I’ve long been a fan of Bloom’s Taxonomy…not necessarily for all the ways it has been pushed into different fads throughout the years, but instead for the way that it helps me (and my students) think about the learning process. It helps me approach the learning process in a more holistic way, ensuring that I don’t camp out in one way of thinking and evidencing learning for too long. I think it is human nature to get excited about one way of thinking and suddenly everything we do falls into that. It can be a little bit like the new car that you purchased, you begin to see that car everywhere because you have a new awareness of it. I’ve noticed myself doing the same in teaching. Bloom’s Taxonomy helps me to keep myself cognizant of all the different ways to approach learning.
A few years ago, I created some different versions of Bloom’s Taxonomy for my students. I wanted them to really think about all the different ways that they can approach learning. Learning isn’t just memorization. It isn’t just reading and understanding. Most traditional schooling has them believing that this is all there is to learning. One of my goals over the past year is to help students understand that learning is life. It is a part of everything we do. There is something to be learned in every situation and from everyone we encounter. There are different ways to learn that give us a larger understanding and help us to make connections. That is exciting!
You will notice that my images don’t have the traditional Bloom’s pyramid. That is intentional. Each of these ways of thinking is important in its own right. I have used these with students so that they have an awareness of the different ways of learning, but also so that they can see what options are available to them when they are demonstrating learning. Powerful things happen when students can make decisions about how they choose to learn. Challenge them to enter into learning in different ways. A new approach to the same question can bring about amazing new insights.
Are you looking for the full-size poster version of these images? You can find them here, best of all you will be helping me make personalized education a reality for EVERY child. The poster options are along the right side of the page. My favorite is still the Peacock 🙂
And the digital version:
Breakdown of the digital taxonomy with links:
Remember:
BBC Skillwise- http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/
Spelling City- http://spellingcity.com
Starfall- http://starfall.com
Discovery Streaming- http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com
Lexipedia- http://lexipedia.com
YouTube- http://youtube.com
Gamegoo- http://www.earobics.com/gamegoo/gooey.html
PBS Kids- http://pbskids.org
Understand:
Into the Book- http://reading.ecb.org
Skype- http://skype.com
Treasures- http://activities.macmillanmh.com/reading/treasures/
Book Adventure- http://bookadventure.org
Twitter- http://twitter.com
Apply:
Kerpoof- http://kerpoof.com
PhotoBooth- Software
Scholastic- http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/learn.jsp
Fotobabble- http://fotobabble.com
Google Earth- http://google.com/earth
Analyze:
Read Write Think- http://readwritethink.org
Cool Iris- http://cooliris.com
Wordle- http://wordle.net
Creaza- http://creaza.com
Mindomo- http://mindomo.com
Evaluate:
Shelfari- http://shelfari.com
Wikipedia- http://wikipedia.com
Think.com- http://think.com
Nota- http://notaland.com
Create:
Pic-Lits- http://piclits.com
Kerpoof- http://kerpoof.com
ZimmerTwins- http://zimmertwins.com
Wiki Spaces- http://wikispaces.com
DomoNation- http://domonation.com
Glogster- http://edu.glogster.com
Creaza- http://creaza.com
Voicethread- http://voicethread.com
Kidblog- http://kidblog.org
Wetpaint- http://www.wetpaint.com
edublogs- http://edublogs.org
Stage’d- http://stagedproject.com/
Garageband- Software
iMovie- Software
I have also started a breakdown of apps for the iPad by Bloom’s Taxonomy. This one is a work in progress and has not been added to in quite some time.
Are you wondering how you can help me make the Learning Genome Project a reality? Tweet, blog, send it as a story tip to news organizations, donate, send it to family/friends/colleagues/acquaintances. Buy the Bloom’s images above in the Poster version. Thank you for all of your help and support!
