Higher Order Thinking - Bloom's Taxonomy
Higher order thinking is the ability to think beyond memorizing facts or knowledge. Higher order thinking skills involve applying the knowledge, finding connections between facts, understanding the material, and manipulating the information in order to find new ways to discover solutions to problems. Benjamin Bloom, an educational psychologist, developed a classification system that defined lower and higher order thinking. This system is known as Bloom's taxonomy. The six levels within the cognitive domain are listed from lower to higher: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. (http://k12reader.com)
Bloom's objectives were separated into three domains:
Cognitive objectives which are associated with facts and skills, such as recalling, reciting, creating, and designing.
Affective objectives which are those that display feeling and attitude. (This is the emotion a teacher hopes to instill, for example, a love for learning and discovery)
Psycho-Motor objectives which are related to the development of physical skills, such as movement and coordination. This domain has not been fully developed by Bloom.
Among educators, the taxonomy of the cognitive domain is used most often. It is task oriented and easily measurable. (Nelson, 2011)
Bloom's objectives were separated into three domains:
Cognitive objectives which are associated with facts and skills, such as recalling, reciting, creating, and designing.
Affective objectives which are those that display feeling and attitude. (This is the emotion a teacher hopes to instill, for example, a love for learning and discovery)
Psycho-Motor objectives which are related to the development of physical skills, such as movement and coordination. This domain has not been fully developed by Bloom.
Among educators, the taxonomy of the cognitive domain is used most often. It is task oriented and easily measurable. (Nelson, 2011)
How does Bloom's Taxonomy help with reading comprehension?
Comprehension is the second classification level of Bloom's Taxonomy, which assesses true reading comprehension skills. By using higher levels of questioning, students will develop a higher order of thinking. Asking questions before reading can provide the teacher with insight of how the students will process the information. Pre-reading questions can assist learners with making connections and generating interest in the story or text. (Nelson, 2011) You can use questions that allow students to Predict what the text will be about. Post-reading questions are used to help the students process new information. To help the student progress through the levels of learning, you can ask questions that lead to analysis and application.
This chart contains sample words that a teacher can use to generate questions, which will move the students through each level of thinking.
Image source: www.pinterest.com
This chart contains sample words that a teacher can use to generate questions, which will move the students through each level of thinking.
Image source: www.pinterest.com
Bloom's taxonomy was revised to reflect the new names in 2001. Lorin Anderson, a former student of Bloom's and David Krathwohl, a colleague of Bloom's, released the revised version of Bloom's taxonomy, called A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. It was designed to be more useful to teachers and to reflect the common ways that is has been used in schools. (http://edglossary.org)
Image source: www.epltt.coe.uga.edu
Image source: www.epltt.coe.uga.edu
Bloom's Taxonomy - How can I use this in my lessons?
Bloom's taxonomy can be used in every content area. Here are two examples of how this strategy can be used in two different content areas.
Science Content Area:
Bloom's taxonomy could be used at the beginning of a new unit. The teacher could ask the students questions about what they know using words from the chart listed above under the Know category. Then, the teacher would provide the students with some text to read about the topic. Following the reading, the teacher would ask questions checking the student's comprehension. They would use question starters from the Comprehend box above. The next phase is asking students to apply their knowledge. Perhaps they would conduct a lab experiment, and use the questions from the Apply category to solve a problem, or to Report on the process. After the lab is complete, the teacher would ask the students to analyze the data. The teacher would provide the students with a list of questions that would require the students to Examine, classify, compare, or illustrate the data. After the students complete this step, they would move on to synthesize the information. The teacher would have the students to use their information from the text and experiment and synthesize that data by using questions and writing prompts such as: Organize, create, compose, etc. Finally, the students move on to the final phase of evaluate. This step could be complete by asking students to complete a lab evaluation. They would have to defend, conclude, support or compare/contrast the information in order to complete this final step.
Social Studies Content Area:
In the content area of social studies, teacher can use Bloom's taxonomy to begin a unit, for example if the lesson is on President's the teacher would start out with drawing on student's prior knowledge and find out what they know. Next, student's would read selected text and then answer questions that would demonstrate their comprehension. The following step would lead the students being able to apply their knowledge. Perhaps they can predict how events of the past will effect the country now? The next step is to analyze. Students can compare, examine, or distinguish different leadership styles. Next, students would move on to synthesize the information. Students could compose a report, perform a skit, or formulate their ideas based on the information that is presented to them. Lastly, the student's will have evaluate the information. This can be done by comparing/contrasting presidents, rating their performance, etc.
Overall, Bloom's taxonomy can be adapted to all grade levels as well as content areas.
Science Content Area:
Bloom's taxonomy could be used at the beginning of a new unit. The teacher could ask the students questions about what they know using words from the chart listed above under the Know category. Then, the teacher would provide the students with some text to read about the topic. Following the reading, the teacher would ask questions checking the student's comprehension. They would use question starters from the Comprehend box above. The next phase is asking students to apply their knowledge. Perhaps they would conduct a lab experiment, and use the questions from the Apply category to solve a problem, or to Report on the process. After the lab is complete, the teacher would ask the students to analyze the data. The teacher would provide the students with a list of questions that would require the students to Examine, classify, compare, or illustrate the data. After the students complete this step, they would move on to synthesize the information. The teacher would have the students to use their information from the text and experiment and synthesize that data by using questions and writing prompts such as: Organize, create, compose, etc. Finally, the students move on to the final phase of evaluate. This step could be complete by asking students to complete a lab evaluation. They would have to defend, conclude, support or compare/contrast the information in order to complete this final step.
Social Studies Content Area:
In the content area of social studies, teacher can use Bloom's taxonomy to begin a unit, for example if the lesson is on President's the teacher would start out with drawing on student's prior knowledge and find out what they know. Next, student's would read selected text and then answer questions that would demonstrate their comprehension. The following step would lead the students being able to apply their knowledge. Perhaps they can predict how events of the past will effect the country now? The next step is to analyze. Students can compare, examine, or distinguish different leadership styles. Next, students would move on to synthesize the information. Students could compose a report, perform a skit, or formulate their ideas based on the information that is presented to them. Lastly, the student's will have evaluate the information. This can be done by comparing/contrasting presidents, rating their performance, etc.
Overall, Bloom's taxonomy can be adapted to all grade levels as well as content areas.
These two videos demonstrate the importance of using Bloom's taxonomy in your classroom.
This video is a great demonstration of how we need to teach in the 21st century. It explains how students can all access information very quickly, with the use ipads, computers, phones, etc. Students can easily find information with a simple click of a computer mouse, but as teachers we need to teach students how to think, how to understand, manipulate, create, design, and analyze information. Using Bloom's taxonomy as a way to push our students to go beyond the knowledge aspect is critical for their future success.
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This video explains Bloom's taxonomy in detail. It uses the new revised version and explains how to use Bloom's taxonomy to write learning objectives. The video walks the viewer through each step level of the taxonomy and demonstrates how to select the correct wording for creating learning objectives. I like this video because as teachers, we all need to know how to write learning targets and/or objectives. Using Bloom's taxonomy will ensure that the students are familiar to the academic language and and master core standards.
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Bloom's Taxonomy connects to writing standards
Bloom's taxonomy can be used to meet several writing standards. However, the two standards that fit exceptionally well are MN writing standard 6.7.1.1 (Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence). This standard expects that students will introduce a claim, support the claim, clarify relationships, and provide a concluding statement. The second standard that Bloom's taxonomy directly works with is, 6.7.2.2. This standard expects students to write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic or concepts by selecting, organizing, and analysis of content. It requires students to introduce a topic, use strategies to define, classify, compare/contrast, use cause/effect, etc. Bloom's taxonomy provides teachers with vocabulary that will prompt students to reach each of the higher order thinking skills. These processes are directly linked to writing standards, which will help students master these standards.