TAXONOMIES OF LEARNING

Examine various taxonomies of learning in relation to curriculum development

1.examine various taxonomies in relation to

curriculum development

In the context of curriculum development, taxonomies play a crucial role in structuring

and organizing educational objectives, content, and assessments. Here’s an
examination of various prominent taxonomies relevant to curriculum development:

1. Bloom’s Taxonomy

Overview:

 Developed by Benjamin Bloom and collaborators in 1956.

 Hierarchical model used to classify educational learning objectives into levels of
complexity and specificity.

Domains:

 Cognitive Domain (Knowledge-based):

 Levels: Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating,

Creating.
 Application: Helps educators structure curricula to promote higher-order
thinking skills.

 Affective Domain (Emotion-based):

 Levels: Receiving, Responding, Valuing, Organizing, Characterizing.

 Application: Guides development of curricula to address attitudes,
values, and emotions.

 Psychomotor Domain (Action-based):

 Levels: Perception, Set, Guided Response, Mechanism, Complex Overt

Response, Adaptation, Origination.
 Application: Focuses on physical skills and motor activities, relevant for
subjects like physical education and vocational training.

2. Anderson and Krathwohl’s Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy

Overview:
  Revision of Bloom’s original taxonomy in 2001 by Anderson, Krathwohl, and
colleagues.
 Emphasizes a more dynamic conception of classification.

Key Changes:

 Renamed levels (e.g., Knowledge became Remembering; Synthesis became

Creating).
 Added a dual-dimensional table: Knowledge Dimension (Factual, Conceptual,
Procedural, Metacognitive) and Cognitive Process Dimension.

Application:

 Provides a more comprehensive framework for curriculum development,

emphasizing the interplay between knowledge and cognitive processes.

3. Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK)

Overview:

 Developed by Norman Webb in 1997.

 Focuses on the depth and complexity of knowledge required to complete a task.

Levels:

 Recall and Reproduction: Basic tasks requiring recall of facts.

 Skills and Concepts: Tasks requiring the use of skills and concepts.
 Strategic Thinking: Tasks that require reasoning and planning.
 Extended Thinking: Complex tasks that require an extended period to
complete.

Application:

 Helps in designing assessments and activities that require varying levels of

cognitive effort.

4. Marzano’s Taxonomy

Overview:

 Developed by Robert Marzano in 2001.

 Focuses on a broader range of thinking skills.

Domains and Levels:

  Cognitive System: Retrieval, Comprehension, Analysis, Knowledge Utilization.
 Metacognitive System: Specifying Goals, Process Monitoring, Monitoring
Clarity, Monitoring Accuracy.
 Self-System: Examining Importance, Examining Efficacy, Examining Emotional
Response, Examining Motivation.

Application:

 Encourages a more comprehensive approach to developing curricula that

integrate cognitive, metacognitive, and self-system thinking skills.

5. SOLO Taxonomy (Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes)

Overview:

 Developed by John Biggs and Kevin Collis in 1982.

 Describes levels of increasing complexity in students’ understanding of subjects.

Levels:

 Pre-structural: Lack of understanding.

 Uni-structural: Simple, obvious connections.
 Multi-structural: Several connections made but not integrated.
 Relational: Connections integrated into a coherent structure.
 Extended Abstract: Generalizes the structure to a higher level of abstraction.

Application:

 Useful for designing curricula that progressively deepen students' understanding

and ability to make connections.

6. Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning

Overview:

 Developed by L. Dee Fink in 2003.

 Focuses on creating significant learning experiences.

Categories:

 Foundational Knowledge: Understanding and remembering information and

ideas.
 Application: Skills, thinking, managing projects.
 Integration: Connecting ideas, people, realms of life.
 Human Dimension: Learning about oneself and others.
 Caring: Developing new feelings, interests, values.
 Learning How to Learn: Becoming a better student, inquiring about a subject.
Application:

 Promotes a holistic approach to curriculum development that emphasizes

interconnected and meaningful learning experiences.

Conclusion

Each taxonomy provides a unique perspective and set of tools for curriculum
development, aiding educators in creating structured, comprehensive, and engaging
educational experiences. Integrating these taxonomies can help ensure that curricula
address a wide range of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor objectives, ultimately
leading to a well-rounded education.

generate learning outcomes using the

revised bloom's taxonomy

To generate learning outcomes using Anderson and Krathwohl's revised Bloom's

Taxonomy, we will align the outcomes with the cognitive process dimension
(Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, Create) and the knowledge
dimension (Factual, Conceptual, Procedural, Metacognitive).

Example: Subject - Environmental Science

Topic: Climate Change

1. Remembering:

 Factual Knowledge: Recall the key greenhouse gases contributing to climate

change.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to list the major greenhouse
gases (e.g., CO2, CH4, N2O, etc.)."

2. Understanding:

 Conceptual Knowledge: Explain the greenhouse effect and its impact on global
temperatures.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to describe how the greenhouse
effect leads to an increase in Earth's temperature."

3. Applying:

 Procedural Knowledge: Use climate models to predict future temperature

changes.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to apply climate models to
forecast temperature trends for the next century."
4. Analyzing:

 Conceptual Knowledge: Differentiate between natural and anthropogenic

factors contributing to climate change.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to compare and contrast natural
climatic variations with human-induced changes."

5. Evaluating:

 Metacognitive Knowledge: Critically assess the effectiveness of different

international policies on climate change mitigation.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to evaluate the strengths and
weaknesses of international agreements like the Paris Accord in mitigating
climate change."

6. Creating:

 Procedural Knowledge: Develop a community action plan to reduce carbon

footprint.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to design and propose a
comprehensive plan for their community to reduce carbon emissions."

Example: Subject - Mathematics

Topic: Algebra

1. Remembering:

 Factual Knowledge: Recall algebraic terminology and symbols.

 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to identify and define key
algebraic terms and symbols (e.g., variable, coefficient, exponent)."

2. Understanding:

 Conceptual Knowledge: Explain the principles of solving linear equations.

 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to explain the steps involved in
solving a linear equation."

3. Applying:

 Procedural Knowledge: Solve real-world problems using linear equations.

 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to solve word problems by
setting up and solving corresponding linear equations."

4. Analyzing:
  Conceptual Knowledge: Analyze the relationship between the coefficients of a
linear equation and its graph.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to analyze how changes in the
coefficients affect the slope and position of the line on a graph."

5. Evaluating:

 Metacognitive Knowledge: Assess the validity of different methods used to

solve quadratic equations.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to evaluate the advantages and
disadvantages of methods such as factoring, completing the square, and
the quadratic formula."

6. Creating:

 Procedural Knowledge: Create an original mathematical model to represent a

real-world situation.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to construct and solve their own
algebraic models representing real-world scenarios such as budgeting or
distance-time relationships."

Example: Subject - Literature

Topic: Analyzing Poetry

1. Remembering:

 Factual Knowledge: Recall definitions of various poetic devices.

 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to list and define common poetic
devices such as metaphor, simile, alliteration, and onomatopoeia."

2. Understanding:

 Conceptual Knowledge: Interpret the meaning of metaphors in a poem.

 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to interpret and explain the
significance of metaphors in selected poems."

3. Applying:

 Procedural Knowledge: Apply knowledge of poetic devices to analyze a

poem's theme.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to use their understanding of
poetic devices to analyze and interpret the theme of a given poem."

4. Analyzing:
  Conceptual Knowledge: Distinguish between different poetic forms and their
structural characteristics.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to analyze and distinguish the
structural elements of various poetic forms such as sonnets, haikus, and
free verse."

5. Evaluating:

 Metacognitive Knowledge: Critique the effectiveness of a poem in conveying

its theme and emotions.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of
a poem in conveying its intended theme and emotional impact."

6. Creating:

 Procedural Knowledge: Compose an original poem using various poetic

devices.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to write an original poem that
incorporates at least three different poetic devices studied in class."

These examples demonstrate how learning outcomes can be structured using the
revised Bloom's Taxonomy, ensuring that students engage with the material at varying
levels of complexity and depth.

appreciate the taxonomies of learning in

generating learning outcomes
Taxonomies of learning provide structured frameworks that help educators generate
clear, measurable, and progressively complex learning outcomes. These frameworks
ensure that educational objectives cover a range of cognitive processes, from basic
recall to complex creation, and different types of knowledge, from factual to
metacognitive. Here’s an appreciation of how various taxonomies contribute to
generating effective learning outcomes:

1. Bloom’s Taxonomy and its Revised Version

Cognitive Domain:

 Remembering: Facilitates setting objectives that ensure students can recall and
recognize information.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to list the major components of
a cell."
 Understanding: Promotes comprehension and interpretation of information.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to explain the process of
photosynthesis."
  Applying: Encourages the use of knowledge in new situations.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to apply Newton’s laws to solve
physics problems."
 Analyzing: Supports the breakdown of information into parts to understand its
structure.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to analyze the themes of a
novel."
 Evaluating: Involves making judgments based on criteria and standards.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of
different energy sources."
 Creating: Promotes the ability to put elements together to form a new structure.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to design an experiment to test
a hypothesis."

2. Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK)

Levels:

 Recall and Reproduction: Ensures basic recall of facts and concepts.

 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to name the states of matter."
 Skills and Concepts: Encourages understanding and use of concepts.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to explain how the water cycle
works."
 Strategic Thinking: Promotes reasoning and planning.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to develop a strategy to solve
complex mathematical problems."
 Extended Thinking: Involves applying knowledge over an extended period.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to conduct a research project on
climate change."

3. Marzano’s Taxonomy

Domains:

 Cognitive System: Guides the development of outcomes that involve retrieval,

comprehension, analysis, and knowledge utilization.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to synthesize information from
multiple sources to write a research paper."
 Metacognitive System: Encourages setting goals, monitoring processes, and
self-regulation.
  Example Outcome: "Students will be able to set personal learning goals
and assess their progress."
 Self-System: Involves attitudes, motivation, and self-reflection.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to reflect on their learning
experiences and identify areas for improvement."

4. SOLO Taxonomy

Levels:

 Pre-structural: Ensures basic awareness of concepts.

 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to identify key elements of a
story."
 Uni-structural: Focuses on single aspects of a task.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to describe the main character
of a story."
 Multi-structural: Encourages understanding multiple aspects separately.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to list and explain the main
events of a story."
 Relational: Involves integrating multiple aspects into a coherent whole.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to analyze the relationship
between the main events and the overall theme of the story."
 Extended Abstract: Promotes abstraction and generalization to new areas.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to create their own story using
similar themes and structures."

5. Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning

Categories:

 Foundational Knowledge: Ensures understanding of basic information.

 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to recall key historical dates and
events."
 Application: Encourages practical use of knowledge.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to apply mathematical concepts
to solve real-world problems."
 Integration: Promotes connecting ideas across disciplines.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to relate economic theories to
historical events."
 Human Dimension: Involves learning about oneself and others.
  Example Outcome: "Students will be able to reflect on their role in group
projects and improve teamwork skills."
 Caring: Develops new interests and values.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to articulate the importance of
environmental conservation."
 Learning How to Learn: Encourages learning strategies and self-improvement.
 Example Outcome: "Students will be able to develop a personal study plan
that incorporates effective learning strategies."

Conclusion

Utilizing these taxonomies helps educators create well-rounded curricula that address
various levels and types of learning. Each taxonomy provides unique insights into
structuring learning outcomes that ensure students not only acquire knowledge but also
develop critical thinking, application skills, and self-awareness, ultimately leading to a
comprehensive educational experience.
what determines the choice of learning taxonomy used in
generating learning outcome

The choice of learning taxonomy used in generating learning outcomes is determined

by several factors, including the educational goals, the subject matter, the level of
learners, the type of learning desired, and the context of instruction. Here are some key
considerations:

1. Educational Goals and Objectives

 Type of Knowledge: Whether the focus is on factual knowledge, conceptual

understanding, procedural skills, or metacognitive strategies.
 Example: Bloom’s Taxonomy is ideal for objectives that involve different
cognitive levels, from basic recall to higher-order thinking.
 Skills Development: Specific skills that need to be developed, such as critical
thinking, problem-solving, or creativity.
 Example: Fink’s Taxonomy emphasizes creating significant learning
experiences that integrate cognitive and affective domains.

2. Subject Matter

 Nature of the Discipline: Different subjects may require different emphases.

For example, science and mathematics often focus on application and analysis,
while literature and social sciences may focus on understanding and evaluation.
 Example: Webb’s Depth of Knowledge is useful for subjects requiring
varying levels of cognitive complexity.

3. Learner Characteristics
  Age and Educational Level: The taxonomy should be appropriate for the
learners’ developmental stage and prior knowledge.
 Example: SOLO Taxonomy is suitable for progressively deepening
understanding in younger students.
 Learning Styles and Preferences: Tailoring the taxonomy to accommodate
diverse learning styles can enhance engagement and effectiveness.

4. Learning Context

 Instructional Setting: The choice may depend on whether the instruction is in

a classroom, online, or in a blended environment.
 Example: Marzano’s Taxonomy can be beneficial in settings that
emphasize self-regulation and metacognitive skills.
 Assessment Methods: The type of assessments used (e.g., formative,
summative, performance-based) can influence the taxonomy choice.
 Example: Bloom’s Taxonomy is often used to align learning outcomes with
assessment tasks that evaluate different cognitive levels.

5. Desired Learning Outcomes

 Cognitive Complexity: The need to address various levels of cognitive

processes from basic recall to creation and innovation.
 Example: Anderson and Krathwohl’s Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy is useful
for creating outcomes that range from remembering to creating.
 Depth and Breadth of Learning: Whether the focus is on surface learning
(recall and basic understanding) or deep learning (critical thinking and
integration of knowledge).
 Example: Webb’s Depth of Knowledge emphasizes depth, making it
suitable for complex, integrative tasks.

6. Instructional Strategies

 Teaching Methods: The taxonomy should align with the instructional strategies
employed, such as direct instruction, inquiry-based learning, or collaborative
learning.
 Example: Fink’s Taxonomy supports a holistic approach, integrating
various instructional strategies to promote significant learning
experiences.

7. Alignment with Standards and Curriculum

 Educational Standards: The taxonomy should help meet the required

educational standards and curricular frameworks.
  Example: Bloom’s Taxonomy is often used to align learning outcomes with
state or national educational standards.

Examples of Application:

1. Elementary Education (Science):

 Taxonomy: Bloom’s Taxonomy

 Reason: To cover a range of cognitive levels from remembering scientific
facts to creating simple experiments.
 Outcome Example: "Students will be able to describe the water cycle
(Understanding) and create a model demonstrating it (Creating)."

2. High School (Mathematics):

 Taxonomy: Webb’s Depth of Knowledge

 Reason: To ensure tasks range from basic skills to strategic thinking and
extended problem-solving.
 Outcome Example: "Students will be able to solve quadratic equations
(Skills and Concepts) and develop a project that models a real-world
scenario using quadratic functions (Extended Thinking)."

3. Higher Education (Literature):

 Taxonomy: SOLO Taxonomy

 Reason: To facilitate deeper understanding and analysis of literary texts
over time.
 Outcome Example: "Students will be able to analyze the themes in
Shakespeare’s plays (Relational) and create their own literary piece
inspired by his works (Extended Abstract)."

Conclusion

The choice of learning taxonomy is guided by a thorough understanding of the

educational goals, subject matter, learner characteristics, instructional context, desired
outcomes, and alignment with standards. By carefully selecting the appropriate
taxonomy, educators can create effective and meaningful learning experiences that
cater to the diverse needs of their students.