The document discusses defining rigor and relevance in education. It presents Bloom's Taxonomy of thinking skills and discusses developing definitions of rigor and relevance with a partner. It introduces the Rigor and Relevance Framework which places instruction on a spectrum from low to high rigor and low to high relevance. The goal is to move instruction toward high rigor and high relevance by applying knowledge to real-world situations and complex problem solving.

1. Defining Rigor and Presented at Teach ME 2009
Relevance: International Conference on Education
Where Bloom's Taxonomy Meets January 14-15, 2009 Dubai UAE
Student-Centered Learning
Presented by Peter Pappas Note: Videos and images have been
removed to reduced file size
President, Edteck
Kaushal Mehta
Manager, K-12 Vertical
Contact: Peter Pappas Edutech Middle East
P. O. Box 52334
web: www.peterpappas.com Suite 301, Building No. 1
Dubai Media City, Dubai
blog: peterpappas.blogs.com United Arab Emirates
email: peter@edteck.com Dir. : + 971 4!3911469
Mobile : + 971 50
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kaushal@edutech.com
www.edutech.com

2. What’s rigor? Bloom’s Taxonomy of Thinking Skills
Creating -generating new ideas
Work with a partner to Evaluating - justifying a decision or choice
develop a definition of rigor. Analyzing - breaking into component parts
Applying - using information in a new setting
Understanding - explaining idea or concept
Remembering - recalling information
What’s
Can you make
relevance?
instruction relevant
Work with a partner to to students without
develop a definition of
relevance.
sacrificing the
content?

3. Learning is relevant
If you want to make when the student:
the instruction understands how this information or skill has
relevant to students some application in their life.
you’ll need to has an opportunity to follow their own
sacrifice the process rather than just learn “the facts.”
content. is not just learning content and skills,
but is learning how they learn.
Move students toward High
greater relevance Rigor
Using skills and Using skills and
knowledge in routine knowledge for myself Low
school setting. in the real world. Rigor
Work as directed Figuring out my
by the teacher. own approaches.
Low Relevance High Relevance

4. High High
Rigor Rigor
Low High
Relevance Relevance
Low Low
Rigor Rigor
Low Relevance High Relevance Low Relevance High Relevance
High Rigor
High High
Rigor Rigor
Low Low
Rigor Rigor
Low Rigor
Low Relevance High Relevance Low Relevance High Relevance

5. Rigor and Relevance Framework
Quadrant A
Gather and store bits of
High
Rigor
C D High
Rigor
knowledge and information. Primarily
expected to remember or
understand this knowledge
Low
Rigor
A B Low
Rigor
A Example
Pick the right definition
Low Relevance High Relevance Low Relevance High Relevance
Willard Daggett ~ ICLE
Quadrant C Use
knowledge to analyze and solve
school-based problems and create
solutions. Work under the specific
High
Rigor
Quadrant B
Apply knowledge
High
Rigor
C directions of the teacher.
Example
in real-life Develop a
situations. household budget Example:
Low Low Develop categories for
Rigor B Rigor types of plants
Low Relevance High Relevance Low Relevance High Relevance

6. High
D Shouldn’t
Rigor Quadrant D Apply
knowledge and skills in Example
Students are students be
complex ways to analyze and
solve real problems and create
Take part in a motivated by involved in
science fair and
Lowsolutions. Confront real-
Rigor world unknowns respond to Reflection evaluating their
questions. own progress?
Low Relevance High Relevance
Traditional Writing is Writing Assigned
Assigned with Choice
#1 factor for improving Students are asked to Students can
student motivation is write only on the develop topics that
motivate choice. teacher's topics. matter to them.
students
Audience and
Not whether the student Student writes
purpose for writing
does the assignment, but for the teacher.
is identified.
with choice how they engage in the
work. Teacher grades
Students are asked
to reflect on
their writing.
their growth.
~Doug Reeves
From: National Writing Project ~ www.nwp.org

7. How has the Rigor, Defining
digital age relevance,
redefined
reflection: Summarizing
literacy?
using three
strategies Comparing
Rigor and Relevance Framework Summarizing
Use an
Listen to a story and
High C D High
organizer to
analyze the
draw a summary that
Rigor Rigor depicts action and
elements of an
What does sequence
image
instruction look like
in each quadrant?
I can guess Work with a peer
Low Low what the
Rigor A B Rigor teacher thinks
to agree on a
summary
is important
Low Relevance High Relevance Low Relevance High Relevance
Willard Daggett ~ ICLE

8. Summarizing Evaluating what you think What skills will the 21st
is important. Creating an century workplace
High appropriate summary for require?
Rigor an authentic audience
- Literacy
- Numeracy
- Self-discipline
I can guess
Low what the
Rigor teacher thinks Creativity and
is important adaptability
they must be flexible
Low Relevance High Relevance independent learners