Bloom’s Taxonomy and Classroom Assessment

1. Bloom’s Taxonomy and Classroom Assessment Wilkes County Schools Tracee McManus & Nikki Patrick

2. Overview • Bloom’s Taxonomy • Investigate the Revised Taxonomy • New terms • New emphasis • Explore each of the six levels • Use the taxonomy to plan a unit and develop an assessment for the learning targets

3. Bloom’s Taxonomy • Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives • 1950s- developed by Benjamin Bloom • Means of expressing qualitatively different kinds of thinking • Adapted for classroom use as a planning tool • Continues to be one of the most universally applied models • Provides a way to organize thinking skills into six levels, from the most basic to the higher order levels of thinking • Taxonomy recently revised • As a result, a number of changes were made

4. Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy

5. Original Terms New Terms • Creating • Evaluating • Analyzing • Applying • Understanding • Remembering • Evaluation • Synthesis • Analysis • Application • Comprehension • Knowledge (Based on Pohl, 2000, Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn, p. 8)

6. Change in Emphasis • More authentic tool for curriculum planning, instructional delivery and assessment. • Aimed at a broader audience. • Easily applied to all levels of schooling. • The revision emphasises explanation and description of subcategories. (http://rite.ed.qut.edu.au/oz-teachernet/training/bloom.html (accessed July 2003; Pohl, 2000, p. 10).

7. Remembering • The learner is able to recall, restate and remember learned information • Can you recall information?

8. Teacher roles Directs Tells Shows Examines Questions Evaluates Student roles Responds Absorbs Remembers Recognizes Memorizes Defines Describes Retells Passive recipient Classroom Roles for Remembering

9. Assessment for Remembering Includes • Activities Include to: • List • Memorize • Locate • Give Example • Quote • Repeat • Recall • Recite • Sort • Products Include: • Quiz • Definition • Fact • Worksheet • Test • Label • Vocabulary

10. Understanding • The learner grasps the meaning of information by interpreting and translating what has been learned. • Can you explain ideas or concepts?

11. Teacher roles Demonstrates Listens Questions Compares Contrasts Examines Student roles Explains Describes Outlines Restates Translates Demonstrates Interprets Active participant Classroom Roles for Understanding

12. Assessment for Understanding Includes • Activities Include to: • Restate • Identify • Discuss • Retell • Translate • Paraphrase • Describe • Give main idea • Products Include: • Recitation • Summary • Collection • Explanation • Example • Outline • Show and Tell

13. Applying • The learner makes use of information in a context different from the one in which it was learned • Can you use the information in another familiar situation?

14. Teacher roles Shows Facilitates Observes Evaluates Organizes Questions Student roles Solves problems Demonstrates use of knowledge Calculates Compiles Completes Illustrates Constructs Active recipient Classroom Roles for Applying

15. Assessment for Applying Includes • Activities Include to: • Translate • Manipulate • Exhibit • Interpret • Calculate • Practice • Construct • Demonstrate • Products Include: • Illustration • Simulation • Demonstration • Presentation • Interview • Performance • Journal

16. Analyzing • The learner breaks learned information into its parts to best understand that information • Can you break information into parts to explore understandings and relationships?

17. Teacher roles Probes Guides Observes Evaluates Acts as a resource Questions Organizes Dissects Student roles Discusses Uncovers Argues Debates Thinks deeply Tests Examines Questions Calculates Investigates Inquires Active participant Classroom Roles for Analyzing

18. Assessment for Analyzing Includes • Activities Include to: • Distinguish • Experiment • Probe • Criticize • Detect • Sequence • Debate • Dissect • Products Include: • Graph • Spreadsheet • Checklist • Survey • Database • Abstract • Report

19. Evaluating • The learner makes decisions based on in-depth reflection, criticism and assessment • Can you justify a decision or course of action?

20. Teacher roles Clarifies Accepts Guides Student roles Judges Disputes Compares Critiques Questions Argues Assesses Decides Selects Justifies Active participant Classroom Roles for Evaluating

21. Assessment for Evaluating Includes • Activities Include to: • Judge • Rate • Validate • Predict • Determine • Tell Why • Compare • Defend • Products Include: • Debate • Panel • Evaluation • Investigation • Verdict • Conclusion • Persuasive Speech

22. Creating • The learner creates new ideas and information using what has been previously learned • Can you generate new products, ideas, or ways of viewing things?

23. Teacher roles Facilitates Extends Reflects Analyses Evaluates Student roles Designs Formulates Plans Takes risks Modifies Creates Proposes Active participant Classroom Roles for Creating

24. Assessment for Creating Includes • Creating Includes to: • Compose • Assemble • Invent • Compile • Develop • Formulate • Concoct • Products Include: • Film • Story • Project • Song • Advertisement • Painting • Media Product

25. Now it’s your turn… • Use the Bloom’s Matrix and these notes to plan two activities or test questions for each level of the taxonomy. • Work with your partner. • We will copy these for our Thinking Skills Folder so everyone can share our BRILLIANT ideas. HAVE FUN!

26. “A good teacher makes you think even when you don’t want to.” (Fisher, 1998, Teaching Thinking)