A Blooming Education
By Earl J. Moniz
Back in 1956, an educational researcher
named Benjamin S. Bloom devised a theory
of the different levels of the cognitive
domain in an attempt to determine the
different levels of learning. There are six
levels in his theory that have become
known as the "Bloom model" or "Bloom’s
taxonomy." These six levels are, in in
creasingly more complex stages, knowl
edge, comprehension, application, analy
sis, synthesis, and evaluation. They are
described thoroughly in "Stating Objec
tives for Classroom Instruction," (Norman
E. Gronland, 3rded., Macmillan Publish
ing, 1985.).
Briefly, knowledge is the simple recall
ing of previously learned material. This
level is the lowest level of learning.
Comprehension is the ability to understand
the meaning of the material being recalled.
This level is a step above simple recall and
is the lowest level of understanding. Ap
plication is the ability to use learned
material in the resolution of new and
perplexing situations. Successful resolu
tions of new problems at this level require
a higher level ofunderstanding than simple
comprehension. To this point, these levels
of learning should be instilled and incul
cated in all high school graduates. These
levels provide the individual with the
confidence to learn on the job, recall that
learned information when necessary, modify
the solutions to previously solved prob
lems, and decide on a course of action for
the situation at hand. Education is fairly
simple and straightforward to this point.
The main objective is to provide the stu
dents with the wherewithal to succeed in
their adult lives as employees and as
members of society as well.
The purposes of higher educational insti
tutions must be to provide the more
intellectually inclined or more personally
motivated individuals with the opportunity
to move above and beyond the simple
success in personal OTdeavors. This institu
tion, which, for our purposes we will call
the Universitas, must encourage and el
evate students above and beyond the simple
learn, recall, and apply pattern of dealing
with life situations. TThe Universitas must
coax its students, as well as provide them
the opportunities, to aspire to higher levels
cognitive abilities in the resolution of more
complex problems.
The next level of learning is the analysis
stage. At this point, the student must be
able to break down complex material into
its component parts in order to understand
more easily the organizational structure of
the subject being studied. Once the healthy
organization is understood, the identifica
tion of the causes of an unhealthy organiza
tion, organism, or structure may be accom
plished.
The next level of this learning model is
the synthesis stage. This level is character
ized by the ability to take individual pieces
and parts of analyzed organizations, organ
isms, or structures learned in the previous
stage and rearrange them into con^>letely
new organizations, organisms, or struc
tures. This stage could also be identified
with creativity: the ability to put old pieces
together to form a new whole, and to form
completely new pieces from previous
learning experiences as well.
The final stage in the Bloom tax
onomy is the evaluation stage. At this
level, an individual is concerned with evalu
ating and judging the quality of material for
a given purpose. Upon reading a statement,
poem, or research report, the individual
should be able to break down the total into
components and determine whether these
indicates that much of the problem in
education lies in the inability to instill in
students the desire to search for the good
life based on the search for truth. This
argument may be one of the reasons why
critical thinking is making such a surge in
the “buzz word” vocabulary of many edu
cators. Students have been lulled into a
state of complacency by an educational
system that believes it can manipulate the
truth to its own whims and wishes. Stu
dents must be alerted to the fact that
learning is an active endeavor and that
students must be critical about what is being
taught. Don’t settle for a four-year coUege-
levelhigh school education. Demandmore!
How can students idraitify the level of
learning being presented before the
ordeal of an entire semester and final exams
have passed? Simple. Each student is
provided a syllabus at the beginning of each
semester. A carefiil study of this syllabus
will determine which level the professor is
attempting to reach. Behavioral objectives
like “knows, defines, selects, understands,
summarizes, applies, solves, and predicts”
are normally associated with the three
lower levels of learning. Courses with
objectives that limit themselves to these
levels should be scrutinized thoroughly.
Find other students with experiences with
that professor and determine through your
own values whether continued enrollmmt
is worthwhile. Syllabi of courses that do
not provide even these simple guidelines to
objectives, or are absent of objectives en
tirely, should be avoided.
Higher level learning can be identified
by behavioral objectives like “recognizes,
distinguishes, categorizes, writes, inte
grates, proposes, formulates, judges, ap
praises, interprets, and criticizes. ” Profes
sors teaching at this level will be challeng
ing, inspiring, and thought-provoking, so,
do not expect mediocrity here. These
parts support the overall theme or purpose
of the piece. In addition, if the purpose is
not reached by the supporting evidence,
the individual should be able to synthesize
new theories or additional statements from
previously learned material that will turn
the piece into a stronger argument for the
intended purpose. This level is the highest
in the Bloom taxonomy because it involves
the application of all previously learned
information and final judgments are also
influenced by individually held beliefs,
morals, or concepts.
In this fashion, the Universitas ideal is to
push the student into the higher levels of
learning and understanding. Many profes
sors, too many, are satisfied to establish the
application level as a final objective of
their college studmts. This determination
on the part of college professors produces
college graduates with little more than high
school graduate abilities. Simply put, these
typ>es of professors are satisfied to produce
college graduates with a degree without an
education. Understandably, many students
reach the college level without attaining
evea the rudimentary level of application.
Many teachers, too many once again, at
lower grade levels also settle for lower
levels of learning. This attitude produces
high school graduates without their attain
ment of even the fimdamental levels of
learning. Many college professors lammt
about having studmts that cannot write
complete sentences or even devise a simple
topic sentence for an essay. Is it any
wonder that those high school graduates
who have attained those fundamental
levels get bored with college work, lose
interest so quiddy, and yearn for stem
professors with an inspiring and challeng
ing message?
Allan Bloom (What’s with all these
“bloom”ing educators, anyway?), in his
book, "The Closing ofthe American Mind,*
professors will also appreciate creativity
and umovation. Students can expect not
only to learn while attaining high stan
dards, but also to have fiin. Leamingcanbe
fun... now there’s a tnily innovative con
cept!
When, and if, an effective, challenging,
^Cominued on next page)