Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom’s Taxonomy is made up three domains. Those domains are Cognitive, Psychomotor and Affective. The Cognitive domain uses a pyramid style of categories that indicates how readers can rise in levels of comprehension from the most simplistic way to actually creating their own comprehensive material. 


The categories are pertinent to developing critical thinking skills because they build upon each level so that the reader can evolve from someone who can simply recognize and understand written material to someone who can infer their own concepts through written materials. Critical thinking involves questioning facts. Bloom's Taxonomy guides the reader so that the reader is able to go from reading the facts, to understanding them, questioning them and finally, coming up with their own ideas concerning the material. The process works in such a way as to never overburden the reader, but instead to ease them from one level to the next in a seamless transition.

Although the terminology for the pyramid of Bloom’s Taxonomy has changed somewhat, the concepts remain essentially the same. The base category of the pyramid is called Knowledge, or Remembering. This is the stage at which the reader is able to “remember” what they read.

The next stage is Comprehension, or Understanding. When the reader reaches this level, it is understood that the reader is able to not only remember what they read, but to actually understand what the passage means.

Application or Applying is the next stage of Bloom’s Taxonomy. When the reader reaches this stage, they can apply what they have learned in real life situations. To understand this in simple terms, know that when the reader reaches this stage they can not only read and understand a written set of instructions (for example), but they can also use them to create whatever the instructions indicate for them to do.

Analysis or Analyzing is the stage that involves being able to reach a conclusion based on the information provided. For instance, a child who can analyze will be able to come to the conclusion that the dishwater in a story is hot after reading that the water was recently ran, had steam coming from it and caused the character to quickly pull back their hand after reaching into the water.

Synthesis or Evaluation occurs when the reader is able to use the provided information to create a new idea. For instance, the reader might read about all of the elements of a journey taken and understand them well enough to come up with an alternate path the journey could have gone along.

Evaluation or Creating happens when the reader is able to come up with ideas that were not written in the material. It also includes the use of judgment and values. For instance, the reader might read about the process involved from the time an animal reaches the humane society to the time of its euthanasia. They might then ask questions concerning the humanity of the process.

References

Truschel, J.(n.d). What tutors can do to enhance critical thinking skills through use of Bloom's Taxonom [pdf]. Retrieved from http://www.myatp.org/Synergy_1/Syn_9.pdf