THE GREAT MISCONCEPTION

ABOUT RIGOR

THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATION IS TO DEVELOP THE MIND,

NOT STUFF THE MEMORY.

--ANONYMOUS

WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF RIGOR?

DEFINITIONS OF RIGOR

• WILLIAM DAGGETT: STUDENTS HAVE THE COMPETENCE TO THINK IN COMPLEX

WAYS. ICLE, AUTHOR: RIGOR AND RELEVANCE, SPEAKER

• BARBARA BLACKBURN: RIGOR IS CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH EACH

STUDENT IS EXPECTED TO LEARN AT HIGH LEVELS. SPEAKER, AUTHOR

• ROBIN JACKSON: ACADEMIC RIGOR IS HELPING KIDS LEARN TO THINK FOR

THEMSELVES. MINDSTEPS, SPEAKER

WHAT IS THIS STATEMENT SAYING?“AS EDUCATORS…WE HAVE NOTICED THAT WHILE THERE EXISTS A GENERAL CONCERN ABOUT RIGOR, THERE IS NOT A COHERENT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT IS. WE PRESENT THE IDEA THAT RIGOR IS BETTER THOUGHT OF AS A CONTINUUM OF COGNITIVE SIMPLICITY–COMPLEXITY* EMBEDDED WITHIN THE LEARNING ACTIVITIES PREPARED FOR STUDENTS BY TEACHERS. “

*COGNITIVE COMPLEXITY IS AN INTELLECTUAL CHARACTERISTIC THAT INDICATES HOW COMPLEX OR SIMPLE IS THE PERCEPTUAL SKILL

OF A PERSON. DAVID D. PAGE, GRANT S. SMITH, JOHN M. SIZEMORE, JUNE 8, 2015

LEVEL 1: RECALL

REQUIRES RECALLING A FACT, INFORMATION, OR PROCEDURE; PROCESS INFORMATION ON A LOW LEVEL.

LEVEL 2: SKILLS AND CONCEPTS

REQUIRES USE OF INFORMATION OR CONCEPTUAL KNOWLEDGE; USUALLY TWO OR MORE STEPS.

LEVEL 3: STRATEGIC THINKING

REQUIRES REASONING OR DEVELOPING A PLAN OR A SEQUENCE OF STEPS; MORE THAN ONE ANSWER.

LEVEL 4: EXTENDED THINKING

REQUIRES AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME TO THINK AND PROCESS MULTIPLE CONDITIONS OF THE PROBLEM, HIGH COGNITIVE DEMANDS, COMPLEX REASONING

DR. NORMAN WEBB’S DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE

MAIN POINTS:

IT IS NOT A LINEAR SYSTEM.

ALL LEVELS ARE IMPORTANT.

YOU MAY NOT HAVE A LEVEL 4 THINKING PROCESS UNLESS IT IS

PLANNED OVER TIME (RESEARCH PAPER, SCIENCE PROJECT, ETC.)

HTTP://WWW.WEBBALIGN.ORG/DOK-TRAINING.HTML

LET’S SEE HOW WE DOGRADE 2 ACTIVITY

USE THE DOK CHART AT YOUR TABLE TO DETERMINE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE LEVEL OF THE ACTIVITY ON EACH CARD AND PUT THE ACTIVITIES IN ORDER BY LEVEL.

TO DISCOVER WHAT RIGOR LOOKS LIKE…..

LOOK AT THE THINKING PROCESSES USED IN THE ACTIVITY FOR THE

STUDENT EXPECTATION BEING TAUGHT.

ALIGN DAILY CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION WITH THE RIGOROUS THINKING

PROCESSES REQUIRED BY THE QUESTIONS ON THE STATE ASSESSMENT.

KNOW THE TARGET

• THE STATE ASSESSMENT TESTS THE STATE STANDARDS.

• IF WE DON’T KNOW AND TEACH THE THINKING PROCESSES USED ON THE TEST, HOW CAN STUDENTS HIT THE BULLSEYE?

WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE KIDS?

• EXPOSURE TO ACTIVITIES THAT REQUIRE MULTIPLE LEVELS OF

THINKING, QUESTIONING, AND SOLVING A PROBLEM

• LEARN THINKING PROCESSES THROUGH TEACHER MODELING.

• OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR HOW OTHERS WORK THROUGH PROBLEMS

IN PAIRS OR SMALL GROUP WORK.

• SUCCESS!!!!

LET’S

PRACTICE

AGAIN.

CLASSROOM EXAMPLE

1. TALK AT YOUR TABLE AND DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF THIS ACTIVITY; BE PREPARED TO JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWER.

2. WITH A PARTNER, DISCUSS HOW A TEACHER MIGHT MOVE THIS ACTIVITY TO A HIGHER LEVEL ON THE DOK CHART.

3. BE PREPARED TO SHARE OUT TO THE GROUP.

RELEASED TEST QUESTION EXAMPLES

AS YOU LOOK AT EACH RELEASED TEST QUESTION, DETERMINE:

WHAT DO THE STUDENTS HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO TO ARRIVE AT THE CORRECT ANSWER?

WHAT ARE THE THINKING PROCESSES REQUIRED TO CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER?

WHAT LEVEL IS THIS QUESTION?

FROM LEAD4WARD.COM

QUICK CHECK

ON YOUR NOTE PAGES, NUMBER FROM 1-5.

AS YOU READ THE STATEMENT, DETERMINE IF IT IS A TRUTH OR A MISCONCEPTION, AND WRITE THE WORD YOU CHOOSE BESIDE THE NUMBER.

TRUTH OR MISCONCEPTION

1. RIGOR MEANS MORE WORK

TRUTH OR MISCONCEPTION

2. RIGOROUS INSTRUCTION IS INTENTIONAL.

TRUTH OR MISCONCEPTION

3. RIGOROUS INSTRUCTION REQUIRES

EFFORTFUL LEARNING.

TRUTH OR MISCONCEPTION

4. RIGOR IS ONLY POSSIBLE AFTER STUDENTS

HAVE MASTERED THE BASICS.

TRUTH OR MISCONCEPTION

5. RIGOR IS A MATTER OF CONTENT.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO DEEPER INTO RIGOR, BE SURE TO ATTEND “WHAT COMES AFTER THE VERB” TOMORROW!

KARENCASE1@GMAIL.COM

PAM.ZIOLKOWSKI@SBCGLOBAL.NET