Depth of Knowledge

Depth of Knowledge is a simplification of Bloom's Taxonomy that focuses on four levels of understanding: recall/reproduction, skill/concept, strategic thinking, and extended thinking.

Knowledge

Definition

Students can recall a fact, information, or procedure. Students can process information on a low level. This level of understanding is sometimes called "recall or reproduction".

Correspondence to Bloom's Taxonomy

Know/Remember

"The recall of specifics and universals, involving little more than bringing to mind the appropriate material."

Comprehend/Understand

"Ability to process knowledge on a lowlevel such that the knowledge can be reproduced or communicated without a verbatim repetition."

Key Verbs

• Arrange
• Calculate
• Cite
• Define
• Describe
• Draw
• Explain
• Give examples
• Identify
• Illustrate
• Label
• Locate
• List
• Match
• Measure
• Name
• Perform
• Quote
• Recall
• Recite
• Record
• Repeat
• Report
• Select
• State
• Summarize
• Tabulate

Evidence of Depth of Knowledge

• Explain simple concepts or routine procedures
• Recall elements and details
• Recall a fact, term or property
• Conduct basic calculations
• Order rational numbers
• Identify a standard scientific representation for simple phenomenon
• Label locations
• Describe the features of a place or people
• Identify figurative language in a reading passage

Skill

Definition

Students can use information or conceptual knowledge in two or more steps. This level of understanding is sometimes called "skill/concept".

Correspondence to Bloom's Taxonomy

Apply

"Uses information in another familiar situation."

Executes - Carries out a procedures in a familiar task.

Implements - Uses a procedure in an unfamiliar task.

Key Verbs

• Apply
• Calculate
• Categorize
• Classify
• Compare
• Compute
• Construct
• Convert
• Describe
• Determine
• Distinguish
• Estimate
• Explain
• Extend
• Extrapolate
• Find
• Formulate
• Generalize
• Graph
• Identify patterns
• Infer
• Interpolate
• Interpret
• Modify
• Observe
• Organize
• Predict
• Relate
• Represent
• Show
• Simplify
• Solve
• Sort
• Use

Evidence of Depth of Knowledge

• Solve routine multiple-step problems
• Describe non-trivial patterns
• Interpret information from a simple graph
• Formulate a routine problem, given data and conditions
• Sort objects
• Show relationships
• Apply a concept
• Organize, represent and interpret data
• Use context clues to identify the meaning of unfamiliar words
• Describe the cause/effect of a particular event.
• Predict a logical outcome
• Identify patterns in events or behavior

Reasoning and Understanding

Definition

Students use reasoning to develop a plan or a sequence of steps, with some degree of complexity. This level of understanding is sometimes called "strategic thinking".

Correspondence to Bloom's Taxonomy

Analyze

"Breaking information into parts to explore understanding and relationship."

Evaluate

"Checks/Critiques – makes judgments based on criteria and standards."

Key Verbs

• Appraise
• Assess
• Cite evidence
• Check
• Compare
• Compile
• Conclude
• Contrast
• Critique
• Decide
• Defend
• Describe
• Develop
• Differentiate
• Distinguish
• Examine
• Explain how
• Formulate
• Hypothesize
• Identify
• Infer
• Interpret
• Investigate
• Judge
• Justify
• Reorganize
• Solve
• Support

Evidence of Depth of Knowledge

• Solve non-routine problems
• Interpret information from a complex graph
• Explain phenomena in terms of concepts
• Support ideas with details and examples
• Develop a scientific model for a complex situation
• Formulate conclusions from experimental data
• Compile information from multiple sources to address a specific topic
• Develop a logical argument
• Identify and then justify a solution
• Identify the author’s purpose and explain how it affects the interpretation of a reading selection

Product

Definition

Students can perform an investigation, which requires extended time to think and process multiple conditions of the problem. This level of understanding is sometimes called "extended thinking".

Note:M ost on-demand assessments will not include extended thinking activities.

Correspondence to Bloom's Taxonomy

Synthesize

"Putting together elements and parts to form a whole."

Evaluate

"Making value judgments about the method."

Key Verbs

• Connect
• Create
• Critique
• Design
• Judge
• Justify
• Prove
• Report
• Synthesize

Evidence of Depth of Knowledge

• Design and conduct an experiment that requires specifying a problem; report results/solutions
• Synthesize ideas into new concepts
• Critique experimental designs
• Design a mathematical model to inform and solve a practical or abstract situation.
• Connect common themes across texts from different cultures
• Synthesize information from multiple sources

References

• Depth of Knowledge Overview Chart from the Oregon Department of Education.