Level 3, it is appropriate to select the higher of the two levels.
 The DOK level should be assigned based upon the cognitive demands required by the central performance
described in the objective.
 The objective’s central verb(s) alone is/are not sufficient information to assign a DOK level. Developers
must also consider the complexity of the task and/or information, conventional levels of prior
knowledge for students at the grade level, and the mental processes used to satisfy the requirements
set forth in the objective.

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LEVEL 1 – RECALL & REPRODUCTION

Curricular elements that fall into this category involve basic tasks that require students to recall or reproduce
knowledge and/or skills. The subject matter content at this particular level usually involves working with facts,
terms and/or properties of objects. It may also involve use of simple procedures and/or formulas. There is little
transformation or extended processing of the target knowledge required by the tasks that fall into this category.
Key words that often denote this particular level include: list, identify and define. A student answering a Level 1
item either knows the answer or does not; that is, the answer does not need to be “figured out” or “solved.”

POSSIBLE PRODUCTS
Quiz List Collection Podcast Social bookmarking
Definition Workbook Explanation Categorizing/Tagging Searching
Fact Reproduction Show and Tell Commenting Googling
Worksheet Vocabulary Quiz Outline Bulleting
Test Recitation Blog Highlighting
Label Example Wiki Social networking

ROLES
TEACHER STUDENT
Directs Tells Responds Absorbs
Shows Examines Remembers Recognizes
Questions Evaluates Memorizes Describes
Demonstrates Listens Explains Translates
Compares Contrasts Restates Demonstrates
Examines Interprets

POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES
 Develop a concept map showing a process or describing a topic.
 Make a timeline
 Write a list of keywords you know about…
 Make a chart showing…
 Recite a fact related to…
 Write in your own words…
 Cut out, or draw a picture that illustrates an event, process, or story.
 Report or present to the class.
 Make a cartoon strip showing the sequence of an event, process, or story.
 Write and perform…
 Write a brief outline and explain the event, process, or story.
 Write a summary report of the event
 Prepare a flow chart that illustrates the sequence of events.
 Paraphrase a chapter in the book
 Retell in your own words
 Outline the main points

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 Recall, restate, remember, or recognize a fact, term, or property(Recognizing, listing, describing, identifying,
retrieving, naming, locating, finding)
 Using basic calculation tasks involving only one step (i.e. addition, subtraction, etc), complete the following…
 Locate or retrieve information in verbatim form.
 Straight-forward recognition tasks related to identifying features, objects and/or steps that don’t vary greatly
in form (i.e. recognizing features of basic tools).
 Writing tasks that involve applying a standard set of conventions and or criteria that should eventually be
automated (i.e. using punctuation, spelling, etc)
 Basic measurement tasks that involve one step (i.e. using a ruler to measure length)
 Use this simple formula where at least one of the unknowns are provided to…
 Locating information in maps, charts, tables, graphs, and drawings

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

Level 2 – Working with Skills & Concepts

Level 2 includes the engagement of some mental processing beyond recalling or reproducing a response. This level
generally requires students to contrast or compare people, places, events and concepts; convert information from
one form to another; classify or sort items into meaningful categories ; describe or explain issues and problems,
patterns , cause and effect, significance or impact, relationships, points of view or processes. A Level 2 “describe or
explain” would require students to go beyond a description or explanation of recalled information to describe or
explain a result or “how” or “why.” The learner should make use of information in a context different from the one
in which it was learned.

Elements found in a curriculum that fall in this category involve working with or applying skills and/or concepts to
tasks related to the field of study in a laboratory setting. The subject matter content at this particular level usually
involves working with a set of principles, categories, heuristics, and protocols. At this level students are asked to
transform/process target knowledge before responding. Example mental processes that often denote this
particular level include: summarize, estimate, organize, classify, and infer.

POSSIBLE PRODUCTS
Photograph Presentation Reverse-Engineering Blog Commenting
Illustration Interview Cracking Codes Blog Reflecting
Simulation Performance Linking Moderating
Sculpture Dairy Mashing Testing (Alpha/Beta)
Demonstration Journal Relationship Mind Maps Validating

ROLES
TEACHER STUDENT
Shows Facilitates Solves problems Demonstrates use of knowledge
Observes Evaluates Calculates Compiles
Organizes Questions Completes Illustrates
Constructs

POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES
 Classify a series of steps
 Construct a model to demonstrate how it looks or works
 Practices a play and perform in class
 Make a diorama to illustrate an event
 Write a diary/blog entry
 Make a scrapbook about the area of study
 Make a topographic map
 Make up puzzle or game about the topic
 Write an explanation about this topic for others
 Make a model…
 Routine application tasks (i.e. applying a simple set of rules or protocols to a laboratory situation the same
way each time)
 Explaining the meaning of a concept and/or explaining how to perform a particular task
 Stating relationships among a number of concepts and or principles
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 More complex recognition tasks that involve recognizing concepts and processes that may vary in how they
“appear”
 More complex calculation tasks (i.e. multi-step calculations such as standard deviation)
 Research projects and writing activities that involve locating, collecting, organizing and displaying information
(i.e. writing a report with the purpose to inform; meeting all steps of the writing process)
 Measurement tasks that occur over a period of time and involve aggregating/organizing the data collected in
to basic presentation forms such as a simple table or graph

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LEVEL 3 – SHORT-TERM STRATEGIC THINKING

Items falling into this category demand a short-term use of higher order thinking processes, such as analysis and
evaluation, to solve real-world problems with predictable outcomes. Stating one’s reasoning is a key marker of
tasks that fall into this particular category. The expectation established for tasks at this level tends to require
coordination of knowledge and skill from multiple subject-matter areas to carry out processes and reach a solution
in a project-based setting. Key processes that often denote this particular level include: analyze, explain and
support with evidence, generalize, and create.

POSSIBLE PRODUCTS
Graph Survey Debate Conclusion Podcast
Spreadsheet Database Panel Program Publishing
Checklist Mobile Report Film Wiki-ing
Chart Abstract Evaluating Animation
Outline Report Investigation Video cast

ROLES
TEACHER STUDENT
Probes Guides Discusses Uncovers Argues
Observes Evaluates Debates Thinks deeply Tests
Acts as a resource Questions Examines Questions Calculates
Organizes Dissects Judges Disputes Compares
Clarifies Accepts Assesses Decides Selects
Guides Justifies

POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES
 Use a Venn Diagram that shows how two topics are the same and different
 Design a questionnaire to gather information
 Survey classmates/industry members to find out what they think about a particular topics
 Make a flow chart to show the critical stages.
 Classify the actions of the characters in book
 Prepare a report about an area of study
 Conduct an investigation to produce information to support a view
 Write a letter to the editor after evaluation product
 Prepare and conduct a debate
 Prepare a list of criteria to judge
 Write a persuasive speech arguing for/against…
 Make a booklet about five rules you see as important. Convince others.
 Form a panel to discuss viewpoints on…
 Write a letter to… advertising on changes needed.
 Prepare a case to present your view about

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 Short-term tasks and projects placing a strong emphasis on transferring knowledge to solve predictable
problems
 Explaining and/or working with abstract terms and concepts
 Recognition tasks when the environment observed is real-world and often contains extraneous information
which must be sorted through
 Complex calculation problems presented that draw upon multiple processes
 Writing and or explaining tasks that require altering a message to “fit” an audience
 Creating graphs, tables and charts where students must reason through and organize the information with
instructor prompts
 Identifying a research question and/or designing investigations to answer a question
 Tasks that involve proposing solutions or making predictions

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Level 4 – Extended Strategic Thinking

Curricular elements assigned to this level demand extended use of higher order thinking processes such as
synthesis, reflection, assessment and adjustment of plans over time. Students are engaged in conducting
investigations to solve real-world problems with unpredictable outcomes. Employing and sustaining strategic
thinking processes over a longer period of time to solve the problem is a key feature of curricular objectives that
are assigned to this level. Key strategic thinking processes that denote this particular level include: synthesize,
reflect, conduct, and manage.

POSSIBLE PRODUCTS
Film Project New Game Newspaper
Story Plan Song Media Product

ROLES
TEACHER STUDENT
Facilitates Extends Designs Formulates Plans
Reflects Analyses Takes risks Modifies Creates
Evaluates Proposes

POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES
 Applying information to solve ill-defined problems in novel situations
 Tasks that require a number of cognitive and physical skills in order to complete
 Writing and/or research tasks that involve formulating and testing hypotheses over time
 Tasks that require students to make multiple strategic and procedural decisions as they are presented with
new information throughout the course of the event
 Tasks that require perspective taking and collaboration with a group of individuals
 Creating graphs, tables, and charts where students must reason through and organize the information without
instructor prompts
 Writing tasks that have a strong emphasis on persuasion
 Devise a way to…
 Develop a menu for a new restaurant using a variety of healthy foods
 Sell an idea
 Write a jingle to advertise a new product
 Conduct an internship in industry where students are faced with real-world, unpredictable problems

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