BLOOM’S TAXONOMY OF INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES

 

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY OF INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES

The word taxonomy means classification. It is the classification of ideas and objectives. Taxonomy of educational objectives means an analysis of instructional objectives in terms of the learning outcomes resulting from appropriate teaching learning situations. The classification of educational objectives assumes that the modification of the behaviour of the learner is the result of the learning experiences generated by the teaching learning process. Taxonomy means a categorization of an object. The taxonomy of instructional objectives implies categorization of instructional objectives. It means an analysis of instructional objectives in terms of the precise and specific teaching outcome. The taxonomy, of educational and instructional objectives has worked out on the assumption that the teaching -learning ocess may be conceived as an attempt to change the behaviour the pupils with respect to some subject matter. Behaviour of the divided into three domains-Cognitive (knowing), reflective (feeling) and Psychomotor (doing). They are related to id, heart and hand. The taxonomy of educational and rctional objectives have also been considered to belong to three domains. The behavior modification of the learner is divided into domains.

·         Cognitive domain

·          Affective domain

·         Psychomotor domain

 

Taxonomy of the educational objectives is useful as

·         Objective tool of an evaluation

·         Helps in proper coverage of all aspects of learners' growth.

·          Helps in the meaningful understanding of various dimensions of learner's development.

·         Helps in identifying and grading the teaching learning situations, which can be an important source for selecting proper evaluation tools

·          It acts as a link for communication between teachers, evaluators, research workers, psychologists and behavioural scientists.

·         Opens new avenues for research in the field of education.

 

In 1948, the convention of American Psychological Association considered classifying educational goals for evaluating the performance of students. The educational objectives provide the basis for building the curricula and tests for the measuring the understanding of those curricula by the students. These educational objectives have been classified into three major domains based on the behaviour modification they bring in the learner. This classification of objectives is called as the "Taxonomy of Educational Objectives".

 

The advantages of the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives are:

• It helps in clarifying the doubts pertaining to the objectives of education.

• It acts as a convenient system for describing and ordering test items, examination techniques and evaluation procedures.

• The taxonomy of educational objectives would help in comparing the various educational programmes.

• It would provide an order for the educational objectives.

 

In the year 1965 Benjamin Bloom – A professor, University of Chicago along with a few others published a book on "Taxonomy of Educational Objectives". The book influenced every aspect of formal education; from the way the curriculum designed to the way performances of the students were evaluated at class level. As a follow up they also pub1ished two handbooks

- one on the cognitive domain and other on the affective domain.

According to them most of the educational objectives could be placed in one of the three major domains of classification, cognitive, affective and psychomotor.

The cognitive domain includes those objectives that deal with recall or recognition of knowledge and development of the intellectual abilities and skills.

The objectives of affective domain describe "changes in interest, attitudes, · and values and the development of appreciations and adequate adjustment".

The. psychomotor domain pertains to " the manipulative or motor skill area".

 

Domains

The educational objectives were divided into three major parts- the cognitive, the affective, and the psychomotor domains.

Cognitive Domain

The largest proportion of educational objectives falls in this domain. Bloom has divided this domain into six major classes. They are --

• Knowledge

• Comprehension

• Application

• Analysis

• Synthesis

• Evaluation

1. Knowledge

Knowledge is defined as the remembering of previously learnt material. It stresses the process of remembering. This may involve the recall of a wide range of material, from specific facts to complete theories, but all that is required is the bringing mind of the appropriate information. Knowledge represents the lowest level of learning outcomes in the cognitive domain.

 

Knowledge is the recall of specifics, methods and processes, recall of a pattern, structure or settings. It includes:

 

Knowledge of terminology

Knowledge of facts

Knowledge of conventions

Knowledge of trends and sequences

Knowledge of classifications and categories

Knowledge of methodology

Knowledge of universals and abstractions

Knowledge of principles and generalizations and

Knowledge of theories and structures

Verbs Related to Knowledge

Defines; describes; enumerates; identifies; labels; lists; matches; names; reads; records;

 

2.Comprehension –

 It means understanding of new knowledge to the pupils. Comprehension is defined as the ability to grasp the meaning of material. These learning outcomes go one step beyond simple remembering of material, and represent the lowest level understanding.

Comprehension includes:

• Translation

• Interpretation

• Extrapolation

3.Application-

Application is the ability to use learned material in the new situations. It involves the ability to apply the knowledge of concepts gained in the classroom to new situations outside. It requires the higher levels of understanding than those of the comprehension

 

Verbs Related to Application

Acts; administers; articulates; assesses; charts; collects; computes; constructs; contributes; controls; determines; develops; discovers; establishes; extends; implements; includes; informs; instructs; participates; predicts; prepares; preserves; produces; provides; relates; reports; shows; transfers; uses; utilizes.

4.Analysis –

Analysis refers to the ability to break down material into its component parts so that its organizational structure may be understood. This may include the identification of parts, analysis the relationship between • parts, and recognition of the organizational principles involved. Learning outcomes here present a higher intellectual level than comprehension and application because they require an understanding of both the tent and the structural form of the material.

It includes the breakdown of a communication into its constituent elements or parts so that the ideas and concepts remain. It involves the

• Analysis of elements

• Analysis of relationships

• Analysis of organizational principles

 

Verbs related to Analysis

Breaks down; correlates; diagrams; differentiates; ruminates; distinguishes; focuses; illustrates; infers; limits; lines, points out; prioritizes; recognizes; separates; subdivides

 

5.Synthesis –

A plan of operations (research proposal), or a set of abstract relations (scheme for classifying information). Learning outcomes in this area stress creative behaviours, with major emphasis on the formulation of new patterns or structure. Synthesis includes putting together elements and parts into a new whole. It involves

• Developing unique communication

• Developing a new set of operations

• Arriving at a new set of abstract relations

 

Verbs Related to Synthesis

Adapts; anticipates; categorizes; collaborates; combines; communicates; compares; compiles; composes; contrasts; creates; designs; devises; expresses; facilitates; formulates; generates; incorporates; individualizes; initiates; integrates; intervenes; models; modifies; negotiates; plans; progresses; rearranges; reconstructs; reinforces; reorganizes; revises; structures; substitutes; validates

6.Evaluation–Evaluation, the highest level of the cognitive domain, is a continuous process. Evaluation is concerned with the ability to judge the value of material for a given purpose. The judgments are to be based on definite criteria. These may be internal criteria (organization) or external criteria (relevance to the purpose) and the student may determine the criteria or be given to them. Learning outcomes in this area are highest in the cognitive hierarchy because they contain elements of all the other categories, plus conscious value judgments based on clearly defined criteria. Evaluation judges the values of the materials and methods for the given objectives. They are

• Judging the evidences internally

• Judging the criteria externally

Verbs Related to Evaluation

Appraises; compares & contrasts; concludes; criticizes; critiques; decides; defends; interprets; judges; justifies; reframes; supports.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Objectives	Ability	Associated Verbs
1. Knowledge	Recall, Recognize	Define, state, list, name, write, recall, recognize, label, underline, , reproduce, measure
2.Comprehension	Sees relationship, cites examples, Discriminate, Verify, Generalize	Identify, justify, select, illustrate, formulate, explain, classify, judge, justify
3. Application	Analyse	Identify, conclude, differentiate, separate, compare, contrast, break down, resolve, criticise
5. Synthesis	Synthesise	Combine, summarise, organize, derive, relate, conclude, generalise
6. Evaluation	Evaluate	Determine define, criticise, evaluate

 

Affective Domain

Affective objective is concerned with the interests, emotions, mental tendencies, and values of the pupils. The development of affective domain is not easy because interests, emotions, mental tendencies, and sentiments are individual conditions, first concerned with a particular person and then with other persons. It is not easy to understand their nature and determine elements. Since our interests, sentiments, and mental tendencies are taken as the criteria for our personality, these occupy important place in education. It is the duty of the teacher to develop the affective domain of the pupils by affective objectives i.e. their interest, emotions, mental tendencies, and sentiments. Bloom has divided affective objectives into the following categories in order to develop the affective domain of the pupils:

1. Receiving

2. Responding

3. Valuing

4. Conceptualization

5. Organization

6. Characterization of a value System

1. Receiving - Receiving means pupil’s will to receive. It is directly concerned with the sensitivity of the pupils which occurs in the presence of some activity or stimulus. Receiving has the following three levels:

· Awareness of the phenomena

· Willingness to receive phenomena

· Controlled or selected scheme

2. Responding - In this, pupils actively receive new knowledge under the influence of motivation. Responding has three levels:

· Acquiescence in responding

· Willingness to respond

· Satisfaction in response

3. Valuing - Valuing means those values in which the pupils have their belief and they give special importance to those in their life. It enables the pupils in showing the sentiments or stable feelings in their behaviour with the change in the circumstances. It has three levels:

· Acceptance of a value

· Preference for a value

· Commitment

4. Conceptualization - As the conviction regarding those values starts forming in the pupils, situations can also arise where more than one value is appropriate. In such situations, pupils think which value they should retain.

5. Organization - When such a situation changes before the pupils in which there is more than one value is appropriate, then they organize these received values in an order or sequence.

6. Characterization of a Value System - It is that level in which the consistency in the hierarchy of values of the pupil occurs. At this level, the teacher can characterise the knowledge of the value system of the pupils very easily. The characterisation of a value system has two levels:

· Generalized set       

· Characterization

Psychomotor Domain.

1. Perception: Skill of keen observation, skill of sensing a problem and skill of developing self motivation are the specific objectives under this category.

2. Imitation: Skill of repeating the actions and skill of reflective thinking are the specific objectives under this category.

3. Manipulation: Skill to operate upon with intelligence and manage cleverly are the specific activities that fall in this category.

4. Precision: Skill of experimentation, skill of precise movements and neat execution of skills are the activities which fall under these objectives.

5. Articulation: Skill of logical thinking, reflective thinking, skill of mind and body and development of mathematical skill are specific objectives to attain this step.

6. Naturalization: As we practice a skill, in due course it becomes our natural habit. Skill of attaining success and skill of multiple actions are the specific activities under this objective. Since science is a study usually involving direct experimentation, the psycho-motor domain has got great relevance.

Limitations of Bloom's Taxonomy

Blooms taxonomy has been criticized for its total commitment to the behavioral objectives. It is difficult to convert the theoretical concepts into behavioral objectives. The behaviour

specification of the objectives may not enhance student learning as specified by Bloom. They may also reduce the learner's individuality. Bloom's classification is not applicable to all areas of the curriculum. This classification lays emphasis more on measurable behavior and does not give importance to work of the pupils.