Bloom's for Thinking and Learning


 

Bloom's thinking and learning

Bloom’s taxonomy is a classification system used to define and distinguish different levels of human cognition—i.e., thinking, learning, and understanding. Bloom’s taxonomy was originally published in 1956 by a team of cognitive psychologists at the University of Chicago. It is named after the committee’s chairman, Benjamin Bloom (1913–1999). The original learning domains were Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Evaluation and Synthesis. Educators have typically used Bloom’s taxonomy to inform or guide the development of assessments, curriculum and instructional methods such as questioning strategies.
 
In 2001 a revised version of Bloom’s taxonomy was released. The “Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy,” as it is commonly called, was intentionally designed to be more useful to educators and to reflect the common ways in which it had come to be used in schools.

In the revised version, three categories were renamed and all the categories were expressed as verbs rather than nouns. Knowledge was changed to Remembering, Comprehension became Understanding, and Synthesis was renamed Creating. In addition, Creating became the highest level in the classification system, switching places with Evaluating. In the revised version the learning domains are nowRemembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating.

 

Using Bloom's to plan for learning

Use the scroll bar to view all of the learning domains.
Note: this planning kit is based upon the original taxonomy but can still be easily adapted and applied to the Revised Taxonomy

Bloom's Verb and Task Wheel

Bloom's Taxonomy and a pen

Remembering – This would be something simple as “What is a pen?  What does it look like?”.  Very simple information that just needs someone to have recall memory.  This is the lowest level of questioning you can have, but it is often the one we use too much in our classrooms.

Understanding - Although a step up from the knowledge level, a question for this could be, “What are some uses for a pen?  It can be used to write but are there other things as well?”

Applying – Now that you know what a pen is used for, how do you use it?  With your source of knowledge about the pen, how could you apply this to whatever you need a pen to do?

Analysing – A pen is more than just one part. If you are able to take apart that pen, what is the function of each part?  What is each part’s importance and role in making that pen being able to do the task it is used for?


Evaluating - Now looking at the pen and building upon all of the knowledge you have, is the pen the best way to be doing the things that it is currently used for?  You have decided that a pen is not the best way to write, but what are the arguments and reasons that you have for coming to this conclusion?  You are now sharing a viewpoint with critical points to back up your ideas.

Creating -This is where you take other knowledge and apply it to the knowledge that you have of the pen.  For example, you may want to create a pen or some other device for writing or drawing. Alternatively, you may want to compose a piece of creative writing or create an artwork using a pen.






References

Concepts, L. (2013). Bloom’s Taxonomy DefinitionThe Glossary of Education Reform. Retrieved fromhttp://edglossary.org/blooms-taxonomy

Couros, G. (2010). Bloom's Taxonomy and a PenThe Principal of Change. Retrieved from:http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/430

Ferlazzo, L. (2009). The Best Resources For Helping Teachers Use Bloom's Taxonomy In The Classroom. Retrieved from:http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/05/25/the-best-resources-for-helping-teachers-use-blooms-taxonomy-in-the-classroom/

Gate Four,. (2013). Bloom's Revised TaxonomyGATE: grade 4. Retrieved from: http://grade4gate.weebly.com/blooms-revised-taxonomy.html

Kumar, A. (2014). Bloom's TaxonomyMaxVibrant. Retrieved from:  http://www.maxvibrant.com/bloom-s-taxonomy/bloom-s-taxonomy