Using Bloom S Taxonomy As Part of the Learning Process

Using Bloom’s Taxonomy as Part of the Learning Process

Bloom’s taxonomy is founded in 50 years of educational research. We use it as a way to benchmark students’ progress through their internships because it is clearly grounded in a way that a Lippert scale, or narrative comments alone, is not. Indeed, Bloom’s is more like a developmental stage theory than it is like a Lippert scale.

Bloom’s can help you design goals and strategies that can address how we learn, are easy to evaluate, and that can address a number of types of knowledge (factual, procedural, conceptual, meta-cognitive). We encourage you to actively use it in the design and evaluation of learning goals and strategies. One important way to do this relates to how goals, strategies and evaluations are worded. Here is a chart that lists some terms that can help you firmly anchor your learning contract to the levels of comprehension given in Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Levels / Sample verbs for goals and strategies /

Ways to demonstrate goal accomplishment

Knowledge / Write, list, label, recall, state, define, name, remember, recite, memorize, recognize / Name the 5 axes of DSM diagnosis
Comprehension / Explain, understand, paraphrase, summarize, illustrate, elucidate, describe, discern / Explain the differences between the DSM axes
Application / Apply, use, practice, integrate, demonstrate, complete, conduct, treat, manage / Conduct a diagnostic interview resulting in a multi-axial diagnosis, using DSM decision trees
Analysis / Analyze, categorize, compare and contrast, conclude, generalize, operationalize, debate / Analyze the changes in the definition and criteria of personality disorders in the DSM over the past 30 years.
Synthesis / Create, invent, hypothesize, design, formulate, devise, develop / Formulate alternative language and criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder based on current research and practice wisdom
Evaluation / Critique, judge, recommend, , assess, weigh / Assess and critique the use and treatment of the Borderline Personality Disorder diagnosis and its impact on clients so diagnosed

Huitt, W. (2004). Bloom et al.'s taxonomy of the cognitive domain. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved (8/12/05, from http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/bloom.html.

Krumme, G. (2001) Major categories in the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Seattle WA: University of Washington, retrieved (8/12/05) from http://faculty.washington.edu/krumme/guides/bloom1.html