here are many classification systems in the
education field. Bloom's Taxonomy is a system of organizing learning
activities by the type of thought they ask of students. Continue reading
to learn what Bloom's Taxonomy is, who uses it and how it relates to
online education.
How Does Bloom's Taxonomy Apply to Online Education?
What is Bloom's Taxonomy?
Bloom's Taxonomy is one of many instructional design methodologies. According to McGraw-Hill Education (www.mheducation.com),
Bloom's Taxonomy is the most widely used taxonomy in the education
field. It's also considered the most easy to understand. In fact,
Bloom's Taxonomy serves as the starting point for all instructional
design, notes Georgia Southern University (www.georgiasouthern.edu).
Bloom's Taxonomy focuses on the way students process information and
seeks to incorporate those processes into classroom learning.
How Do Students Learn?
Bloom's Taxonomy was developed on the premise that there are six
levels of cognitive learning. All of these levels together represent a
hierarchy. In order to reach the next level, you must master the
previous level. These are the levels of Bloom's Taxonomy:
| Level | Definition |
|---|---|
| Knowledge | We learn by memorizing. |
| Comprehension | We learn by understanding and interpreting what we've been taught. |
| Application | We learn by using the course material in everyday situations. |
| Analysis | We learn by examining, comparing and contrasting. |
| Synthesis | We learn by creating new associations between ideas. |
| Evaluation | We learn by assessing the value of the information we've received. |
In a study done in the 1950's, which prompted the
creation of Bloom's Taxonomy, Benjamin Bloom discovered that most
students weren't taught to think past the Knowledge level in the
hierarchy, explains Learn NC (www.learnnc.org), from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Bloom's Taxonomy, then, was
created to get students to move to higher levels of cognition and
improve overall learning.
Who Uses Bloom's Taxonomy?
With Bloom's Taxonomy, teachers can define learning objectives. The taxonomy can also be used to guide instructors in teaching
and assessment strategies and to determine whether the instruction is
succeeding. Instructors can use Bloom's Taxonomy to formulate questions
and assignments based on each level of cognitive learning. Bloom's
Taxonomy is also used by accrediting agencies that want to measure
teaching strategies at various colleges and universities, Georgia
Southern University's Center for Online Learning mentions.
Can Teachers Use Bloom's Taxonomy in an Online Environment?
Bloom's Taxonomy can be used in virtually all parts of the online
learning process, from writing course content to coming up with topics
for online discussions. The University of Virginia's OnlineLearn
resource recommends that teachers of online courses spend a block of
time each day monitoring class forums to evaluate the effectiveness of
current online discussions (http://onlinelearn.edschool.virginia.edu). They can then add discussion questions that will nudge students to think on a higher level of Bloom's Taxonomy.
How Can Online Activities Support Bloom's Taxonomy?
Because instructional materials from the classroom don't always
transfer well to the Internet, some colleges and universities provide
course design resources specifically for online instructors. Online
courses are not just limited to text-based materials but can also
include interactive features that enhance the student's learning
experience, recommends Florida Gulf Coast University's online course
design tutorial (www.fgcu.edu). Interactive activities, like blog
writing, scenario simulation games and case study analysis, can lead to
higher levels within Bloom's hierarchy of learning. Students learn
better when they are actively engaged in the coursework rather than just
being passive listeners.
Email Id:-deepa.singh@soarlogic.com
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