Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK)
Why "You Teach" Is the Deepest Level of Learning
The Problem: Hard ≠ Complex
A common mistake in education: equating difficulty with rigor.
| Difficult but Not Complex | Complex |
|---|---|
| Memorize 100 dates | Analyze why an event happened |
| Solve 50 of the same problem | Design a solution to a novel problem |
| Read a 500-page book | Evaluate an author's argument |
Making work harder (more volume, more obscure content) doesn't make it deeper.
Rigor is about the depth of thinking required, not the amount of suffering.
The Framework: Webb's Depth of Knowledge
In 1997, researcher Norman Webb created the Depth of Knowledge framework to measure cognitive rigor — how deeply a student must understand content to complete a task.
The Four Levels
| Level | Name | What It Requires |
|---|---|---|
| DOK 1 | Recall & Reproduction | Remember facts, execute simple procedures |
| DOK 2 | Skills & Concepts | Apply knowledge, make decisions about approach |
| DOK 3 | Strategic Thinking | Reason, plan, justify with evidence |
| DOK 4 | Extended Thinking | Synthesize, connect across domains, create |
Key insight: These aren't hierarchical prerequisites. A kindergartner can do DOK 3 work appropriate to their content. A PhD can do DOK 1 work if just recalling a fact.
Level by Level
DOK 1: Recall & Reproduction
Cognitive demand: Automatic. Either you know it or you don't.
| Examples |
|---|
| What's 7 × 8? |
| Define "photosynthesis" |
| Who wrote Romeo and Juliet? |
| Identify the capital of Iowa |
Important: DOK 1 can be difficult (obscure facts are hard to remember) but it's not complex.
DOK 2: Skills & Concepts
Cognitive demand: Apply knowledge. Decide how to approach a problem.
| Examples |
|---|
| Classify these animals by habitat |
| Compare the causes of WWI and WWII |
| Use context clues to determine word meaning |
| Calculate the area of an irregular shape |
The shift: At DOK 2, the student must make decisions about which knowledge or procedure to apply.
DOK 3: Strategic Thinking
Cognitive demand: Reason with evidence. Plan. Justify.
| Examples |
|---|
| Analyze how the author develops a theme |
| Design an experiment to test a hypothesis |
| Evaluate which solution best addresses the problem |
| Formulate a mathematical model for this situation |
Key features: Multiple valid approaches. Must justify with evidence. Non-routine problems.
DOK 4: Extended Thinking
Cognitive demand: Synthesize across sources, domains, or time. Create something new.
| Examples |
|---|
| Research a historical trend across multiple eras and present findings |
| Connect themes across texts from different cultures |
| Design and conduct a multi-phase experiment |
| Create original work that synthesizes multiple sources |
Key features: Extended time (not because it's long, but because depth requires iteration). Multiple sources. Transfer across contexts.
The Verb Fallacy
Warning: DOK is NOT determined by the verb.
The same verb can span multiple levels:
| Verb | DOK 1 | DOK 2 | DOK 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Describe | Describe the main character's appearance | Describe the cause-effect relationship | Describe how irony impacts the theme |
| Analyze | — | Analyze data to find the mean | Analyze the author's bias |
| Identify | Identify the capital | Identify patterns in the data | Identify research questions needed |
The level is determined by what comes AFTER the verb — the complexity of the content and thinking required.
How ISP Applies This
The "You Teach" Framework
ISP's highest learning outcome is "You Teach" — students create content explaining what they learned to others.
| Traditional DOK 4 | ISP "You Teach" |
|---|---|
| Write a research paper | Create a TikTok teaching the concept |
| Complete a capstone project | Film a video explaining what you learned |
| Synthesize multiple sources | Teach a younger student the skill |
Why "You Teach" is DOK 4:
- Retrieval — Must pull knowledge from memory
- Organization — Must structure it for an audience
- Synthesis — Must connect pieces coherently
- Transfer — Must apply to new context (teaching)
- Creation — Must produce original content
The I Do → We Do → You Do → You Teach Progression
ISP extends the traditional gradual release:
| Phase | DOK Level | Student Activity |
|---|---|---|
| I Do | 1-2 | Watch, observe demonstration |
| We Do | 2 | Apply with guidance |
| You Do | 2-3 | Apply independently |
| You Teach | 4 | Create content explaining to others |
Most schools stop at "You Do." ISP adds the deepest level.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Week 1: Your son learns about "The Saban Process" — Nick Saban's focus on the present task.
| Day | Activity | DOK |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Watch video explaining the concept | 1-2 |
| Day 2 | Identify examples of process vs. outcome thinking | 2 |
| Day 3 | Apply process thinking to his own goals | 2-3 |
| Days 4-14 | Practice the 21-day challenge, reflect daily | 3 |
| Day 15 | Create a 60-second video teaching what he learned | 4 |
The "You Teach" video requires him to:
- Retrieve everything he learned
- Organize it into a coherent narrative
- Decide what's most important to share
- Present it in an engaging way
That's DOK 4. And it builds his personal brand while deepening his learning.
DOK and Assessment Design
ISP uses DOK to ensure assessments match learning objectives:
| If the Goal Is... | Assessment Should Be... |
|---|---|
| Know basic facts | DOK 1 recall questions |
| Apply procedures | DOK 2 problems |
| Analyze and justify | DOK 3 open-ended tasks |
| Synthesize and create | DOK 4 projects/content creation |
The "You Teach" Content Library
Over time, student-created content becomes teaching material for future students:
- Best "You Teach" videos become examples for new students
- Students learn from other students' explanations
- Content creation becomes contribution to the community
DOK in Life Skills
ISP's persona-based Life Skills curriculum uses DOK levels:
| Persona Example: Dan Gable | DOK Level |
|---|---|
| "When did Gable win Olympic gold?" | 1 |
| "Compare Gable's training philosophy to Wooden's" | 2-3 |
| "How would Gable approach your specific challenge?" | 3 |
| "Create content teaching Gable's approach to a peer" | 4 |
Every persona challenge includes the "You Teach" component at DOK 4.
For Parents: Asking DOK 3+ Questions
You can raise the cognitive level at home by asking deeper questions:
| DOK 1-2 Question | DOK 3-4 Question |
|---|---|
| "What happened in the story?" | "Why do you think the character made that choice?" |
| "What's the answer?" | "How did you figure that out?" |
| "What did you learn?" | "How would you explain this to a younger kid?" |
| "Is this right?" | "How could you check if this is right?" |
The Research Behind This
| Researcher | Finding | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Norman Webb | Depth of Knowledge framework | 1997 |
| Karin Hess | Cognitive Rigor Matrix (DOK + Bloom's) | 2009 |
| Roediger & Karpicke | Generation (producing) enhances learning | 2006 |
| Chi et al. | Self-explanation improves understanding | 1989 |
FAQs
Q: Is DOK 4 always better than DOK 1?
A: No. All levels have their place. You need DOK 1 facts to do DOK 3 analysis. The problem is when education only operates at DOK 1-2. ISP ensures students reach all four levels.
Q: Can young kids do DOK 3-4 work?
A: Yes. A kindergartner can analyze why a story character made a choice (DOK 3) or create their own story (DOK 4). The content complexity matches age; the cognitive depth is achievable at any age.
Q: How does "You Teach" build personal brand?
A: The content students create is theirs. They can share it on social media, building a portfolio of thoughtful content. This is NIL preparation — learning to communicate ideas publicly.
Related Pages
- Mastery Learning → — Building to DOK 4
- Retrieval Practice → — Foundation for "You Teach"
- Direct Instruction → — How we teach DOK 1-2
- Learning Science Overview → — All principles
"The deepest learning happens when you teach. If you can explain it clearly to someone else, you truly understand it."