Module 3e. Difficulty and Cognitive Complexity PDF Free Download
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Module3e.
DifficultyandCognitiveComplexity
PassporttoGreatTeaching
TimothyS.Brophy
ItemDifficulty
Asyoudevelopanyassessmentitem,youmakea
prediction baseduponyourknowledgeofstudent
performanceatagivencourseorskilllevel
Thepredictionisbasedonthepercentageof
studentsthatyouestimatearelikelytorespond
correctly
IdentificationofPredictedItemDifficulty
Easy–MOREthan70%gettheitem
correct
Average– Between40%and70%getit
correct
Challenging(hard)‐ FEWERthan40%
getitcorrect
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Whathappensafteratestitemisadministered?
•
ItemDifficultyreferstotheactual
percentageofstudents whochosethe
correctanswer
CognitiveComplexity
Referstothe
cognitive
demand
associatedwith
anitem
Dr.Norman
Webb’sDepthof
Knowledge
(DOK)levels
DOK–focuses
on
expectationsof
theitem noton
theabilityof
thestudent
When
identifyingan
item’sdemands
onthinking,itis
assumedthe
studentis
familiarwiththe
basicconcepts
ofthetask
Webb’sDepthofKnowledge(DOK)
TheDepthofKnowledgeisthedegreeofdepthorcomplexityofknowledge
standardsandassessmentsrequire;thiscriterionismetiftheassessmentisas
demandingcognitivelyastheexpectationsstandardsaresetforstudents
TheDOKlevelsareRecall (Level1),SkillorConcept (Level2),Strategic
Thinking (Level3)andExtendedThinking (Level4).
OfcoursetoaccuratelyevaluatetheDOKlevel,eachlevelneedstobedefined
andexamplesgivenoftypesofstudentbehaviors.
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DOK
DOKimpliestheinteractionofhow
deeplyastudentneedstounderstandthe
contentwithdifferentwaysofresponding
andinteractingwiththecontent
ThelevelofaDOKitemisdeterminedby
thetask(definedbycomplexthinkingand
reasoningskills),notthelevelorabilityof
thestudent.
Verbs alonedonotdeterminetheDOK’s
levelofanassessmenttask;thefocusis
onhowdeeplystudentsneedtoknow
contentforagivenresponse
CategoriesofCognitiveComplexity
HIGHComplexity
Mayrequireastudenttoanalyzeandsynthesizeinformation
MODERATEComplexity
Mayrequiremultiplesteps
LOWComplexity
Mayrequireastudenttosolveaone‐stepproblem
ItemComplexity
•
Distinctionsinitemcomplexityensurethatitemsassess
thedepthofstudentknowledgeforthe
standard/benchmark
•
Intentoftheitem
•
Classifyitemsbyhighestlevelofcomplexitydemanded
bytheitem
•
Ultimatedetermination‐overallcognitivedemand
placedonthestudent
•
Youshouldevaluateyouritems andcombinelevelsof
complexityinyourassessments
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LowComplexity
Relyheavilyonrecallandrecognition
Itemsspecifywhatthestudentistodo
•Recallaparticularfact,date,titleofawork,identifyaword
ModerateComplexity
Moderate‐complexityitemsinvolvemoreflexiblethinkingthan
low‐complexityitems.
Thecognitivedemandisgreater.Itemresponsesrequiremore
thanonestep,andordinarilyinvolvereadingapassageand
identifyingagenre,style,orotherappropriatecomponent.
Thestudentisexpectedtoreasoninformallyandtobring
togetherskillandknowledgefrommorethanoneareaof
knowledgetoanswerthequestion.
HighComplexity
High‐complexityitemsmakeheavydemandsonstudent
thinking.
Studentsmustengageinmoreabstractreasoning,planning,
analysis,judgment,andcreativethought.
Itemsrequirethatthestudentcompletemultiplecognitive
taskssimultaneously,andanalyze,synthesize,orcreateto
obtainaresponse.
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ComplexityChart:Examples
•
Thischartpresentssomeoftheprimary
characteristicsofactivitiesevokedbyitems
ateachcognitivecomplexitylevel.
Examples of Activities AcrossCognitive Complexity Levels
Low Complexity Moderate Complexity High Complexity
Completeaone‐step task.
Recall or recognize a fact,titleofawork,ora
well‐knownperson.
Identify appropriate symbolsorvocabulary
words.
Writeasymboloravocabularyword.
Recognize,determine,orperform an
equivalent representationofanexisting
work.
Retrieve information fromawork,
photograph,orothermediapresentation.
Completeatask requiringmultiple steps.
Analyzeawork involvingmultiple
transformations ofa component/elementor
reasoning.
Retrieve information fromawork,
photograph,orothermediapresentation
andapplyittosolveaproblem.
Compare worksforsimilaritiesand
differencesinselectedcomponents.
Extend an artisticpattern,suchas
improvisingresponsestogivenprompts.
Explain steps of aprocess.
Completearoutineprocess, given specific
parameters.
Represent findings inmorethanoneway.
Completereal‐worlddiscipline‐specific tasks
involving multiple steps andmultiple choices.
Describe how differentrepresentations ofa
workcan be usedfor different purposes.
Completeanon‐demandperformance
(appropriate toexpectedskill‐level).
Analyze similarities anddifferences between
multipleworks,performances, and/or
concepts.
Useacceptedformstocreatenewworks.
Createan originalworkwithinspecific, skill‐
levelappropriateparameters.
Presentaworkorexcerpt in morethan one
way.
Provide awell‐reasonedexplanation and/or
justification forchoices.
Describe, compare, andcontrast worksor
performances. Analyze or produce a
deductive argument.
ResourcesforthisModule
ChecklistforSelectedResponseitems
Listofitemstemtemplates
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PausetoThinkaboutCognitiveComplexity
•
Examinesomeofyourexistingtestitemsfortheircognitivecomplexity.
Describethecognitivecomplexity–low,moderate,high‐ oftheseitems
andyourrationaleforthisclassification.
