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What is Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Objectives?
Benjamin Bloom, 1956 |
Theories about cognition such as Bloom's taxonomy support the idea that learning takes place on many levels. What is still not clear is how the brain actually moves between these levels. But to assume that the brain learns using the linear hierarchy suggested by Bloom's taxonomy is too simplistic. Rather, research indicates that the brain jumps wildly between levels with no obvious pattern or progression. "Knowledge is not seen as cumulative and linear, like a wall of bricks, but as a nesting and interacting of frameworks. Learning is revealed when those frameworks are used to understand and act" (Barr, 1995, p. 21). For the knowledge gained at the skill level to become part of a person's mental framework, the brain must be engaged on a variety of levels. According to Dr. Jerre Levy of the University of Chicago, as quoted in Peak Learning, "brains are built to be challenged. They operate at optimal levels only when cognitive processing requirements are of sufficient complexity" (Gross, 1991, p. 28) However, if the brain is over-stimulated, i.e., presented with a problem which is too complex and too challenging, it will not operate at an optimal level either. The goal, then, is to find the balance. How do faculty provide the level of challenge and complexity that their students' brains require for deep and lasting learning to take place? How do they construct classroom activities and environments so that each student can experience learning to his/her full potential? How does our system support multi-level learning? These are questions that warrant further discussion. |