#2 Understanding Bloom’s Taxonomy: The Revised Framework for Cognitive Learning

Bloom’s Taxonomy has long been a cornerstone of education, helping educators classify and organize learning objectives. However, over the years, the framework underwent a significant revision to reflect modern insights from cognitive psychology and learning science. In this blog post, we will dive into the changes made to Bloom’s Taxonomy, focusing on its shift from a one-dimensional model to a two-dimensional model, and explore how educators can apply this revised version in curriculum planning, instruction, and assessment.

From One-Dimensional to Two-Dimensional: Knowledge and Cognitive Processes

The original version of Bloom's Taxonomy focused mainly on categorizing cognitive skills, but the revised version introduces a new two-dimensional approach. These two dimensions are the Knowledge Dimension and the Cognitive Process Dimension. Together, they form what is called the Taxonomy Table, a powerful tool for aligning learning objectives with instructional activities and assessments.

The Knowledge Dimension

The Knowledge Dimension of the revised taxonomy categorizes knowledge into four types:

• Factual Knowledge: This refers to discrete pieces of information or facts, such as dates, definitions, or formulas.
• Conceptual Knowledge: This involves understanding broader, more organized bodies of knowledge, including theories, models, and frameworks.
• Procedural Knowledge: This focuses on knowing how to do something, including methods, techniques, and processes.
• Metacognitive Knowledge: This is knowledge about thinking itself, often referred to as "thinking about thinking." It includes awareness of one's own cognitive processes and strategies for learning.

The Cognitive Process Dimension

The Cognitive Process Dimension consists of six levels, each representing a different type of thinking skill:

• Remember: The ability to retrieve relevant information from long-term memory.
• Understand: Constructing meaning from instructional content.
• Apply: Using a learned procedure in a particular situation.
• Analyze: Breaking material into parts and understanding how those parts work together.
• Evaluate: Making judgments based on criteria or standards.
• Create: Combining elements to form something new or reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure.

Key Changes: Emphasis, Terminology, and Structure

The revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy introduced 12 major changes, grouped into three categories: emphasis, terminology, and structure.

1. Emphasis on Application: The revised taxonomy focuses more on its practical application in curriculum design, instruction, and assessment. It encourages educators to actively use the framework to align teaching methods with learning goals.
2. From 'Objectives' to 'Learning Objectives': This change emphasizes a more learner-centered approach, where the focus is on what the student is expected to learn rather than what the teacher plans to teach.
3. From 'Behavior' to 'Cognitive Process': Incorporating insights from cognitive psychology, the revised taxonomy shifts the focus from observable behavior to internal cognitive processes, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and creative thinking.

How to Apply Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

The two-dimensional framework of the revised Bloom's Taxonomy is a valuable tool for educators. It helps in developing well-defined learning objectives, selecting appropriate instructional activities, and designing assessments that accurately measure students’ progress.

For instance, let us say a history teacher wants students to analyze a historical event. First, the teacher would determine the type of knowledge students need, such as factual knowledge (dates and events) and conceptual knowledge (understanding historical trends). Then, the teacher would choose instructional activities that promote analysis, such as comparing and contrasting different perspectives on the event or identifying its cause-and-effect relationships. Finally, the assessment could take the form of an essay in which students are asked to break down the event into key parts and explain how they relate to each other.

By using this approach, educators ensure that learning objectives, instruction, and assessment are all aligned, leading to a more coherent and effective learning experience.

Feel free to share your thoughts or experiences with Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy in the comments below! How have you used this framework in your classroom?