What is Bloom's taxonomy?

Bloom's taxonomy is a hierarchical ranking of important steps in the learning process. It is now used by trainers in the context of vocational training and in particular in a strategy ofeducational engineering. Let's take a look at this classification framework.

Definition of Bloom's taxonomy

Bloom's taxonomy is a Hierarchical ranking important steps in learning process. It helps us assess the levels of human cognition.

Trainers usually use it to guide the creation of training courses and evaluations, of curricula, teaching methods and educational activities.

Bloom's taxonomy consists of three parts: cognitive, emotional and psychomotor. So we are going to look at these different areas together in this article.

The history of Bloom's taxonomy through the ages

Bloom's original taxonomy (1956)

In 1956, Benjamin Bloom and his collaborators published Bloom's taxonomy (The Bloom's Taxonomy). It has been implemented by many kindergarten to high school teachers and by university professors in their teaching methods.

The original taxonomy has six different levels of classification: Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Synthesis and Evaluation. It aimed to create a logical framework for teaching and learning goals in order to make it easier to understand how people acquire new knowledge.

The prioritization of classification levels should also be kept in mind. In fact, the first three levels (Knowledge, Understanding, Application) are considered to be levels of lower cognition and learning, while the levels of Analysis, Synthesis, and Assessment are considered to be higher-level competencies.

Taxonomy is often represented in this form pyramidal to illustrate this prioritization.

Over the years, this model has become more and more popular. Extensively taught in education programs in the United States and translated into numerous languages, it is used all over the world.

Bloom's Taxonomy Revised (2001)

In 2001, a team of researchers led by Lorin Anderson has published a Revised version of Bloom's taxonomy. This new version was designed to be more useful to educators and to respond more effectively to school modernization and learning styles.

As you can see in the illustration above, three categories have been renamed: “Knowledge “became “Remember “, “Understanding “became “Understand “, and “Synthesis “became “Create.”

The top of the hierarchy It is no longer evaluation, but creation that is becoming its new main objective, showcasing learners' ability to apply their knowledge creatively.

The categories have also been renamed into verbs to reflect actions.

Skills are organized from the most basic to the most complex and divided into two dimensions, knowledge and cognitive processes.

This new approach makes it easy to create learning goals more accurate and performance-oriented.

Why use Bloom's taxonomy?

Bloom's taxonomy is an essential tool for training design, providing a solid structure for training and assessment. It allows educators to Classify apprenticeship in order to help learners develop their skills and progress in a structured manner. It also encourages students to reflect on their academic progress.

For students: it builds brain power, promotes high-level thinking, and develops qualifications that employers are looking for.

For teachers: it helps determine the intellectual level at which each student can work and facilitates the design of assessments by aligning the learning objectives of the course with the desired level of proficiency.

For establishments: it contributes to better results and to the creation of curricula that meet the needs of the industry.

The main areas in apprenticeship

According to Bloom's taxonomy, three main areas of learning can be distinguished: affective, cognitive and psychomotor.

• The emotional domain includes attitude and emotions;
• The cognitive domain involves the development of critical thinking skills and knowledge;
• The psychomotor field involves various physical tasks including the manipulation of objects.

Each area is ranked hierarchically to illustrate the fact that learners need to have a solid foundation in each area before moving on to the next one. Each domain has subcategories.

In the emotional field, we find the fact of receive, respond, value, organize and characterize. Learners with good skills in the emotional field will have an easier time learning and functioning with other people, the emotional domain being strongly involved in social skills and interactions.

In the cognitive field, we find the knowledge, understanding, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Each stage involves a specific type of cognitive skills.

In the psychomotor field, we find the perception, the set, the guided response, the mechanism, the mechanism, the adaptation, the origin and the complex open response. These different areas of physical skills range from the ability to learn new physical tasks to the ability to develop new physical approaches to a problem.

The six levels of Bloom's taxonomy

Bloom's taxonomy therefore includes six essential levels that learners can reach.

• Remember: In this first stage, the learner is able to remember information. He is able to recite information stored as a result of exchanges, documents or notes. Educators use verbs like Define, describe, identify, label, label, list, list, summarize, recall and reproduce to effectively measure success at this stage.
  This is the most basic level of Bloom's taxonomy, but it's an important foundation and a first step toward deeper learning.
• Understand: the learner is able to understand the information. In other words, the learner Can explain information in their own words. This may include the Paraphrase of a story, the explanation of a concept or simply a definition in their own words.
• Apply: The learner is capable to use the information and take ownership of it.
  Students reach this level when they use their knowledge in a practical way. They apply the information learned in real situations. As an example of an activity, we have the calculation of a monthly living budget using a learned mathematical formula or the application of a legal decision.
• Analyze: Learners reach a high level in Bloom's taxonomy when they can break down knowledge into essential parts. They establish Connections between ideas and use critical thinking.
  As an example of activity, we have the How a tool works or identify errors in a document.
  At this stage, students are gifted with a complete understanding. They can create stencils or break down thought process. This level is crucial for developing the skills of critical thinking.
• Rating: The learner evaluates information to create something new. It can distinguish facts from opinions. The key actions are appreciation, conclusion, criticism, evaluation, evaluation, support and synthesis. The learner evaluates and criticizes information, and applies their knowledge to build something concrete or conceptual. Examples include challenging an idea or recommending a solution.
• Create: This last level is at the top of the pyramid Bloom's taxonomy involves a deeper evaluation and criticism of information. The learner is able to judging or criticizing information. He uses his skills to create something new by applying the accumulated knowledge. He can design a tool, write an article, or create a mathematical model.

The criticisms made against Bloom's taxonomy

Bloom's taxonomy has been criticized over the years. Some question the division of human cognition into distinct categories, considering it too linear or hierarchical.

Others feel that educators use it too rigidly, requiring students to go through all the levels. Some propose alternative formulations, suggesting that the taxonomy should be reversed, or that it should be considered a non-hierarchical continuum.

Despite criticism, Bloom's taxonomy continues to be used due to its logical simplicity and its usefulness in the organization of pedagogical reflection.

How do I use Bloom's taxonomy as a trainer?

Trainers can use the revised Bloom Taxonomy by asking questions and creating assessments that correlate with specific learning goals at each stage of the process. So, asking multiple choice questions can help assess a student's basic level of understanding.

The revised Bloom taxonomy can be integrated into lesson plans, in particular for help trainers assess learners who seem to have special needs. Identifying which areas of Bloom's taxonomy a learner has problems with can be of great help to a trainer who wants to tailor a program to a learner to help them improve.

Cognitive domain

The cognitive part is focused on the development of intellectual abilities and knowledge. It is therefore part of Bloom's taxonomy.

Learners start by memorizing and recognizing basic facts, patterns, and concepts. This first step serves as a basis for deeper learning, as it allows students to acquire basic knowledge.

By understanding the importance of cognitivism and using Bloom's taxonomy in their training, educators can design curriculum and training goals that promote the intellectual development of students, by guiding through these different skill levels.

Cognitive action verb table

Action verbs play a key role in guiding teachers in creating appropriate learning goals during training. Here is a table of these verbs for each level of the taxonomy:

Psychomotor domain

It focuses on the development of manual and physical skills, ranging from basic movements to complex tasks. It is evaluated according to various criteria such as the speed, precision or technicality.

Educators can use various models and activities during their digital learning training or program to teach these skills, adapted to the needs of learners, while evaluating their relevance before using them.

Prioritization of the psychomotor domain

Les manual and physical skills are organized into seven main categories. This prioritization of activity makes it possible to understand the development of motor skills, from initial perception to expert mastery:

Prioritization of the psychomotor domain

Les manual and physical skills are organized into seven main categories. This prioritization of activity makes it possible to understand the development of motor skills, from initial perception to expert mastery:

1. Perception: The ability to perceive sensory information.
2. Set: Mental preparation for physical action.
3. Guided Response: The execution of actions under supervision or guidance.
4. Mechanism: The use of motor skills to perform complex actions.
5. Complex Open Response (Expert): The execution of complex motor skills in a fluid manner.
6. Adaptation: The adjustment of motor skills in response to changing situations.
7. Origin: The ability to create new motor skills or to develop original solutions.

Table of psychomotor action verbs

Affective domain

It focuses on the development of emotions And learner values. This includes the ability to value subjects or to other individuals, as well as the development of varied motivations and attitudes.

The evaluation can be done by the observation of behaviors, active listening, participating in class discussions, resolving conflicts, and manifesting internalized values.

Prioritization of the affective

In the affective domain of Bloom's taxonomy, learners' attitudes and emotions are prioritized into five levels:

1. Understanding: Receiving information or experiences.
2. Answer: The response to information or experiences.
3. Valuation: The attribution of value to certain ideas or experiences.
4. Organization: The organization of its values into a coherent system.
5. Internalization: The internalization of values and attitudes in one's daily behavior.

This prioritization reflects the development of student attitudes and motivations, ranging from passive reception to active internalization of values.

Affective action verb chart

In conclusion, Bloom's taxonomy remains a valuable tool for educators, students, and educational institutions, offering a solid structure for training, the assessment and development of cognitive, psychomotor and affective abilities.

Bloom's taxonomy provides a valuable structure for developing learning goals and assessing student competencies. The six cognitive levels, from simple reminder to creation, guide teachers in the design of their courses and evaluations.

Despite criticisms and developments in the education sector, Bloom's taxonomy remains a valuable tool for promoting a thorough training and an accurate assessment of skills.

Its use continues to generate debate and encourage innovation in teaching, thus contributing to the constant improvement of the quality of education and new e-learning tools.