Benjamin Bloom’s taxonomy of learning is extremely popular in schools and in the workplace. We are often asked how we incorporate Bloom’s work, and are working hard on a video about this. But in the meantime here is a taster from our magazine “The Learning Journey”!
Bloom’s model, the stairway, involves organising lessons according to the “action verb” that each step is labelled with. The goal is that participants should be able to perform the relevant verb.
The verbs in question are:
- Remember. Participants can recall facts about the subject – they have memorised them. They can quote someone else’s definition of a principle. Example: I can explain what a budget is.
- Understand. Participants can express the subject in their own words. They can explain the principle through examples of its use in other areas. Example: I can describe a different budget to the one I have studied, for example my own budget.
- Apply. Participants can do something new based on what they have learned. They can apply the principle to real-life situations. Example: I can convert background information into a budget.
- Analyse.Participants can see the connections between different facts – break down information into smaller components in order to understand the whole. Example: I can see how one item affects the entire budget.
- Evaluate.Participants can draw their own conclusions – summarise new patterns and structures. Combining a number of principles into a new working strategy.Example: I can tell whether a budget is good or bad, and explain why.
- Create.At this level, participants can create entirely new patterns and strategies and have reached the innovation and research level.
Contact us if you would like to know more!
