Understanding how we learn and how to measure that learning is fundamental to effective education. In this exploration, we delve into What Are Bloom’s And Anderson Krathwohl’s Comparison Of Cognitive Domains, a powerful framework that helps educators and learners alike grasp the different levels of thinking involved in acquiring knowledge and skills.
The Evolution of Thinking About Thinking
What Are Bloom’s And Anderson Krathwohl’s Comparison Of Cognitive Domains refers to two influential revisions of a foundational taxonomy designed to classify educational learning objectives into levels of complexity and difficulty. Benjamin Bloom’s original taxonomy, published in 1956, provided a hierarchical structure for cognitive skills, moving from basic recall to higher-order thinking. This original framework has been a cornerstone for curriculum design and assessment for decades. The importance of this structured approach lies in its ability to guide educators in crafting learning experiences that foster deeper understanding and critical thinking, rather than mere memorization.
In 2001, Lorin Anderson and David Krathwohl, along with a team of cognitive psychologists, educators, and curriculum researchers, revised Bloom’s taxonomy. This update aimed to make the taxonomy more relevant to current educational practices and research. Key changes included transforming the names of the knowledge and cognitive process dimensions from nouns to verbs, making them more action-oriented and directly applicable to learning objectives. For instance, ‘Knowledge’ became ‘Remembering,’ and ‘Comprehension’ became ‘Understanding.’ The hierarchy remained largely intact, but the emphasis shifted towards the active application of knowledge and cognitive processes.
The comparison of these two influential frameworks highlights a progression in our understanding of cognitive development. While Bloom’s original work laid the groundwork, Anderson and Krathwohl’s revision refined it for contemporary educational needs. Both aim to:
- Categorize learning objectives.
- Guide curriculum development.
- Inform assessment design.
- Promote higher-order thinking skills.
The two versions can be compared as follows:
| Bloom’s Original (Noun) | Anderson & Krathwohl Revision (Verb) |
|---|---|
| Knowledge | Remembering |
| Comprehension | Understanding |
| Application | Applying |
| Analysis | Analyzing |
| Synthesis | Evaluating |
| Evaluation | Creating |
By understanding these comparisons, educators can more effectively design learning activities and assessments that align with specific cognitive goals. Whether you’re developing lesson plans, creating quizzes, or simply aiming to improve your own learning process, the principles of Bloom’s and Anderson Krathwohl’s cognitive domains offer invaluable guidance.
Dive deeper into these essential concepts by exploring the detailed explanations and practical applications provided in the subsequent sections.