Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Match Teaching Goals & Learning Exercises David A. Budd University of Colorado, Boulder

Types of Learning 1.Cognitive domain: development of intellectual skills. (Knowledge) 2. Psychomotor domain: manual or physical skills (Skills) 3. Affective domain: growth in feelings or emotional areas (Attitude)

describe, in detail, what students will be able to do and at what level they should be able to do it. specific and assessable Learning Goals For teachers - Learning goals guide the course design, focus lectures & activities, and define assessments. For students: Learning goals clarify what they are expected to do, focus their attention on what to study, and helps them see the topical connections and the big picture.

1)Knowledge: recall information 2)Comprehension: relate information in own words 3)Application: use knowledge in new situation 4)Analysis: break down knowledge & show relationships among parts 5)Synthesis: bring together parts of knowledge to form a whole or build relationships for new situations 6)Evaluation: Make judgments on the basis of given criteria. Superficial to Deep Learning A framework for the progressive contextualization of material. Bloom’s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain

Analyze the different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy Knowledge – acquire, arrange, define, distinguish, duplicate, identify, label, list, match, memorize, name, outline, recall, recognized, repeat, reproduce, select, state Comprehension – abstract, classify, comprehend, convert, defend, describe, discuss, distinguish, estimate, explain, extend, extrapolate, generalize, give an example, identify, indicate, infer, interpret, locate, outline, paraphrase, predict, recognize, rephrase, restate, rewrite, sort, summarize, tell, transform, translate Application – apply, carry out, change, choose, compute, construct, demonstrate, discover, dramatize, experiment, generalize, illustrate, interpret, manipulate, model, modify, operate, organize, plan, predict, prepare, produce, relate, repair, schedule, sequence, show, solve, use Analysis – analyze, appraise, break down, calculate, catalog, classify, compare, contrast, criticize, deconstruct, detect, determine, diagram, differentiate, discover, discriminate, distinguish, estimate, examine, explore, identify, illustrate, infer, investigate, observe, order, outline, question, recognize, relate, select, separate, simplify, test Synthesis – arrange, assemble, build, categorize, combine, compile, compose, construct, create, design, devise, develop, explain, formulate, imagine, integrate, invent, generate, manage, modify, originate, plan, produce, propose, rearrange, reconstruct, relate, reorganize, revise, rewrite, specify, summarize, synthesize, systematize, tell, theorize, write Evaluation – appraise, argue, assess, check, compare, conclude, contrast, criticize, critique, defend, describe, discriminate, dispute, estimate, evaluate, explain, interpret, judge, justify, measure, predict, rank, rate, recommend, relate, rule on, score, select, summarize, support, test, value, verify

"Knowledge" - recall of facts 1.List the types of tectonic plate boundaries. 2.What molecule in the stratosphere protects against ultraviolet radiation? "Comprehension" - understanding and stating key concepts or main ideas 1.What is the difference between weathering and erosion? 2.Draw a diagram outlining the development of an oxbow lake. Assessment Questions using Bloom’s Taxonomy

"Application" - applying knowledge in new ways and in novel situations 1.If the top of this test page represents north, use an arrow to indicate a southwest wind. 2.Use Darcy's Law to calculate groundwater flow rates (m/s) at location A. "Analysis" - breaking down information into key components, finding evidence 1.What inference can you make about the geomorphic history of this region based on the location and form of terraces? 2.What evidence exists in this soil profile that this soil is an entisol rather than an inceptisol? Examples of Bloom’s Taxonomy

"Synthesis" - combining elements in a novel way, proposing alternate solutions 1.Make recommendations for the current coastal zoning plan in order to better protect property from hurricane damage. 2.Create a field check list for identifying outcrops prone to mass wasting. "Evaluation" - making judgments based on accepted standards 1.Criticize arguments made in a creationist web site based on the laws and theories of science. 2.Defend, using sound scientific evidence, the use of Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste repository. Examples of Bloom’s Taxonomy

Evaluate the sample learning goals from an introductory course and sedimentology for their cognate level and clarity.

Learning Goals vs. Assessment Questions Goal Compare and contrast (using brief descriptions and your own labeled sketches) oscillatory ripples to current ripples and their associated sedimentary structures Question How do you distinguish straight crested wave ripples from straight crested current ripples in terms of shape of the ripple in cross section and in terms of internal stratification? Use a good drawing with labels to supplement your written explanations. Include arrows showing flow directions for both.

Learning Goals vs. Assessment Questions Goal Identify and define examples of facies from a (graphical or written) description of a vertical sequence of rocks Question A sed log is adjacent. How many different type of facies are present? Name any two of the facies. Explain how they differ from each other. Divide the log into facies sequences by drawing lines directly on the log.

Writing learning goals  Consider goals at course-, topic- and lecture/lab-levels.  Write goals for what you intend to test/assess. Think about what you want students to be able to do.  Use verbs aligned with Bloom  Avoid vague or passive language. o Goals of “knowing” and “understanding” are vague. What would a student do to demonstrate there is knowledge and understanding? o Avoid passive language such as “Students will be exposed to …” or “Students will gain an appreciation for ….”

After taking my class, students will be able to …. Write and critique some learning goals