Knowledge and Accessibility: Promoting Higher Ordered Thinking

This is from a presentation by: Dan Herlihy, Susan DuBuske, Pattie Rea

When we make curriculum modifications for our students, how do we maintain the content integrity and higher ordered thinking process? In other words how do we keep from diluting curriculum too much?
Bloom's Taxonomy is a helpful tool that will answer those questions; it’s a great way for teachers to gauge the type of learning and level of thinking required of students. Benjamin Bloom developed this classification of intellectual behavior related to learning, along with a team of educational psychologists, in 1956! Six levels were identified within the cognitive domain, from simple recall or recognition of facts, as the lowest level, through increasingly more complex and abstract mental levels to the highest order - creating a new idea (termed Evaluation, by Bloom).
They were originally represented on a pyramid here they are, in top down order:

• Evaluation
• Synthesis
• Analysis
• Application
  
• Comprehension
• Knowledge

How does this help teachers? By using key words and higher-order questioning when planning & modifying lessons we can establish and encourage better critical thinking, especially at the higher levels. As teachers we tend to ask questions in the "knowledge" category 80% to 90% of the time. (That is the lowest level!) These questions are not bad, but using them all the time is. Try to utilize higher order level of questions. These questions require much more "brain power" and a more extensive and elaborate answer.

Bloom’s taxonomy constitutes a continuum of learning characteristics, not a sequentially acquired skill set. Therefore it is NOT necessary for a student to master a level before moving to another level, students need exposure to learning activities at all levels. This merges nicely with differentiated instruction – using a variety of instructional strategies that address diverse student needs and enhance learning for all students.

(check out my Handouts section.)
Next step, Handouts: I posted a Bloom's Taxonomy Planning Guide - use this to support lesson planning, striving for higher order thinking activities.
I also posted a Bloom's Taxonomy Polygon - with a visual overview of the Taxonomy.

I'd love to share more about this; if you are interested, please contact me.