BLOOMS TAXONOMY

     BLOOMS TAXONOMY OF EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

            Taxonomy of Educational Objectives in the Cognitive Domain 

       Taxonomy of objectives in the cognitive domain, given by Bloom and his associates (1956) tries to provide the most difficult but highly promising task of classifying Instructional objectives on a continuum from the simple to the relatively complex. He classified these objectives into six categories arranged from the lower to the higher level of functioning 

Knowledge: It is the lowest level in cognitive domain. It is the ability to recall and recognize previously learned material. It represents the lowest level of the objectives belonging to the cognitive domain and primary aims for the acquisition of the knowledge concerning: Specific facts, terminology, methods and processes and Generalised principles, theories and structures. The knowledge objectives mainly call for the recall and recognition level of one’s memory, and therefore their evaluation is primarily made through a simple recall or multiple choice type questions.

Comprehension: It is the ability to understand or grasp the meaning of the content material. Comprehension is based upon knowledge. If there is no knowledge, there will be no comprehension. On the ladder of the acquisition of cognitive abilities its level is little higher than the knowledge. Specifically, it means the basic understanding of the facts, ideas, methods, processes, principles or theories, etc.

       As a result, what is communicated to a learner, he may: 

(a ) translate or summarize the communicated knowledge in his own words. 

( b ) interpret, i.e., cite examples, discriminate, classify, diversify or generalise and

( c)  extrapolate, i.e., estimate or understand the use of knowledge and extend it to other subjects and fields. 

Application: It is the ability to use learned  material in new situations. The knowledge is useful only when it is possible to make it employed. The application of an idea, principle or theory may be made possible only when it is grasped and understood properly. Therefore, the category of application automatically involves both the earlier categories, i.e., knowledge and comprehension. Under this objective the learner is required to acquire the ability to make use of the abstract or generalized ideas, principles in the particular and concrete situations. 

Analysis: It is the ability to break down material into component parts. Analysis refers to an understanding at a higher level. It is a complex cognitive process that involves knowledge, comprehension as well as application of an idea, fact, principle or theory. Through the realization of these objectives the learner is expected to acquire the necessary skill in drawing inferences, discriminating, making choices and selection and separating apart the different components or elements of a concept, object or principle. It may involve

( a ) Analysis of parts: For example, analysis of a compound into its constituent elements. 

( b ) Analysis of relationships: For example, analysis of the relationship between concentration of a reactant and the rate of a reaction. 

( c ) Analysis of organizational principles: For example, how will you classify organic compounds?

 Synthesis:  It is the ability to put together elements and parts so as to form a whole. That is, arranging and combining pieces, parts, elements, etc., in such a way as to constitute a pattern or structure not clearly there before. The objectives belonging to this category aim to help the learner to acquire the necessary ability to combine the different elements or components of an idea, object, concept, or principle to produce an integrated picture, i.e., a figure of wholeness. As a result, he may be expected to propagate or present a theory or principle by creating something new or originating some novel thing or idea after synthesizing all what is known to him earlier. In this way, it calls for the creativity aspect of the cognitive abilities, and therefore may be considered definitely a higher level of learning involving knowledge, comprehension, application as well as analysis. 

     It may involve

 ( a ) Production of unique communication  

( b )  Production of a plan, or proposed set of operations 

( c )  Derivation of a set of abstract relations

Evaluation: This involves judgments about the value of materials and method for given purposes..This category of objectives aims at developing in the learner, the ability to make proper value judgment about what has been acquired by him in the form of knowledge, understanding, application, analysis and synthesis  This may involve

( a ) Judgments in terms of internal evidence such as logical accuracy, consistency, and other internal criteria. 

( b )Judgment in terms of external criteria such as major theories, generalisations, and facts about particular cultures

Taxonomy of Objectives in the Affective Domain 

      Taxonomy of objectives in the Affective Domain proposed by Krathwohl, Bloom and Maria (1964)       Objectives of affective domain emphasize emotions or a degree of acceptance or rejection of information (facts, concept, etc.). The affective domain relates to the learners’ emotional expression regarding what is acquired. It is a fact that instructional objectives in the affective domain is hard to achieve and manipulate. These objectives are rarely measured in the regular classroom-testing environment. The affective domain will include attitude, appreciation, interest, emotional and social adjustments. The hierarchical growth of affective domain and objectives are listed below.

                         

Receiving: It represents the initial category for the objectives belonging to affective domain. For the inculcation of certain interests, attitudes, values or ideas, it is essential that learner should be made to receive or attend the desired ideas, events or objects. 

   This category points out towards this necessity and takes into consideration three types of following sequential activities:

• The learner is sensitised or made aware about the existence of certain stimuli. 

• The desired intention or willingness for receiving or attending the stimuli is created in the learner.

• The efforts are made for the control of the attention of the learner. He may be trained to pay selective attention and sustain it for a desired period. 

Responding: It represents the second level of the objectives for the categories belonging to the affective domain. Once a learner receives or attends to a particular idea, event or thing he must be made to respond to it as actively as possible. This involves

• acquaintance in responding,

•  willingness to respond, and 

• satisfaction in response.

Valuing: When one attends as well as responds to a particular thing, idea or event he is naturally drifted towards taking value judgement about that thing, idea or event. Therefore, this category of valuing depends upon both the former categories, i.e., receiving and responding. Here, the learner is expected to imbibe a definite value pattern towards different ideas, events and objects. In practice, the objectives belonging to this category are usually concerned with the development of typical value patterns, attitudes etc.  This involves

• acceptance of value,

• performance of a value, and 

• Commitment of a value

 Organising: This category of objectives concern with the construction of relatively enduring value structure in the learner by organising and synthesising the different value patterns imbibed by him from time to time. Ultimately, this category of objective leads the learner to form a set value structure or philosophy of life. 

Characterizing by a value or Value Complex: It is the highest level category of the objectives belonging to the affective domain. Up to this stage, the learner is able to imbibe all the essential affective behaviour, i.e., various interests, attitudes, values, value complex or value patterns, a permanent set value structure, and therefore all the earlier categories, are automatically involved in the objectives of this category. At this stage, the learner is destined to imbibe typical characteristics of his individual character, i.e., life style of his own. In fact, it is the end point or ultimate goal of the process of education.

        

     

          Taxonomy of Objectives in the Psychomotor Objectives 

      The psychomotor domain will contain different types of small and large muscular skills involved in physical learning, surgery, vocational education of various mechanical and clerical trades.  An alternative taxonomy in the psychomotor domain has been proposed by Dr. R.H. Dave (1969) 

 Imitation:It is the lowest level in psychomotor domain. For the learning of a psychomotor activity, the task begins with the imitation of observed acts. The child observes the demonstrated behaviour He feels an inner push or an impulse (by having an inner rehearsal of the psychomotor activities) to imitate action. It is followed by the overt repetition (imitation) of the demonstrated behaviour. 

Manipulation: This second category of psychomotor objectives emphasises manipulation on the part of the learner for the acquisition of skills by following directions, performing selected action and fixation of performance through necessary practice. 

Precision: In the third category of psychomotor objectives, the learner is able to perform skilled acts or motor activities with a desired level of precision (accuracy, exactness and right proportion) and as such may be said to reach a higher level or refinement in reproducing a given act or skilled task.

Articulation: It is the fourth category in the hierarchy of learning the psychomotor activities or skills. At this stage, the learner becomes capable of coordinating a series of acts by establishing appropriate sequence and accomplishing harmony or internal consistency among different acts. 

Naturalisation: It is the highest stage reached in terms of the development or proficiency acquired in the learning of a skill or psychomotor act. One can now perform a single act or a series of articulated acts with a greater refinement, ease and convenience as automatic and naturally as possible

Example: While performing titrations, students may first only repeat theteacher's action (imitation). Then he follows directions and starts doing it onhis own (manipulation). Then he is able to close and open the knob of theburette with speed and refinement (precision). This is followed by doing anumber of actions simultaneously like closing the knob while observing the

colour change in the solution (articulation). Finally, the learner, with practice, is able to performthe titration without much effort, almost in a mechanical way (naturalization).