A presentation about rigor and relevancy for instructional design

1. Reconceptualizing Daggett’s
Rigor & Relevancy Framework
Presented by: Todd Cherner, PhD
English Education & Literacy
Spadoni College of Education
Coastal Carolina University

2. Presentation Objective & Overview
Presentation Objective
This presentation will offer a framework for evaluating
the rigor and relevancy of the knowledge, skills, and
learning tasks K-12 educators require of their students.
Presentation Overview
 History of Rigor
 Daggett’s Rigor & Relevancy Framework
 Impact of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
on Rigor & Relevancy
 A Reconceptualized Rigor & Relevancy Framework
 An Example of Rigor & Relevancy in Practice

3. A Preview of Daggett’s Rigor &
Relevancy Framework
Williard Daggett, EdD
• Founder and Chairman of
the International Center for
Leadership in Education
• Travels the country speaking
to educators about rigor,
relevance, and education in
the 21st Century
• Critiqued about using false
information during
presentations
The Rigor & Relevancy Framework
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4. A Reductionist View of Rigor
Bloom’s Taxonomy, 1956 Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy, 2001

5. Bloom’s Taxonomy, 1956
1.0 Knowledge
1.1 Knowledge of Specifics
1.2 Knowledge of Ways and Means of Dealing with Specifics
1.3 Knowledge of the Universals of Abstractions in a field
6.0 Evaluation
6.1 Judgments in Terms of Internal Evidence
6.2 Judgments in Terms of External Criteria
5.0 Synthesis
5.1 Production of a Unique Communication
5.2 Production of a Plan…
4.0 Analysis
4.1 Analysis of Elements
4.2 Analysis of Relationships
4.3 Analysis of Organizational Principles
3.0 Application
“The use of abstractions in
particular and concrete
situations” (p. 205)
2.0 Comprehension
2.1 Translation
2.2 Interpretation
2.3 Extrapolation

6. Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy, 2001

7. Rigor & Relevancy Framework, 1990s
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“This versatile Framework applies to standards, curriculum,
instruction, and assessment” (Daggett, 2005, p. 2).

8. Critiques of Daggett’s
Rigor & Relevancy Framework
Daggett’s Rigor & Relevancy Framework:
1. Is not responsive to changes in education;
2. Lacks emphasis on deep content knowledge;
3. Does not consider what students bring to the
learning;
4. Is used as a promotional tool by the International
Center for Leadership in Education;
5. Contains ambiguous terms that “sell.”

9. A Tension Exists
High Stakes Testing &
Accountability
• States created/adopted
reading and math exams
and results were used for
accountability
• Several states and local
education agencies utilized
“End of Course” exams
• SAT and ACT are still used
Rigor & Relevancy Framework
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10. High Stakes Tests 2.0
Sample Test Items from Smarter Balanced
4th Grade Numeracy Question High School Numeracy Question

11. Reconceptualizing Rigor & Relevance
Relevancy Dimension Skills Dimension (Rigor) Example Assessments
College & Career Readiness Construct & Collaborate
21st Century Skills/Technology
 Project-Based Learning
 Presentations
 TeamworkExperiences
Interdisciplinary Connections Read & Respond
Common Core Skills
 High Stakes Tests 2.0
 Close Read Analyses
 Expository/Persuasive Writing
Content-Specific Knowledge Deep Content Knowledge  Tier III Vocabulary
 A Subject’s “Knowledge Roots”
 Isolated Instruction

12. Project-Based Example of a
Reconceptualized R&R Framework
Numeracy Literacy
Math Science History English
How do we make use of the
formula to determine speed?
What is the impact of Climate
Change on our environment (and
how are we responding to it)?
How did the Nazis attempt to gain
geographical control of Europe?
What are the three most
important settings in ROTAM?
 Speed of a pitch (baseball
stadium)
 Angles of a building (picture
of the Pentagon)
 If a train from X… (map
destinations)
 How long did it take Paul
Revere to…
 Track migration of an animal
(show how BP spills affects
animal migration)
 Growing zones (show how
temperature bands dictate
what can be grown)
 Identify places where wind
energy may prove to be most
successful
 Chronology of a war (depict
specific points of interest,
document what happened,
and create implications for
future)
 Trace the actin in a novel

13. Numeracy and Literacy Examples of Project-
Based Learning Using Google Flight

14. Reconceptualizing Rigor
and Relevancy as a Hierarchy

15. Conclusion
If we are going to implement the CCSS with fidelity
and teach the skills students need to be “college-
and career-ready,” we can no longer teach to the
test. Rather, we must devise learning opportunities
that prepare students to engage the global
community. To do so, we must devise content-area
assessments that develop students’ research skills,
abilities to analyze and respond to information
texts, and present information in
meaningful/innovative ways.