Bloom’s Taxonomy Bringing Higher Order Objectives into the Classroom April 1, 2009 Jim Therrell, Ph.D.

Pop Quiz Overwhelmingly, faculty tend to enjoy: A. Creating learning objectives; B. Aligning objectives with standards; C. Linking assessment to objectives; D. Ignoring, whenever possible, new initiatives;

Pop Quiz As teachers we tend to: A. Ask questions in the "knowledge" category 80% to 90% of the time; B. Utilize higher order level questions; C. Require a more extensive and elaborate answer of students; D. Require much more "brain power“

Bloom’s Taxonomy EvaluationSynthesisAnalysisApplicationComprehensionKnowledge (Difficulty)

Higher-Level Thinking Skills Critical Thinking Creative Thinking Problem-Solving

Critical Thinking Involves logical thinking and reasoning including skills such as comparison, classification, sequencing, cause/effect, patterning, webbing, analogies, deductive and inductive reasoning, predicting, planning, hyphothesizing, and critiquing.

Creative Thinking Coming up with something new or original, involving the skills of flexibility, originality, fluency, elaboration, brainstorming, modification, imagery, associative thinking, attribute listing, and metaphorical thinking. The aim of creative thinking is to stimulate curiosity and promote divergence.

Incorporating Bloom’s Taxonomy Be flexible when writing objectives at the thinking level. Avoid describing thinking as a fixed set of skills and strategies. Include affective components of thinking.

For Example… “Evaluates the relevancy of data by seeking credible sources and confirming data.” “Proposes a plan for an experiment with sincere curiosity and integrity.” “Carefully judges the adequacy with which conclusions are supported by data/evidence.”

Sample Questions, Activities & Products ls/Dalton.htm ls/Dalton.htm

Teaching Practices In a small group, discuss and write down (in 3-5 minutes) some of those teaching practices that address the question: “In what ways might we foster higher order thinking skills into the classroom/course?”

Teaching Practices

M&M’s, the Most Meaningful part of the reading for that class period (individual or small group); M&M’s, the Most Meaningful part of the reading for that class period (individual or small group); IDF, Integrated Discussion Format, a combination of a Blackboard “Discussion Board” question (one original response, one reply to another student with at least one exception or addition), and class discussion; IDF, Integrated Discussion Format, a combination of a Blackboard “Discussion Board” question (one original response, one reply to another student with at least one exception or addition), and class discussion; Your Expectations: Self-initiative / Participation? Brain Power? Struggle? Research? Your Expectations: Self-initiative / Participation? Brain Power? Struggle? Research?

Teaching Strategies Build upon other students’ comments, extending ideas or evaluating implications Build upon other students’ comments, extending ideas or evaluating implications Thinking outloud Thinking outloud

Teaching Strategies modeling then affording practice in private until mastery is accomplished modeling then affording practice in private until mastery is accomplished thinking outloud thinking outloud clear explanation of purpose / objective clear explanation of purpose / objective relate to previous learning and/or experience relate to previous learning and/or experience cooperative learning activities cooperative learning activities hands-on activities hands-on activities group projects group projects