Let's Make a DOK 4!

From Chapter 9: "Let's Make a DOK!" featured in Deconstructing Depth of Knowledge: A Method and Model for Deeper Teaching and Learning by Erik M. Francis

In 2016, I wrote a blog that compared the demand and expectations of Webb's DOK Levels to popular television shows. I called it "Let's Make a DOK!", a play on the title of the classic game show Let's Make a Deal! The name has a double meaning, since we can adapt the format of game shows into our classroom to develop and deliver DOK teaching and learning experiences that are not only educational but also energetic, enriching, and enjoyable.

The goal of a DOK 4 teaching and learning experience is for students to do one or more of the following:

• Expand on an answer for an extensive purpose (and/or for an extended period).
• Extend an answer for an extensive purpose (and/or for an extended period).
• Explore an answer for an extensive purpose (and/or over an extensive period).

Notice the DOK Descriptors feature the word "extensive." They demand students to:

• Delve deep into a subject area.
• Go through multiple texts.
• Connect and compare multiple topics.
• Go across the curriculum.
• Go beyond the classroom.

The depth and extent students must comprehend and communicate their learning may also demand an extensive amount of time to accomplish or address. In fact, students will not complete a DOK 4 teaching and learning experience within a set class period. They can take hours, weeks, or even an entire quarter, semester, or year.

However, extended time is a characteristic of a DOK 4 teaching and learning experience, not a criterion. Just because the expectation or experience takes students a significant period of time to complete does not automatically designate it at DOK 4. Time is a measure of difficulty, not demand.

DOK 4 teaching and learning experiences are also individualized in that they engage and encourage students to comprehend and communicate insightfully, innovatively, inventively, and in their own unique way.

DOK 4 teaching and learning experiences resemble TV business competitions. On these television shows, participants have already developed and established themselves as "experts" in a specific subject or skill. What distinguishes these shows from the reality skills-based competition is that the experience can be complicated with so many circumstances, factors, and situations to address and overcome. The goals and expectations are also purposeful and personal, demanding the participants to be insightful, innovative, and inventive not only in how they transfer their learning but also transform the scenario or situation.

Kitchen Nightmares is one example. On this show, Gordon Ramsay draws upon his expertise as a world renowned chef and entrepreneur to guide and support a struggling restaurant in becoming successful. Each issue impacting the restaurants Ramsay tries to help is what's known as a wicked problem. The solution and the steps to take to get there are not simple or straightforward. However, the goal and expectation is purposeful — Ramsay seeks to support the restaurant owners not only to turn around and transform their restaurant but also be able to sustain their success.

The Apprentice is an example of a project-based learning experience that would engage and encourage students to comprehend and communicate their learning like a DOK 4. The goal and format of the experience is similar to a DOK 4 problem-based learning experience. Students must address a good driving essential question that identifies the focus and informs the purpose for learning. Unlike a DOK 4 problem-based learning experience, the expectation is that the students must and will bring the task to fruition.

Shark Tank offers entrepreneurs and inventors a forum where they can showcase the depth and extent of their thinking and talent. Participants must think extensively how they could pitch their innovative or inventive business, ideas, products, or services to a group of investors. They must also use extended reasoning supported by strong examples and credible evidence to justify the value and viability of what they are pitching.

Project-Based Learning — Students take and transfer their learning to address, explain, or respond to a real world scenario or situation. The expectation is the students will complete the task assigned to them. Student learning is evaluated based on both the quality of the project produced and how they performed as a member of the group or team throughout the process.

Problem-Based Learning — The key difference from project-based learning is that the problem that serves as the focus and purpose of the DOK 4 experience does NOT necessarily need to be solved — although that would be ideal and preferable. It could be addressed, handled, resolved, settled — or even walked away from or avoided. Examples of the type of problems students could explore are wicked problems, which are the type of problems they will typically encounter in their professional and personal lives.

Differentiated Instruction to Individualize and Personalize Learning — DOK 4 teaching and learning experiences also support and shift instruction between differentiation, individualization, and personalization. One way to differentiate instruction is to place the question stem "How could you..." in front of a learning expectation, objective, or target. Not only will this transform the standard into a good question that promotes student inquiry, it could also encourage students to think extensively how they could comprehend and communicate the depth and extent of their learning in their own unique way.

Talent Development for Innovation and Invention — DOK 4 teaching and learning experiences also encourage students to develop their learned knowledge and innate skills into applicable talents they can use to innovate and invent.

Keep in mind that DOK 4 teaching and learning experiences are not "better" or "more desirable." It describes a distinct way students can engage with the subject or skill they are studying. It also encourages students to comprehend and communicate their learning at a particular level of depth. All the DOK Levels are essential as a means to address as part of a student's learning experience and a method to support the success of the whole child.

Erik M. Francis, M.Ed., M.S., is an international author, educator, presenter, and professional development provider with over 25 years of experience in education. He is the owner of Maverik Education, providing professional development, guidance, and support on how to plan and provide teaching and learning experiences that are standards based, socially and emotionally supportive, and student responsive.

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