Writing Lesson Objectives

Various researchers have summarized how to use Blooms Taxonomy. Following are four interpretations that you can use as guides in helping to write
objectives using
Blooms Taxonomy.
Blooms Taxonomy divides the way people learn into three domains. One of these is the cognitive domain, which emphasizes intellectual outcomes. This
domain is further divided into categories or levels. The key words used and the type of questions asked may aid in the establishment and encouragement of critical
thinking, especially in the higher levels.
LEVEL

LEVEL ATTRIBUTES
Exhibits previously learned material
by recalling facts, terms, basic
concepts and answers.

KEYWORDS
who, what, why, when, omit, where,
which, choose, find, how, define,
label, show, spell, list, match, name,
relate, tell, recall, select

Demonstrating understanding of facts

and ideas by organizing, comparing,
translating,
interpreting,
giving
descriptions and stating main ideas.

compare, contrast, demonstrate,

interpret, explain, extend, illustrate,
infer, outline, relate, rephrase,
translate, summarize, show, classify

Solving problems by applying

acquired
knowledge,
facts,
techniques and rules in a different
way.

apply, build, choose, construct,

develop, interview, make use of,
organize, experiment with, plan,
select, solve, utilize, model, identify

Examining and breaking information

into parts by identifying motives or
causes; making inferences and
finding
evidence
to
support
generalizations.

analyze,
categorize,
classify,
compare, contrast, discover, dissect,
divide, examine, inspect, simplify,
survey, take part in, test for,
distinguish, list, distinction, theme,
relationships,
function,
motive,
inference, assumption, conclusion

Compiling information together in a

different way by combining elements
in a new pattern or proposing
alternative solutions.

build, choose, combine, compile,

compose, construct, create, design,
develop,
estimate,
formulate,
imagine, invent, make up, originate,
plan, predict, propose, solve,
solution, suppose, discuss, modify,
change, original, improve, adapt,
minimize, maximize, delete, theorize,
elaborate, test, improve, happen,
change

Knowledge

Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

QUESTIONS
What is ...? How is ...? Where is ...?
When did _______ happen? How did
______ happen? How would you
explain ...? Why did ...? How would
you describe ...? When did ...? Can
you recall ...? How would you
show ...? Can you select ...? Who
were the main ...? Can you list
three ...? Which one ...? Who was ...?
How would you classify the type
of ...? How would you compare ...?
contrast ...? Will you state or interpret
in your own words ...? How would you
rephrase the meaning ...? What facts
or ideas show ...? What is the main
idea of ...? Which statements
support ...? Can you explain what is
happening . . . what is meant . . .?
What can you say about ...? Which is
the best answer ...? How would you
summarize ...?
How would you use ...? What
examples can you find to ...? How
would you solve _______ using what
you have learned ...? How would you
organize _______ to show ...? How
would you show your understanding
of ...? What approach would you use
to ...? How would you apply what you
learned to develop ...? What other
way would you plan to ...? What
would result if ...? Can you make use
of the facts to ...? What elements
would you choose to change ...?
What facts would you select to
show ...? What questions would you
ask in an interview with ...?
What are the parts or features of ...?
How is _______ related to ...? Why
do you think ...? What is the
theme ...? What motive is there ...?
Can you list the parts ...? What
inference can you make ...? What
conclusions can you draw ...? How
would you classify ...? How would you
categorize ...? Can you identify the
difference parts ...? What evidence
can you find ...? What is the
relationship between ...? Can you
make a distinction between ...? What
is the function of ...? What ideas
justify ...?
What changes would you make to
solve ...? How would you improve ...?
What would happen if ...? Can you
elaborate on the reason ...? Can you
propose an alternative ...? Can you
invent ...? How would you adapt
________ to create a different ...?
How could you change (modify) the
plot (plan) ...? What could be done to
minimize (maximize) ...? What way
would you design ...? What could be
combined to improve (change) ...?
Suppose you could _______ what
would you do ...? How would you
test ...? Can you formulate a theory

Exhibits previously learned material

by recalling facts, terms, basic
concepts and answers.

1.

award, choose, conclude, criticize,

decide, defend, determine, dispute,
evaluate, judge, justify, measure,
compare, mark, rate, recommend,
rule on, select, agree, interpret,
explain,
appraise,
prioritize,
opinion, ,support, importance, criteria,
prove, disprove, assess, influence,
perceive, value, estimate, influence,
deduct

Knowledge

Blooms Ranking of Thinking Skills

Knowledge
Comprehension
List, Name, Identify, Summarize, Explain, Interpret,
Show,
Define, Describe,
Compare,
Recognize,
Recall, Paraphrase,
Differentiate,
State, Visualize
Demonstrate, Classify

Application
Solve,
Illustrate,
Calculate,
Use,
Interpret,
Relate,
Manipulate,
Apply,
Modify

Task Oriented Question Construction Wheel Based on Blooms Taxonomy

Task Oriented Question Construction Wheel Based on Blooms Taxonomy.

According to Benjamin Bloom, and his colleagues, there are six levels of cognition:
1. Knowledge: rote memorization, recognition, or recall of facts

Analysis
Analyze,
Organize,
Deduce,
Contrast,
Compare, Distinguish,
Discuss, Plan, Devise

for ...? Can you predict the outcome if

...? How would you estimate the
results for ...? What facts can you
compile ...? Can you construct a
model that would change ...? Can you
think of an original way for the ...?
Do you agree with the actions ...?
with the outcomes ...? What is your
opinion of ...? How would you
prove ...? disprove ...? Can you
assess the value or importance of ...?
Would it be better if ...? Why did they
(the character) choose ...? What
would you recommend ...? How
would you rate the ...? What would
you cite to defend the actions ...?
How would you evaluate ...? How
could you determine ...? What choice
would you have made ...? What
would you select ...? How would you
prioritize ...? What judgment would
you make about ...? Based on what
you know, how would you explain ...?
What information would you use to
support the view ...? How would you
justify ...? What data was used to
make the conclusion ...? Why was it
better that ...? How would you
prioritize the facts ...? How would you
compare the ideas ...? people ...?

Synthesis
Design, Hypothesize,
Support, Schematize,
Write, Report, Justify

Evaluation
Evaluate, Choose,
Estimate, Judge,
Defend, Criticize

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Comprehension: understanding what the facts mean

Application: correct use of the facts, rules, or ideas
Analysis: breaking down information into component parts
Synthesis: combination of facts, ideas, or information to make a new whole
Evaluation: judging or forming an opinion about the information or situation

Ideally, each of these levels should be covered in each course and, thus, at least one objective should be written for each level. Depending on the nature
of the course, a few of these levels may need to be given more emphasis than the others.
Below are examples of objectives written for each level of Blooms Taxonomy and activities and assessment tools based on those objectives. Common
key verbs used in drafting objectives are also listed for each level.
LEVEL

LEVEL
ATTRIBUTES

Knowledge

Rote
list, recite, define, By the end of this course, the Have students group up and perform Use the following question on
memorization,
name, match, quote, student will be able to recite simple experiments to the class an exam or homework. Recite
recognition,
or recall, identify, label, Newtons three laws of showing how one of the laws of Newtons three laws of motion.
recall of facts.
recognize
motion.
motion works.

KEYWORDS

EXAMPLE OBJECTIVE

EXAMPLE ACTIVITY

EXAMPLE ASSESSMENT

Understanding describe,
explain, By the end of this course, the Group students into pairs and have Assign the students to write a
what the facts paraphrase,
restate, student will be able to explain each pair think of words that describe simple essay that explains what
mean.
give original examples Newtons three laws of motion. After a few minutes, ask pairs Newtons laws of motion mean
Comprehension
of,
summarize, motion in his/her own words. to volunteer some of their descriptions in his/her own words.
interpret, discuss
and write these descriptions on the
board.

Application

Correct use of the calculate,

predict, By the end of this course, the After presenting the kinetic energy On a test, define a projectile and
facts, rules, or apply, solve, illustrate, student will be able to equation in class, have the students ask the students to Calculate
ideas.
use,
demonstrate, calculate the kinetic energy of pair off for just a few minutes and the kinetic energy of the
determine, model
a projectile.
practice using it so that they feel projectile.
comfortable with it before being
assessed.

Analysis

Breaking down classify, outline, break By the end of this course, the Present the students with different Give
the
students
an
information into down,
categorize, student will be able to situations involving energy and ask assignment that asks them
component parts. analyze,
diagram, differentiate
between the students to categorize the energy outline the basic principles of
illustrate
potential and kinetic energy. as either kinetic or potential then have kinetic and potential energy. Ask
them explain in detail why they them to point out the differences
categorized it the way they did, thus between the two as well as how
breaking down what exactly makes up they are related.
kinetic and potential energy.

Synthesis

Combining parts design, formulate, build, By the end of this section of Tie each lecture or discussion to the Give the students a project in
to make a new invent,
create, the course, the student will be previous lectures or discussions which they must design an
whole.
compose,
generate, able to design an original before it, thus helping the students original homework problem
derive, modify, develop homework problem dealing assemble all the discreet classroom dealing with the principle of
with
the
principle
of sessions into a unified topic or theory. conservation of energy.
conservation of energy.

6: Evaluation

Judging the value choose, support, relate, By the end of the course, the Have different groups of students On a test, describe a dynamic
or
worth
of determine,
defend, student will be able to solve the same problem using system and ask the students
information
or judge, grade, compare, determine whether using different methods, then have each which method they would use to
ideas.
contrast, argue, justify, conservation of energy or group present the pros and cons of solve the problem and why.
support,
convince, conservation of momentum the method they chose.
select, evaluate
would be more appropriate
forsolving
a
dynamics
problem.

Structure of Matter Content

Designing learning environments that attend to individual students and their interactions with one another may seem an impossible task in a course of 20 students,
much less a course of more than 700. However, there are a host of simple teaching strategies rooted in research on teaching and learning that can support biology
instructors in paying attention to whom they are trying to help learn. These teaching strategies are sometimes referred to as equitable teaching strategies, whereby
striving for classroom equity is about teaching all the students in your classroom, not just those who are already engaged, already participating, and perhaps
already know the biology being taught. Equity, then, is about striving to structure biology classroom environments that maximize fairness, wherein all students have
opportunities to verbally participate, all students can see their personal connections to biology, all students have the time to think, all students can pose ideas and
construct their knowledge of biology, and all students are explicitly welcomed into the intellectual discussion of biology. Without attention to the structure of classroom
interactions, what can often ensue is a wonderfully designed biology lesson that can be accessed by only a small subset of students in a classroom.
So what specific teaching strategies might we instructors, as architects of the learning environment in our classrooms, use to structure the classroom learning
environment? Below are 21 simple teaching strategies that biology instructors can use to promote student engagement and cultivate classroom equity. To provide a
framework for how these teaching strategies might be most useful to instructors, I have organized them into five sections, representing overarching goals instructors
may have for their classrooms, including:

Giving students opportunities to think and talk about biology

Encouraging, demanding, and actively managing the participation of all students

Building an inclusive and fair classroom community for allstudents

Monitoring behavior to cultivate divergent biological thinking

Teaching all of the students in your biology classroom

For each of these goals, there is a brief consideration of why the goal is important for student learning, which is followed by descriptions of several simple strategies
for structuring instructorstudent and studentstudent interactions to strive for this goal. No doubt, there are likely dozens of additional strategies that could be added
to this list. In addition, many of the strategies affiliated with one equitable teaching goal are also easily used in the service of one or more of the other goals. The
intention of presenting these 21 strategies in this framework is solely to provide all biology instructors access to immediate and tractable teaching strategies for
promoting access and equity for all students in their biology classrooms.
These equitable teaching strategies can be read and explored in any order. Readers are encouraged to use Table 1 to self-assess which of these strategies they may
already use, which they are most interested in reading more about, and which they may want to try in their own classrooms. Self-assessment responses to Table
1 can guide which of the sections below you may be most interested in reading first.
1. Wait Time
Perhaps the simplest teaching strategy to increase time for student thinking and to expand the number of students participating verbally in a biology classroom is to
lengthen one's wait time after posing a question to your class (Rowe, 1969; Tobin, 1987). Mary Budd Rowe's groundbreaking papers introducing the concept of wait
time have influenced educational practice since their publication more than 40 years ago (Rowe, 1969, 1974, 1978, 1987; Tanner and Allen, 2002). Rowe and
colleagues documented in the precollege setting that instructors on average waited only 1.5 s after asking a question before taking a student response, answering
the question themselves, or posing a follow-up question. With the seemingly modest extension of the wait time after a question to 35 s, Rowe and colleagues
showed dramatic effects: substantially more students willing to volunteer answers, fewer students unwilling to share when called on, and increases in the length and
complexity of the responses that students gave in response to the question (Rowe, 1974, 1978; Allen and Tanner, 2002). Thinking biologically about increasing wait
time to promote student engagement and participation, it seems likely that this increase in time allows critical neural processing time for students, and perhaps also
allows more introverted students time to rally the courage to volunteer an answer. Practically, extending wait time can be very challenging for instructors. Actively
mentally counting the followingone thousand one one thousand two one thousand three one thousand four one thousand fivebefore acknowledging
potential student respondents is one simple way to track the amount of time that has transpired after asking a question.
2. Allow Students Time to Write
Practicing wait time may still not give enough time for some students to gather a thought and or screw up the confidence to share that thought. Many students may
need more scaffoldingmore instruction and guidanceabout how to use the time they have been given to think. One simple way to scaffold wait time is to explicitly
require students to write out one idea, two ideas, three ideas that would capture their initial thoughts on how to answer the question posed. This act of writing itself
may even lead students to discover points of confusion or key insights. In addition, if collected, this writing can hold students accountable in thinking and recording
their ideas. To set the stage for doing these simple quick writes or minute papers throughout the semester, instructors can require on the syllabus that students
purchase a packet of index cards (usually no more than a $1 cost) and bring a few cards to each class session for the purpose of these writing opportunities.
Instructors need not collect all of these writings, though it may be quite informative to do so, and certainly instructors need not grade any (much less every) card that
students produce. If these quick writes are graded, it can be only for participation points or more elaborately to provide conceptual feedback ( Schinske, 2011). Giving
students time to write is one way that instructors can structure the learning environment to maximize the number of students who have access (in this case enough
time) to participate in thinking about biology.
3. ThinkPairShare
The oft written about thinkpairshare strategy is perhaps the simplest way for instructors coming from a traditional lecture approach to give all students in a
classroom opportunities to think about and talk about biology (Lyman, 1981; Chi et al., 1994; Allen and Tanner, 2002; Smith et al., 2009; Tanner, 2009). The
mechanics of a thinkpairshare generally involve giving all students a minute or so to think (or usually write) about their ideas on a biological question. Then,
students are charged to turn and talk with a neighboring student, compare ideas, and identify points of agreement and misalignment. These pair discussions may or
may not be followed by a whole-group conversation in which individual students are asked to share the results of their pair discussion aloud with the whole class.
Importantly, the instructor's role in facilitating a thinkpairshare activity is to be explicit that students need not agree and also to convey that practicing talking about
biology is an essential part of learning about biology. Integrating one or more thinkpairshare opportunities during a class session has the potential to cultivate
classroom equity in multiple ways: providing individual students time to verbalize their thoughts about biological concepts; promoting comparison of ideas among
classmates; transforming the nature of the classroom environment to be more participatory; and promoting a collaborative, rather than competitive, culture in
undergraduate science classes. Methodologically, a thinkpairshare activity need not take more than a few minutes of class time, yet may allow students the neural
processing time needed before being ready to take on new information offered by an instructor. It is also during these pair discussions that students may discover
new confusions or points of disagreement about concepts with fellow students, which can drive questions to be asked of the instructor.
4. Do Not Try to Do Too Much
Finally, no instructors would likely express the sentiment: I try to do so much in my class sessions that they go by quickly and students are unclear about what the
goals for the class were. However, evidence from a variety of research studies suggests that this may be the dominant experience for many students in
undergraduate science courses (Tobias, 1990; Seymour and Hewitt, 1997). While not doing too much is a challenging task for most of us, one particular strategy
that can reduce the amount of material considered during class time is to structure more active learning by students outside class time, in particular in the form of
homework that goes beyond textbook readings. Examples include case study assignments that charge students to independently explore and find evidence about an
upcoming conceptual idea before arriving in class. As experts in our biological fields, it is tempting to continually expand what we deem critical and nonnegotiable in
terms of what students need to accomplish during class time. However, there are clear and present trade-offs between continually expanding our aspirations for inclass time and structuring a classroom learning environment that promotes student engagement and provides access to thinking and talking about biology for all
students. One strategy for prioritizing how to spend precious class time is to decide on which biological ideas in a course are most difficult to learn, are rooted in
common misconceptions, and/or represent fundamental biological principles (National Research Council, 1999; AAAS, 2011; Coley and Tanner, 2012).
Previous SectionNext Section

ENCOURAGING, DEMANDING, AND ACTIVELY MANAGING THE PARTICIPATION OF ALL STUDENTS

If learning requires that students construct ideas for themselves, then demanding the active participation of every single student in a class is essential to learning.
Currently, though, many undergraduate students in biology classrooms can navigate an entire term without speaking aloud in a course. They sit in the back of our
large classrooms, and they attempt to appear to be busily writing when a question is asked in a small class. Being called upon to answer a question or share an idea
can be deeply uncomfortable to many students, and we as instructors may not be doing enough to build students confidence to share. While few instructors would
find this lack of active, verbal participation in science acceptable for emerging scientists such as graduate students or practicing scientists themselves, we somehow
allow this for undergraduate students. The participation of a only few students in our classrooms on a regular basis, often from the front rows, distracts us from the
fact that usually the vast majority of students are not participating in the conversation of biology. To encourage, and in fact demand, the participation of all students in
a biology classroom, you can use the following six strategies with little to no preparation or use of class time.
5. Hand Raising
Actively enforcing the use of hand raising and turn taking in a classroom is likely to provide greater access to more students than an open, unregulated discussion.
Novice instructors, sometimes awash in silence and desperate for any student participation, can allow the classroom to become an open forum. Some would say this
is much like the culture of science in settings such as lab meetings and seminars. However, the undergraduates in our courses are novices, not only to the concepts
we are sharing but also to the culture of science itself. As such, providing structure through something as simple as hand raising can establish a culture that the
instructor expects all students to be participating. With hand raising, the instructor can also be explicit about asking for hands from those of us who haven't had a
chance yet to share and strive to cultivate a classroom conversation that goes beyond a few students in the front row.
6. Multiple Hands, Multiple Voices
After asking a question, some instructors call on just a single student to answer. However, this is problematic in many ways. The same students can often end up
sharing repeatedly during a class, as well as from class session to class session. In addition, if the goal is to better understand how students are thinking, having a
single student share gives a very narrow and highly skewed picture of what a classroom full of students may be thinking. One simple strategy for broadening
participation and increasing the breadth of ideas flowing from students to instructors is to generally ask for multiple hands and multiple voices to respond to any
question posed during class time (Allen and Tanner, 2002). Instructors can set the stage for this by asserting, Im going to pose a question, and Id like to see at least
three hands of colleagues here who would share their ideas. I won't hear from anyone until Ive got those three volunteers. Additionally, this particular use of hand
raising allows instructors to selectively call on those students who may generally participate less frequently or who may have never previously shared aloud in class.
Importantly, instructors really must always wait for the number of hands that they have called for to share. Hearing from fewer than the number of volunteers called
for can entrain students in a classroom to know that they simply have to outwait the instructor. Finally, if the number of requested hands have not been volunteered,
the instructor can charge students to talk in pairs to rehearse what they could share if called upon to do so.
7. Random Calling Using Popsicle Sticks/Index Cards
Raising hands allows for the instructor to structure and choose which students are participating verbally in a class, but what if no one is raising a hand or the same
students continually raise their hands? Establishing the culture in a classroom that any student can be called on at any time is another option for promoting student
engagement and participation. How this is done can be critical. If the spirit of calling on students feels like a penalty, it may do more harm than good. However, if the
instructor is explicit that all students in the course have great ideas and perspectives to share, then random calling on students in courses that range in size from 10
to 700 can be a useful strategy for broadening student participation. Practically, there are a variety of ways to call randomly on students. In smaller-sized courses,
having a cup with popsicle sticks, each with the name of a student on it, can make the process transparent for students, as the instructor can clearly hold up the cup,
draw three names, read the names, and begin the sharing. This can minimize suspicions that the instructor is preferentially calling on certain students. For larger
course class sizes, instructors can collect an index card with personal information from each student on the first day. The cards serve two purposes: 1) to enable
instructors to get to know students and to assist with learning students names, and 2) to provide a card set that can be used each class and cycled through over the
semester to randomly call on different students to share (Tanner, 2011).
8. Assign Reporters for Small Groups
Promoting student engagement and classroom equity involves making opportunities for students to speak who might not naturally do so on their own. If the decision
about who is to share aloud in a class discussion is left entirely to student negotiation, it is no surprise that likely the most extroverted and gregarious students will
repeatedly and naturally jump at all opportunities to share. However, this sets up an inequitable classroom environment in which students who are unlikely to
volunteer have no opportunities to practice sharing their scientific ideas aloud. Assigning a reporteran individual who will report back on their small-group
discussionis a simple strategy to provide access to verbal participation for students who would not otherwise volunteer. The assignment of reporters need not be
complex. It can be random and publicly verifiable, such as assigning that the reporter will be the person wearing the darkest shirt. In smaller classes, one can use
simple tools to assign a reporter, such as colored clips on individual student name tents or colored index cards handed to students as they enter the class. It can also
be nonrandom and intended to draw out a particular population. For example, assigning the group reporter to be the person with the longest hair will often, not
always, result in a female being the reporter for a group. Or instructors can choose to hand out the colored clips/cards specifically to students who are less likely to
share their ideas in class. Early on, it may be useful to assign based on a visible characteristic, so the instructor can verify that those students reporting are indeed
those who were assigned to report. After the culture of assigned reporters is established, and everyone is following the rules, assignments can become less verifiable
and prompt more personal sharing, such as the reporter is the person whose birthday is closest. Whatever the method, assigning reporters is a simple strategy for
promoting classroom fairness and access to sharing ideas for more than just the most extroverted students.
9. Whip (Around)
Actively managing the participation of all students in smaller courses is sometimes well supported by the occasional use of what is termed a whip around or more
simply just a whip. In using a whip, the instructor conveys that hearing an idea from every student in the classroom is an important part of the learning process.
Whips can be especially useful toward the beginning of a course term as a mechanism for giving each student practice in exercising his or her voice among the entire
group, which for many students is not a familiar experience. The mechanics of the whip are that the instructor poses a question to which each individual student will
respond, with each response usually being <30 s in length. On the first day of class, this could be something as simple as asking students what their favorite memory
of learning biology has been. As the course progresses, the question that is the focus of the whip can become more conceptual, but always needs to be such that
there are a variety of possible responses. Whips can be follow-ups to homework assignments wherein students share a way in which they have identified a personal
connection to course material, a confusion they have identified, or an example of how the material under study has recently appeared in the popular press. During a
whip, students who may wish to share an idea similar to a colleague who has previously shared are actively encouraged to share that same idea, but in their own
words, which may be helpful to the understanding of fellow students or reveal that the ideas are not actually that similar after all. Importantly, the whip is a teaching
strategy that is not feasible in large class sizes, as the premise of the strategy is that every student in the class will respond. As such, this strategy is unwieldy in

class sizes greater than 30, unless there is a subgroup structure at play in the classroom with students already functioning regularly in smaller groups. Possible
ways to implement a whip in a large classroom could be to call on all students in a particular row or in a particular subgroup structure particular to the course.
10. Monitor Student Participation
Many instructors are familiar with collecting classroom evidence to monitor students thinking, using clicker questions, minute papers, and a variety of other
assessment strategies. Less discussed is the importance of monitoring students participation in a classroom on a regular basis. It is not unusual to have a subset of
students who are enthusiastic in their participation, sometimes to the point that the classroom dialogue becomes dominated by a few students in a room filled with 20,
40, 80, 160, or upward of 300 students. To structure the classroom dialogue in such a way as to encourage, demand, and actively manage the participation
of all students, instructors can do a variety of things. During each class session, instructors can keep a running listin smaller classes mentally and in larger classes
on a piece of paperof those students who have contributed to the discussion that day, such as by answering or asking a question. When the same students attempt
to volunteer for the second, third, or subsequent times, instructors can explicitly invite participation from other students, using language such as I know that there are
lots of good ideas on this in here, and Id like to hear from some members of our community who I haven't heard from yet today. At this juncture, wait time is key, as
it will likely take time for those students who have not yet participated to gather the courage to join the conversation. If there are still no volunteers after the instructor
practices wait time, it may be time to insert a pair discussion, using language such as We cannot go on until we hear ideas from more members of our scientific
community. So, take one minute to check in with a neighbor and gather your thoughts about what you would say to a scientific colleague who had asked you the
same question that Im asking in class right now. At this point it is essential not to resort to the usual student volunteers and not to simply go on with class, because
students will learn from that behavior by the instructor that participation ofall students will not be demanded.
BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE AND FAIR CLASSROOM COMMUNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS
Many studies have documented that students from a variety of backgrounds in undergraduate science courses experience feelings of exclusion, competitiveness,
and alienation (Tobias, 1990; Seymour and Hewitt, 1997;Johnson, 2007). Research evidence over the past two decades has mounted, supporting the assertion that
feelings of exclusionwhether conscious, unconscious, or subconscioushave significant influences on student learning and working memory, as well as the ability
to perform in academic situations, even when achievement in those academic arenas has been documented previously (e.g., Steele and Aronson, 1995; Steele,
1999). Additionally, our own behaviors as scientists are influenced by unconscious bias in our professional work (Moss-Racusin et al., 2012). However, there is also
research evidence that relatively subtle interventions and efforts in classrooms may be effective at blunting feelings of exclusion and promoting student learning
(Cohen et al., 2006; Miyake et al., 2010; Haak et al., 2011;Walton et al., 2013). The following five strategies may assist biology instructors in working toward an
inclusive, fair, and equitable classroom community for all of their students.
11. Learn or Have Access to Students Names
For cultivating a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable classroom environment, one of the simplest strategies an instructor can use is to structure ways to get to know
and call students by their names. Some instructors may plead an inability to remember names; however, there are many simple ways to scaffold the use of individual
student names in a classroom without memorizing all of them. Having students submit index cards with their names and personal information, as described above, is
an easy first step to learning names. Additionally, requiring students to purchase and always bring to class a manila file folder with their first names written on both
sides in large block letters is another simple way to begin to make students names public, both for the instructor and for other students. Instructors who use such
folders request that students raise this folder above themselves when asking or answering a question in class, so the instructor can call them by name. More
advanced would be for the instructor to personally make the student name tents, preparing perhaps a colorful piece of heavy card stock folded in half, then writing
each student's name in large block letters on each side. The simple act of making the name tagswhich is feasible in class sizes of up to 100 studentsmay aid an
instructor in beginning the process of learning students names. Regardless of who makes them, these name tents can be tools for a variety of classroom purposes:
to call on students by name during class discussions, to encourage students to know one another and form study groups, and to verify names and faces when
collecting exams on exam days. In smaller classes, name tents can be used more extensively, for example, by collecting them at the end of class and sorting them to
identify members of small groups for work in the next class session. In fact, the attempt to get to know students names, and the message it sends about the
importance of students in the course, may be more important than actually being able to call students by name each time you see them.
12. Integrate Culturally Diverse and Relevant Examples
Part of building an inclusive biology learning community is for students to feel that multiple perspectives and cultures are represented in the biology they are studying.
Although it is not possible to represent aspects of all students lives or the cultural background of each student in your course, careful attention to integrating culturally
diverse and personally relevant connections to biology can demonstrate for students that diverse perspectives are valued in your biology classroom ( Ladson-Billings,
1995). Most topics in biology can be connected in some way to the lived experiences of students, such as connecting what can be an abstract process of how genes
produce traits to the very real and immediate example of cancer. Similarly, including examples that connect biology concepts that students are learning to different
cultural communitiesincluding both well-known stories like that of Henrietta Lacks and her connection to cell biology and smaller stories like that of Cynthia Lucero
and her connection to osmosisdemonstrate to students that you as an instructor want to help them see themselves within the discipline of biology ( Chamany,
2006; Chamany et al., 2008). Finally, stories from both the history of science and present-day discoveries, when judiciously chosen, can convey that diverse
populations of people can make key contributions in science (e.g., Brady, 2007). Value for the inclusion of diverse perspectives can also manifest in simply being
explicit that much of the history of biology has not included diverse voices and that you as the instructor expect this generation of students to literally change the face
of the biological sciences.
13. Work in Stations or Small Groups
To promote an inclusive community within the classroom, instructors can integrate opportunities for students to work in small groups during time spent within the
larger class. For some students, participation in a whole-group conversation may be a persistently daunting experience. However, instructors can structure
opportunities for such students to practice thinking and talking about biology by regularly engaging students in tasks that require students to work together in small
groups. Care must be taken to be explicit with students about the goal of the group work and, whenever possible, to assign roles so that no student in a small group
is left out (Johnson et al., 1991, 1993, 1998; Tanner et al., 2003). It can be challenging to design group work that is sufficiently complex so as to require the
participation of all group members. Keeping group sizes as small as possible, no more than three or four students, can mitigate potential for unfairness caused by the
act of putting students into groups. As one example, groups of students can be charged to bring expertise on a particular topic to class, check that expertise with
others studying the same topic in a small group, and then be jigsawed into a new small group in which expertise from different topics can be shared ( Clarke, 1994).
Additionally, explicit statements from the instructor about expectations that group members will include and support one another in their work can be especially
helpful. Finally, in smaller class sizes, an instructor can thoughtfully construct student groups so as to minimize isolating students of particular backgrounds (e.g.,
attempt to have more than one female or more than one student of color in a group) or interaction styles (e.g., attempt to place quieter students together so that they
are likely to have more opportunity to talk). How instructors structure small-group interactions has the potential to provide a feeling of inclusion, community, and
collaboration for students who may otherwise feel isolated in a biology classroom.

14. Use Varied Active-Learning Strategies

To engage the broadest population of students, instructors may be best served by using a variety of active-learning strategies from class session to class session.
For each strategy, some students will be out of their comfort zones, and other students will be in their comfort zones. Students who may be more reflective in their
learning may be most comfortable during reflective writing or thinking about a clicker question. Other students may prefer learning by talking with peers after a clicker
question or in a whole class conversation. Still others may prefer the opportunity to evaluate animations and videos or represent their understanding of biology in
more visual ways through drawing, concept mapping, or diagramming. One might ask which of these different strategies is the most effective way to teach a given
topic, yet this question belies the likely importance of variations in the efficacy of different strategies with different students. There may not ever be a best way to
teach a particular concept, given the diversity of students in any given classroom. The best way to teach equitablyproviding access to biology for the largest
number of studentsmay be to consistently provide multiple entry points into the conceptual material for students. The role of an instructor in creating an equitable
learning environment that is accessible to all students is to make sure that no single population of students is always outside their comfort zone. If an instructor
chooses a singular teaching approachalways lecturing or always concept mapping, regardless of the nature of the approachit seems likely that the lack of
variation could result in the alienation and exclusion from learning of a subpopulation of students. Additionally, using varied active-learning strategies may be key for
individual learners to see a concept from multiple perspectives, make multiple associations between the concept and other ideas, and practice a variety of
approaches to exploring that concept. By using varied active-learning strategies for each biological topic explored, instructors can work toward building an inclusive
and equitable learning environment for a wide range of students with different approaches to learning.
15. Be Explicit about Promoting Access and Equity for All Students
Perhaps the most powerful teaching strategy in building an inclusive and equitable learning environment is for instructors to be explicit that the triad of access,
fairness, and classroom equity is one of their key goals. There need not be substantial time spent on conveying this stance, but explicit statements by the instructor
about the importance of diverse perspectives in science can make issues of fairness and equity explicit rather than an implicit. Instructors can share with students
why they use the teaching strategies they do, for example, sharing the reasoning behind having students write to allow thinking and processing time for everyone.
When an instructor publicly asserts that he or she wants and expects everyone in the classroom to be successful in learning biology, students can leave behind the
commonly assumed idea that instructors are attempting to weed out students. Being explicit about one's goal of cultivating an inclusive, equitable, and fair classroom
learning environment reiterates that students and instructors are on the same side, not on somehow opposing sides, of the teaching and learning process.
MONITORING (YOUR OWN AND STUDENTS) BEHAVIOR TO CULTIVATE DIVERGENT BIOLOGICAL THINKING
Science is fundamentally about negotiating models and ideas about how the natural world functions. As such, one might expect that undergraduate biology
classrooms would mirror this negotiation and consideration of a variety of ideas about how the biological world might function. However, undergraduate biology
classrooms have the reputation, likely deservedly, of being forums in which right answersthose already accepted as scientifically accurateare the currency of
conversation and the substrate for instructorstudent dialogue. Yet research on learning suggests that inaccurate ideas, confusions, and alternative ideas about how
the world works may, in fact, be one of our most powerful tools in the teaching and learning process (there are many publications on this subject, among
themPosner et al., 1982; National Research Council, 1999; Taber, 2001; Chi and Roscoe, 2002; DiSessa, 2002; Coley and Tanner, 2012). As such, it is important for
instructors to cultivate discussion of divergent ideas in classroom conversations about biologysome of which may not be supported by current scientific evidence
as part of the process of moving students toward thinking in more scientifically accurate ways. Given the reputation of science courses as environments in which only
those with correct answers are rewarded, biology instructors face the extra and very real challenge of gaining the trust of students to share divergent perspectives.
Instructors can begin to establish a classroom community that values divergent ideas and promotes participation by students who may not already have scientifically
accurate understanding by using the following four teaching strategies.
16. Ask Open-Ended Questions
One critical tool for instructors aspiring to cultivate divergent biological thinking in their classrooms is the use of open-ended questions, which are those questions
that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no or even easily answered with a single word or phrase. Open-ended questions are by definition those which have
multiple possible responses, such that inviting answers from a large group can yield more than an expected set of responses ( Bloom et al., 1956; Allen and Tanner,
2002; Crowe et al., 2008). Open-ended questions can be posed orally to frame a class discussion and followed by a quick write or pair discussion to give students
time to consider their responses. Alternatively, instructors can plan these questions in advance, so they can be given as brief homework assignments, allowing
students time to consider the questions before coming to class. In general, open-ended questions require some design time and may not be easily improvised by
most biology instructors. As research scientists, many of us have been trained to ask closed-ended questions, namely questions that drive an experimental design to
either confirm or refute a stated hypothesis. In some ways, training in asking closed-ended, experimental questions may be at odds with developing skills in openended questioning. Prior to asking open-ended questions, instructors can attempt to anticipate the likely responses they may get from students. This serves the dual
purpose of checking that the question is really all that open-ended, as well as preparing for how one will handle students sharing a wide variety of ideas, which may
or may not be scientifically accurate.
17. Do Not Judge Responses
Undergraduate science classrooms in general have the reputation of being places in which only right answers are valued, and participation in class discussions has a
competitive tone (Seymour and Hewitt, 2010). However, as instructors, we have the power to encourage all studentsnot just those who have already constructed
biologically accurate ideasto exercise their voices in our undergraduate biology courses and to make their thinking about biology visible. To create a safe
environment that encourages students to share all of their ideas, instructors may be best served in acknowledging student responses as neutrally as possible. This
does not require inadvertently supporting a scientifically inaccurate idea. Clearly stating Id like to hear from a number of us about our thinking on this, and then we
can sort out what we are sure of and what we are confused about, sets the stage that all the responses may not be correct. Even the most simple Thanks for
sharing your ideas after each student responds, without any immediate judgment on the correctness of the comments, can set a culture of sharing that has the
potential to significantly expand the number of students willing to verbally participate. Any incorrect statements that are shared can be returned to at a later point in
the same class or the next class and considered generally, so the individual student who happened to share the idea is not penalized for sharing. If one student
shares an inaccurate idea, no doubt many more hold similar ideas. Some instructors may worry that allowing a scientifically inaccurate statement of misconception to
be said aloud in a classroom will mislead other students, but there is ample evidence that just because statements are made in a classroom, even by instructors,
these are not necessarily heard or learned (Hake, 1998).
18. Use Praise with Caution
For instructors new to actively engaging students during class time, or even for seasoned instructors in the first few weeks of a term, it can be challenging to cultivate
student participation in whole-group discussions. In response to those students who do share, instructors can unwittingly work against themselves by heaping praise
on participating students. Fabulous answer! Exactly! That's perfect! With very few syllables spent, instructors may inadvertently convey to the rest of the students

who are not participating that the response given was so wonderful that it is impossible to build on or exceed. Additionally, in a short period of time, the few students
who are willing to participate early in a discussion or the course will become high status in the classroom, those who have reaped the instructors praise. Research
from sociologist Elizabeth Cohen and her colleagues, described as complex instruction, has explored the power instructors have of effectively assigning academic
status to students simply by the nature and enthusiasm of their remarks about those students responses (Cohen, 1994). So, does this mean instructors should never
praise student responses? No. However, it suggests using praise with caution is essential, so other students feel that they still have something to add and can be
successful in sharing.
19. Establish Classroom Community Norms
As instructors strive to cultivate a classroom in which divergent and not always scientifically accurate ideas are shared, it is critical that the instructor also establish a
set of classroom community norms. In this case, norms refers to a set of accepted usual, typical, standard acceptable behaviors in the classroom. Common group
norms established by experienced instructors include the following: Everyone here has something to learn. Everyone here is expected to support their colleagues
in identifying and clarifying their confusions about biology. All ideas shared during class will be treated respectfully. For many instructors, these classroom norms
are simply verbally asserted from the first few days of a class and then regularly reiterated as the term progresses. Importantly, students will observe directly whether
the instructor enforces the stated group norms and will behave accordingly. As such, it is important to decide what norms you are comfortable enforcing as the
instructor in charge of your classroom. It only takes one student experiencing ridicule from a fellow student based on what they shared (someone shouts out, That is
totally not how it works!) to immediately bring to a halt other students sharing their ideas in class. When such incidents occur, and they will, a simple reminder of the
group norms and public reassurance and support for the student made to feel uncomfortable can go a long way. Simply using language like, Could you please keep
sharing your ideas? I have no doubt that if you are thinking along these lines, lots of smart people would think that way, too. Establishing early and regularly
enforcing a supportive classroom culturejust as you would in an effective and productive research lab meeting, study section, or any other gathering of scientists
is essential to maintaining an equitable, inclusive, and welcome classroom community.
TEACHING ALL THE STUDENTS IN YOUR CLASSROOM
As asserted above, perhaps the most underappreciated variables in teaching and learning are the students themselves and all their individual variations. Although it
may be tempting to generalize what students will be like from semester to semester, from course to course, and from institution to institution, there is little evidence to
support these generalizations. To promote student engagement and strive for classroom equity, it is essential to constantly and iteratively attend to who exactly is in
your classroom trying to learn biology. Below are two specific strategies to help keep the focus of your teaching on the actual students who are currently enrolled in
the course you are teaching.
20. Teach Them from the Moment They Arrive
As biology instructors, we assume that the only thing being learned in our classrooms is biology. However, student learning does not begin and end with the biology
being explored and discussed. Increasingly, research from a host of fieldseducational psychology, sociology, and science educationsuggests that learning is not
discrete and delimited by concepts under study, but rather continuous and pervasive. Learning is happening about everything going on in the classroom. As such,
instructors are best served by considering what students are learning, not just about the subject matter, but also about culture of the classroom from the moment they
enter the room. Consider students opportunities to learn about classroom culture in just two of many ways: students impression on the first day of class and
students impressions as they enter the classroom for each class session. What an instructor chooses to do on the first day of a course likely sends a strong
message to students about the goals of the course, the role of the instructor, and the role of the students. If one wants to convey to students that the course is about
learning biology, then reading the syllabus and spending the first class session discussing how grades are assigned is incongruous. Without intent, this instructor is
implicitly teaching students that the course is primarily about assigning grades. If the course is about learning biology, then instructors can implicitly and explicitly
teach this by engaging students in exciting, intellectually challenging, and rewarding experiences about biology on the first day of a course. Similarly, if an instructor
has as a goal that verbal participation by students is key to success in the course, then all students should be engaged in and experience talking about biology from
the very first day of class. More subtly, students will also likely learn about their role in the course and their relationship with the instructor based on seemingly
inconsequential day-to-day interactions. If an instructor stands at the front of the room or works on his or her computer while waiting for class to start, students may
inadvertently learn that the instructor is not interested in students or is inaccessible or too busy to be approached, even though this may not be the conscious
intention of the instructor. Similarly, students will likely notice whether the instructor regularly speaks to the same subset of students prior to class each day. In all
these cases, instructors can make conscious efforts to convey their interest in and commitment to the learning of all students in the course all the timebefore class,
during class, after class, via email. If we want to teach them about biology, we likely need to be teaching them about the culture of our classrooms and their role in it
at the same time.
21. Collect Assessment Evidence from Every Student, Every Class
To accomplish the goal of teaching those actual students who are sitting in front of you, it is essential to maximize the flow of information from individual students to
the instructor. Frequent collection of assessment evidenceabout students biological ideas, about their reflections on their learning, about their struggles in the
courseis essential for instructors to know the learners they are trying to teach. Beginning immediately, instructors can start with an online More about You survey
as homework on the first day of a course and can continue to collect information about students throughout the semester (Tanner, 2011). For many instructors, this is
most easily accomplished through student online submission of writing assignments. Other options include the use of daily minute papers or index cards, clickers,
and a variety of other assessment tools (Angelo and Cross, 1993; Huba and Freed, 2000). While the nature of the assessment evidence may vary from class session
to class session, the evidence collected from each and every student in a course can aid instructors in continuously re-evaluating student ideas and iteratively
changing the arc of the course to best support the learning of that course's student population. The goal is to assure a constant stream of information from student to
instructor, and for each and every student, not just those confident enough to speak up publicly during class. Regular consideration of classroom evidence is
foundational for bringing our scientific skills to bear on our teaching.

COGNITIVE SKILL AND VALUES

Bloom's Taxonomy was created in 1956 under the leadership of educational psychologist Dr Benjamin Bloom in order to promote higher forms
of thinking in education, such as analyzing and evaluating concepts, processes, procedures, and principles , rather than just remembering
facts (rote learning). It is most often used when designing instruction or learning processes ( Instructional Design )
The Three Domains of Learning
The committee identified three domains of educational activities or learning (Bloom, 1956):

Cognitive: mental skills (knowledge )

Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas ( attitude or self )

Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (skills )

Since the work was produced by higher education, the words tend to be a little bigger than we normally use. Domains can be thought of as
categories. Instructional designers, trainers, and educators often refer to these three categories as KSA (Knowledge, Skills, Attitude or
Abilities). This taxonomy of learning behaviors may be thought of as the goals of the learning process. That is, after a learning episode, the
learner should have acquired a new skill, knowledge, and/or attitude.
While the committee produced an elaborate compilation for the cognitive and affective domains, they omitted the psychomotor domain. Their
explanation for this oversight was that they have little experience in teaching manual skills within the college level (I guess they never
thought to check with their sports or drama departments).
Their compilation divides the three domains into subdivisions, starting from the simplest cognitive process or behavior to the most complex.
The divisions outlined are not absolutes and there are other systems or hierarchies that have been devised, such as the Structure of
Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO). However, Bloom's taxonomy is easily understood and is probably the most widely applied one in use
today.
Cognitive Domain
The cognitive domain involves knowledge and the development of intellectual skills (Bloom, 1956). This includes the recall or recognition of
specific facts, procedural patterns, and concepts that serve in the development of intellectual abilities and skills. There are six major
categories of cognitive processes, which are listed in order below, starting from the simplest to the most complex. The categories can be
thought of as degrees of difficulties. That is, the first ones must normally be mastered before the next one can take place.
In the 1990s it was revised. The original version is shown below, while the revised version may be found here .
Ta b l e o f T h e C o g n i t i v e D o m a i n ( o r i g i n a l )
Category

Example, Key Words (verbs), and Technologies for Learning (activities)

Examples: Recite a policy. Quote prices from memory to a customer. Know the
safety rules. Define a term.
Knowledge: Recall data or information.

Key Words: arranges, defines, describes, identifies, knows, labels, lists,

matches, names, outlines, recalls, recognizes, reproduces, selects, states
Technologies: bookmarking, flash cards, Internet search, reading

Examples: Rewrites the principles of test writing. Explain in one's own words the
steps for performing a complex task. Translates an equation into a computer
spreadsheet.
Comprehension: Understand the meaning,
translation, interpolation, and interpretation of
instructions and problems. State a problem in one's
own words.

Key Words: comprehends, converts, diagrams, defends, distinguishes, estimates,

explains, extends, generalizes, gives an example, infers, interprets, paraphrases,
predicts, rewrites, summarizes, translates
Technologies: create an analogy, participating in cooperative learning , taking
notes, story telling

Examples: Use a manual to calculate an employee's vacation time. Apply laws of

statistics to evaluate the reliability of a written test.
Application: Use a concept in a new situation or
unprompted use of an abstraction. Applies what was
learned in the classroom into novel situations in the
work place.

Key Words: applies, changes, computes, constructs, demonstrates, discovers,

manipulates, modifies, operates, predicts, prepares, produces, relates, shows,
solves, uses
Technologies: collaborative learning , create a process, material good, etc.),
blog, practice

Analysis: Separates material or concepts into

component parts so that its organizational structure
may be understood. Distinguishes between facts and

Examples: Troubleshoot a piece of equipment by using logical deduction.

Recognize logical fallacies in reasoning. Gathers information from a department

and selects the required tasks for training.

Key Words: analyzes, breaks down, compares, contrasts, diagrams,
deconstructs, differentiates, discriminates, distinguishes, identifies, illustrates,
infers, outlines, relates, selects, separates

inferences.

Technologies: fishbowls, debating, questioning what happened, run a test

Examples: Write a company operations or process manual. Design a machine to

perform a specific task. Integrates training from several sources to solve a
problem. Revises and process to improve the outcome.
Synthesis: Builds a structure or pattern from diverse
elements. Put parts together to form a whole, with
emphasis on creating a new meaning or structure.

Key Words: categorizes, combines, compiles, composes, creates, devises,

designs, explains, generates, modifies, organizes, plans, rearranges,
reconstructs, relates, reorganizes, revises, rewrites, summarizes, tells, writes
Technologies: essay, networking

Examples: Select the most effective solution. Hire the most qualified candidate.
Explain and justify a new budget.
Evaluation: Make judgments about the value of ideas
or materials.

Key Words: appraises, compares, concludes, contrasts, criticizes, critiques,

defends, describes, discriminates, evaluates, explains, interprets, justifies,
relates, summarizes, supports
Technologies: survey, blogging

B l o o m ' s R e v i s e d Ta x o n o m y
Lorin Anderson, a former student of Bloom, and David Krathwohl revisited the cognitive domain in the mid-nineties and made some changes,
with perhaps the three most prominent ones being (Anderson, Krathwohl, Airasian, Cruikshank, Mayer, Pintrich, Raths, Wittrock, 2000):
o

changing the names in the six categories from noun to verb forms

rearranging them as shown in the chart below

creating a processes and levels of knowledge matrix

This new taxonomy reflects a more active form of thinking and is perhaps more accurate:
Ta b l e o f T h e R e v i s e d C o g n i t i v e D o m a i n
Category

Remembering: Recall or retrieve previous learned

information.

Understanding: Comprehending the meaning, translation,

interpolation, and interpretation of instructions and
problems. State a problem in one's own words.

Applying: Use a concept in a new situation or unprompted

use of an abstraction. Applies what was learned in the

Example and Key Words (verbs)

Examples: Recite a policy. Quote prices from memory to a customer. Knows

the safety rules.
Key Words: defines, describes, identifies, knows, labels, lists, matches,
names, outlines, recalls, recognizes, reproduces, selects, states.

Examples: Rewrites the principles of test writing. Explain in one's own

words the steps for performing a complex task. Translates an equation into
a computer spreadsheet.
Key Words: comprehends, converts, defends, distinguishes, estimates,
explains, extends, generalizes, gives an example, infers, interprets,
paraphrases, predicts, rewrites, summarizes, translates.

Examples: Use a manual to calculate an employee's vacation time. Apply

laws of statistics to evaluate the reliability of a written test.

classroom into novel situations in the work place.

Key Words: applies, changes, computes, constructs, demonstrates,

discovers, manipulates, modifies, operates, predicts, prepares, produces,
relates, shows, solves, uses.

Analyzing: Separates material or concepts into component

parts so that its organizational structure may be
understood. Distinguishes between facts and inferences.

Examples: Troubleshoot a piece of equipment by using logical deduction.

Recognize logical fallacies in reasoning. Gathers information from a
department and selects the required tasks for training.
Key Words: analyzes, breaks down, compares, contrasts, diagrams,
deconstructs, differentiates, discriminates, distinguishes, identifies,
illustrates, infers, outlines, relates, selects, separates.

Examples: Select the most effective solution. Hire the most qualified
candidate. Explain and justify a new budget.
Evaluating: Make judgments about the value of ideas or
materials.

Creating: Builds a structure or pattern from diverse

elements. Put parts together to form a whole, with
emphasis on creating a new meaning or structure.

Key Words: appraises, compares, concludes, contrasts, criticizes, critiques,

defends, describes, discriminates, evaluates, explains, interprets, justifies,
relates, summarizes, supports.

Examples: Write a company operations or process manual. Design a

machine to perform a specific task. Integrates training from several sources
to solve a problem. Revises and process to improve the outcome.
Key Words: categorizes, combines, compiles, composes, creates, devises,
designs, explains, generates, modifies, organizes, plans, rearranges,
reconstructs, relates, reorganizes, revises, rewrites, summarizes, tells,
writes.

Cognitive Processes and Levels of Knowledge Matrix

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy (Remember - Understand - Apply - Analyze - Evaluate - Create) not only improved the usability of it (using action
words), but perhaps also made it more accurate. However, probably the best feature the matrix is often left unnoticed. While Bloom's
original cognitive taxonomy did mention three levels of knowledge or products that could be processed (shown below), they were not
discussed very much and remained one-dimensional. The three levels are:
o

Factual - The basic elements students must know to be acquainted with a discipline or solve problems.

Conceptual The interrelationships among the basic elements within a larger structure that enable them to function together.

o Procedural - How to do something, methods of inquiry, and criteria for using skills, algorithms, techniques, and methods.
In Krathwohl and Anderson's revised version, the authors combine the cognitive processes with the above three levels of knowledge to form a
matrix. In addition they added another level of knowledge - metacognition:
o Metacognitive Knowledge of cognition in general, as well as awareness and knowledge of ones own cognition.
When the cognitive and knowledge dimensions are arranged in a matrix, as shown below, it makes a nice performance aid for creating
performance objectives:

The Knowledge Dimension

Remember

The Cognitive Dimension

Understand
Apply

Analyze

Evaluate

Create

Factual
Conceptual
Procedural
Metacognitive
However, others have identified five contents or artifacts (Clark, Chopeta, 2004; Clark, Mayer, 2007):
o

Facts - Specific and unique data or instance.

Concepts - A class of items, words, or ideas that are known by a common name, includes multiple specific examples, shares
common features. There are two types of concepts: concrete and abstract.

Processes - A flow of events or activities that describe how things work rather than how to do things. There are normally two types:
business processes that describe work flows and technical processes that describe how things work in equipment or nature. They
can be thought of as the big picture, of how something works.

Procedures - A series of step-by-step actions and decisions that result in the achievement of a task. There are two types of actions:
linear and branched.

Principles - Guidelines, rules, and parameters that govern. It includes not only what should be done, but also what should not be
done. Principles allow one to make predictions and draw implications. Given an effect, one can infer the cause of a phenomena.
Principles are the basic building blocks of causal models or theoretical models (theories).

Thus, the matrix might look similar to this:

The Cognitive Dimension
The Knowledge Dimension

Remember

Understand

Apply

Analyze

Evaluate

Create

Facts
Concepts
Processes
Procedures
Principles
Metacognitive
An example matrix that has been filled in might look something like this:
The Knowledge Dimension
Facts

Remember

Understand

Apply

Analyze

Evaluate

Create

list

paraphrase

classify

outline

rank

categorize

Concepts

recall

explains

demonstrate

contrast

criticize

modify

Processes

outline

estimate

produce

diagram

defend

design

Procedures

reproduce

give an example

relate

identify

critique

plan

Principles

state

converts

solve

differentiates

conclude

revise

proper use

interpret

discover

infer

predict

actualize

Metacognitive

A l t e r n a t i v e t o B l o o m : S t r u c t u r e o f O b s e r v e d L e a r n i n g O u t c o m e ( S O L O ) Ta x o n o m y
While Bloom's Taxonomy has been quite useful in that it has extended learning from simply remembering to more complex cognitive
structures, such as analyzing and evaluating, newer models have come along. However, it has become more useful with the revised
taxonomy.
One model that might prove more useful is the Structure of Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy. It is a model that describes levels
of increasing complexity in a learner's understanding of subjects (Biggs, Collis, 1982). It aids both trainers and learners in understanding the
learning process. The model consists of five levels in the order of understanding:
o

Pre-structural - The learner doesn't understood the lesson and uses a much too simple means of going about itthe learner is unsure about the lesson or
subject.

Uni-structural - The learner's response only focuses on one relevant aspectthe learner has only a basic concept about the subject.

Multi-structural - The learner's response focuses on several relevant aspects but they are treated independentlythe learner has several concepts about
the subject but they are disconnected. Assessment of this level is primarily quantitative.

Relational - The different aspects have become integrated into a coherent wholethe learner has mastered the complexity of the subject by being able to
join all the parts together. This level is what is normally meant by an adequate understanding of a subject.

Extended abstract - The previous integrated whole may be conceptualized at a higher level of abstraction and generalized to a new topic or areathe
learner is now able to create new ideas based on her mastery of the subject.
SOLO not only shows the instructors how the learners are progressing, but also the learners themselves. It does this by putting the processes
in squares. You start in the center square (Uni-structural) and work outwards (Multi-structional, Relational, and finally Extended Abstract).
o

The example below shows the concept of ADDIE and how it starts with learning facts and ends with being able to create a learning process or
training using ADDIE:
Affective Domain
The affective domain (Krathwohl, Bloom, Masia, 1973) includes the manner in which we deal with things emotionally, such as feelings, values,
appreciation, enthusiasms, motivations, and attitudes. The five major categories are listed from the simplest behavior to the most complex:

Category

Example and Key Words (verbs)

Examples: Listen to others with respect. Listen for and remember the
name of newly introduced people.
Receiving Phenomena: Awareness, willingness to hear, selected
attention.

Responding to Phenomena: Active participation on the part of

the learners. Attends and reacts to a particular phenomenon.
Learning outcomes may emphasize compliance in responding,
willingness to respond, or satisfaction in responding (motivation).

Valuing: The worth or value a person attaches to a particular

object, phenomenon, or behavior. This ranges from simple
acceptance to the more complex state of commitment. Valuing is
based on the internalization of a set of specified values, while
clues to these values are expressed in the learner's overt
behavior and are often identifiable.

Organization: Organizes values into priorities by contrasting

different values, resolving conflicts between them, and creating
an unique value system. The emphasis is on comparing, relating,
and synthesizing values.

Internalizing values(characterization): Has a value system that

controls their behavior. The behavior is pervasive, consistent,
predictable, and most importantly, characteristic of the
learner. Instructional objectives are concerned with the student's
general patterns of adjustment (personal, social, emotional).

Key Words: asks, chooses, describes, follows, gives, holds,

identifies, locates, names, points to, selects, sits, erects, replies,
uses.

Examples: Participates in class discussions. Gives a presentation.

Questions new ideals, concepts, models, etc. in order to fully
understand them. Know the safety rules and practices them.
Key Words: answers, assists, aids, complies, conforms, discusses,
greets, helps, labels, performs, practices, presents, reads, recites,
reports, selects, tells, writes.

Examples: Demonstrates belief in the democratic process. Is

sensitive towards individual and cultural differences (value diversity).
Shows the ability to solve problems. Proposes a plan to social
improvement and follows through with commitment. Informs
management on matters that one feels strongly about.
Key Words: completes, demonstrates, differentiates, explains,
follows, forms, initiates, invites, joins, justifies, proposes, reads,
reports, selects, shares, studies, works.

Examples: Recognizes the need for balance between freedom and

responsible behavior. Accepts responsibility for one's behavior.
Explains the role of systematic planning in solving problems. Accepts
professional ethical standards. Creates a life plan in harmony with
abilities, interests, and beliefs. Prioritizes time effectively to meet the
needs of the organization, family, and self.
Key Words: adheres, alters, arranges, combines, compares,
completes, defends, explains, formulates, generalizes, identifies,
integrates, modifies, orders, organizes, prepares, relates,
synthesizes.

Examples: Shows self-reliance when working

independently. Cooperates in group activities (displays teamwork).
Uses an objective approach in problem solving. Displays a
professional commitment to ethical practice on a daily basis. Revises
judgments and changes behavior in light of new evidence. Values
people for what they are, not how they look.
Key Words: acts, discriminates, displays, influences, listens,
modifies, performs, practices, proposes, qualifies, questions, revises,
serves, solves, verifies.

Psychomotor Domain
The psychomotor domain (Simpson, 1972) includes physical movement, coordination, and use of the motor-skill areas. Development of these
skills requires practice and is measured in terms of speed, precision, distance, procedures, or techniques in execution. The seven major
categories are listed from the simplest behavior to the most complex:
Category

Example and Key Words (verbs)

Perception (awareness): The ability to use sensory cues to guide

motor activity. This ranges from sensory stimulation, through cue
selection, to translation.

Examples: Detects non-verbal communication cues. Estimate where

a ball will land after it is thrown and then moving to the correct
location to catch the ball. Adjusts heat of stove to correct temperature
by smell and taste of food. Adjusts the height of the forks on a forklift

by comparing where the forks are in relation to the pallet.

Key Words: chooses, describes, detects, differentiates,
distinguishes, identifies, isolates, relates, selects.

Set: Readiness to act. It includes mental, physical, and emotional

sets. These three sets are dispositions that predetermine a
person's response to different situations (sometimes called
mindsets).

Examples: Knows and acts upon a sequence of steps in a

manufacturing process. Recognize one's abilities and limitations.
Shows desire to learn a new process (motivation). NOTE: This
subdivision of Psychomotor is closely related with the Responding to
phenomena subdivision of the Affective domain.
Key Words: begins, displays, explains, moves, proceeds, reacts,
shows, states, volunteers.

Guided Response: The early stages in learning a complex skill

that includes imitation and trial and error. Adequacy of
performance is achieved by practicing.

Examples: Performs a mathematical equation as demonstrated.

Follows instructions to build a model. Responds hand-signals of
instructor while learning to operate a forklift.
Key Words: copies, traces, follows, react, reproduce, responds

Mechanism (basic proficiency) : This is the intermediate stage in

learning a complex skill. Learned responses have become
habitual and the movements can be performed with some
confidence and proficiency.

Complex Overt Response (Expert) : The skillful performance of

motor acts that involve complex movement patterns. Proficiency is
indicated by a quick, accurate, and highly coordinated
performance, requiring a minimum of energy. This category
includes performing without hesitation, and automatic
performance. For example, players are often utter sounds of
satisfaction or expletives as soon as they hit a tennis ball or throw
a football, because they can tell by the feel of the act what the
result will produce.

Adaptation: Skills are well developed and the individual can

modify movement patterns to fit special requirements.

Examples: Use a personal computer. Repair a leaking faucet. Drive

a car.
Key Words: assembles, calibrates, constructs, dismantles, displays,
fastens, fixes, grinds, heats, manipulates, measures, mends, mixes,
organizes, sketches.

Examples: Maneuvers a car into a tight parallel parking spot.

Operates a computer quickly and accurately. Displays competence
while playing the piano.
Key Words: assembles, builds, calibrates, constructs, dismantles,
displays, fastens, fixes, grinds, heats, manipulates, measures,
mends, mixes, organizes, sketches.
NOTE: The Key Words are the same as Mechanism, but will have
adverbs or adjectives that indicate that the performance is quicker,
better, more accurate, etc.

Examples: Responds effectively to unexpected experiences.

Modifies instruction to meet the needs of the learners. Perform a task
with a machine that it was not originally intended to do (machine is
not damaged and there is no danger in performing the new task).
Key Words: adapts, alters, changes, rearranges, reorganizes,
revises, varies.

Origination: Creating new movement patterns to fit a particular

situation or specific problem. Learning outcomes emphasize
creativity based upon highly developed skills.

Examples: Constructs a new theory. Develops a new and

comprehensive training programming. Creates a new gymnastic
routine.
Key Words: arranges, builds, combines, composes, constructs,
creates, designs, initiate, makes, originates.

O t h e r P s y c h o m o t o r D o m a i n Ta x o n o m i e s
As mentioned earlier, the committee did not produce a compilation for the psychomotor domain model, but others have. The one discussed
above is by Simpson (1972). There are two other popular versions by Dave (1975) and Harrow (1972):

Dave (1975):
Category

Imitation Observing and patterning behavior

after someone else. Performance may be of low
quality.

Manipulation Being able to perform certain

actions by memory or following instructions.

Example and Key Words (verbs)

Examples: Copying a work of art. Performing a skill while observing a

demonstrator.
Key Words: copy, follow, mimic, repeat, replicate, reproduce, trace

Examples: Being able to perform a skill on one's own after taking lessons or
reading about it. Follows instructions to build a model.
Key Words: act, execute, perform

Precision Refining, becoming more exact.

Performing a skill within a high degree of precision

Examples: Working and reworking something, so it will be just right. Perform a

skill or task without assistance. Demonstrate a task to a beginner.
Key Words: calibrate, demonstrate, master, perfectionism

Articulation Coordinating and adapting a series

of actions to achieve harmony and internal
consistency.

Examples: Combining a series of skills to produce a video that involves music,

drama, color, sound, etc. Combining a series of skills or activities to meet a novel
requirement.
Key Words: adapt, constructs, creates, modifies, customize

Naturalization Mastering a high level

performance until it become second-nature or
natural, without needing to think much about it.

Examples: Maneuvers a car into a tight parallel parking spot. Operates a computer
quickly and accurately. Displays competence while playing the piano. Michael
Jordan playing basketball or Nancy Lopez hitting a golf ball.
Key Words: design, naturally, perfectly, develop

Harrow (1972):
Category

Reflex Movements Reactions that are not learned, such as

a involuntary reaction

Fundamental Movements Basic movements such as

walking, or grasping.

Perceptual Abilities Response to stimuli such as visual,

auditory, kinesthetic, or tactile discrimination.

Physical Abilities (fitness) Stamina that must be

developed for further development such as strength and
agility.

Example and Key Words (verbs)

Examples: instinctive response

Key Words: react, respond

Examples: perform a simple task

Key Words:grasp an object, throw a ball, walk

Examples: track a moving object, recognize a pattern

Key Words: catch a ball, draw or write

Examples: gain strength, run a marathon

Key Words: agility, endurance, strength

Skilled movements Advanced learned movements as one

would find in sports or acting.

Examples: Using an advanced series of integrated movements, perform

a role in a stage play or play in a set of series in a sports game.
Key Words: adapt, constructs, creates, modifies

Nondiscursive communication Use effective body

language, such as gestures and facial expressions.

Examples: Express one's self by using movements and gestures

Key Words: arrange, compose, interpretation