Cognitive Rigor Research Items

by John Walkup, Ph.D.


Since 2007, Ben Jones and I have been at the forefront of thought in examining curriculum and instruction from a rigor point of view. This is probably a good point to discuss some of the resources we have provided on the issue of Cognitive Rigor.

Articles

Let me start off by linking the paper that sort of started it all, which Ben Jones and I coauthored with Karin Hess and Dennis Carlock.

• What Exactly Do "Fewer, Clearer, and Higher Standards" Really Look Like in the Classroom? Using a Cognitive Rigor Matrix to Analyze Curriculum, Plan Lessons, and Implement Assessments

This article introduced the concept of Cognitive Rigor and the Cognitive Rigor Matrix. Since then it has been cited as a fundamental resource for driving development of the Next Generation Assessments.

Another version of the article has also appears regularly:

• Cognitive Rigor: Blending the Strengths of Bloom's Taxonomy and Webb's Depth of Knowledge to Enhance Classroom-level Processes

The two papers are nearly identical. (How two papers with essentially the same content but different titles made the rounds is a long story.)

We recognized early on that identifying the Depth of Knowledge levels of activities is pointless in of itself. The real value in Depth of Knowledge is understanding how it impacts instruction. In 2010, Gerlinde Olvera and I authored a paper that linked Depth of Knowledge with questioning strategies, specifically wait time and student grouping.

• Questioning Strategies for Teaching Cognitively Rigorous Curricula

Research

To this day, the curriculum studies Ben Jones and I performed in Oklahoma and Nevada remain the only large-scale studies of Cognitive Rigor ever performed in the U.S. We collected nearly a quarter-million student assignments and placed each assignment on the Cognitive Rigor Matrix. The Oklahoma study encompassed 120 public schools throughout the state:

• Analysis of the Enacted Curriculum for the Oklahoma State Department of Education

The Nevada study, which we performed for the Nevada State Legislature, encompassed 100 public schools.

• Report on the Study of the Alignment of Student Assignments to the Academic Standards in the State of Nevada (Executive Summary)
• Report on the Study of the Alignment of Student Assignments to the Academic Standards in the State of Nevada (Full Report)

Presentations

We have delivered numerous presentations on Cognitive Rigor. Our presentation at the Council of Chief State School Officers conference in 2009 is an excellent example. We were joined by Karin Hess of the Center for Assessment and Carol Crothers  of the Nevada Department of Education. The CEO of Measured Progress, Stuart Kahl, moderated.

• A New Lens for Examining Cognitive Rigor in Standards, Curriculum, & Assessments

Digital Sources

We maintain a Scoop.it! curation devoted to Cognitive Rigor, Bloom's Taxonomy, and Depth of Knowledge.

• Cognitive Rigor

We also maintain a Scoop.it! curation on the same topic, but devoted only to our own work and those that cite our work.

• Cognitive Rigor Ipsum 

Citations

• Next Generation Science Standards Systems Implementation Plan for California
• Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium General Item Specifications

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Seeking training at your school or district centered on Cognitive Rigor or Depth of Knowledge?  Call me at (559) 903-4014 or email me at jwalkup@standardsco.com. 

We will discuss ways in which I can help your teachers boost student engagement and deep thinking in their classrooms. I offer workshops, follow-up classroom observation/coaching, and curriculum analysis to anywhere in the country (and even internationally).