Element 12
Engaging Students in Cognitively Complex Tasks
Elements 12 -14 have a focus on Knowledge Application Lessons
Where do I start?
Your primary resource is your book The New Art and Science of Teaching by Robert J Marzano. This site will take you further into each element.
Click this link to view the folio. For Copyright reasons, this link will only work if you are logged into your D49 account.
Dive Deeper
The Marzano Compendium of Instructional Strategies is a great place to begin. This folio is designed to help teachers increase their effectiveness by focusing on professional growth. It includes numerous strategies and reproducibles.
Self Assess
This scale will help you assess and monitor your progress with this element.
4
Innovating
I adapt behaviors and create new strategies for unique student needs and situations.
A teacher asks her students to investigate a specific time period as part of a unit on world history. The teacher instructs each student to design an investigation question to help them learn more about the cultural, social, and technological aspects of the time period and place they are examining and then predict what they will find out during their research. The teacher creates a step-by-step procedure for students who are struggling with the investigation project as well as a number of prompts to help them generate ideas about their topic. Students then create a presentation that incorporates a visual component (such as a poster, PowerPoint presentation, or a diorama) to illustrate the complexity of that time period and culture. After the presentations, the teacher holds a group discussion in order to learn how students’ perceptions of certain time periods were changed.
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3
Applying
I engage students in cognitively complex tasks, and I monitor the extent to which my actions affect students.
A teacher asks his class to design a rocket that uses Alka-Seltzer as fuel. He begins by helping students plan and generate ideas for the construction and materials needed for the rocket. He then allows the students to work in small groups to put together their rockets. On the last day of the unit, each group shows the class how its rocket works. After the presentations, the class discusses what they learned from making the rockets, observing the rockets, and listening to their classmates talk about their rockets’ construction.
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2
Developing
I engage students in cognitively complex tasks, but I do not monitor the effect on students.
A teacher presents her students with a problem and asks them to brainstorm possible solutions to the problem. The teacher encourages the students to logically predict which solution might be the best and to test out each possible solution to see what happens. The students try out their solutions, but the class period ends before the class can discuss their conclusions and problem-solving methods. The teacher does not come back to the discussion during the next class, so she is not sure how well students applied their knowledge or how their learning progressed as a result.
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1
Beginning
I use the strategies and behaviors associated with this element incorrectly or with parts missing.
A teacher asks his students to conduct an experimental-inquiry task. However, he decides to make the task simpler by providing his students with a hypothesis to examine and sharing the correct results of the experiment with his students before they begin the task. Because he shares the expected results of the experiment, his students are able to easily discover when they make a mistake during the procedure, but they do not genuinely predict, revise their thinking, or come to new conclusions while performing the task.
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0
Not Using
I am unaware of strategies and behaviors associated with this element.
A teacher does not engage her students in cognitively complex tasks. She does engage students in practicing skills and procedures, but does not create activities that encourage students to apply their knowledge.
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What does it look like?
Here is an example video from one of our D49 teachers!
Watch Example: Providing and Communicating Clear Learning Goals Classroom: Kindergarten
Teacher: Jaci Reed (RVES)
iObservation Videos
More videos can be found in the Resource Library in iObservation.
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Engaging Students in Cognitively Complex Tasks Involving Hypotheses Generation and Testing
Grade: 7
Description:
In this video, Dr. Marzano introduces and discusses the lesson segment addressing content with specific attention to engage students in cognitively complex tasks involving hypotheses generation and testing.
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Knowledge Utilization Level of New Taxonomy
Description:
In this video, Dr. Robert Marzano discusses the knowledge utilization level of the New Taxonomy. The mental processes of decision making, problem solving, experimenting, and investigating are discussed, with specific examples of the targeted goal statement and sample task provided.
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Classroom Scenario: Knowledge Utilization
Grades: 9 -12
Description:
View the classroom scenario video and identify tasks designed for knowledge utilization level goals. As you view the classroom scenario video, keep in mind that the mental processes for knowledge utilization level goals include decision making, problem solving, experimenting, and investigating. Take specific note that the data is newly collected or student generated. As an enhancement, access the asset tool titled, Classroom Scenario Video Review Guide: Knowledge Utilization Goals.
Organizing Students for Cognitively Complex Tasks
Grade: 7
Description:
In this video, Dr. Marzano introduces and discusses the lesson segment addressing content with specific attention to organizing students for cognitively complex tasks.
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