Bloom’s Taxonomy Re-imagine & Digital Blooms: different ways to approach learning

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!

iPad/iPod Touch App Bloom’s Taxonomy

I’m sure you all have figured out by now that I am a fan of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Big. Fan.  How could an organization freak like me not be impressed with a way of categorizing how we learn and produce?  Recently I came across not one but two Bloom’s taxonomy resources for apps.  Organizational heaven I tell ya.  I thought I would share all of this appy, bloomy goodness with you!

Bloom’s Apps

Teach with Your iPad: Bloom’s Taxonomy apps

Pretty cool right? Right.  Didn’t get your fill of Blooms?  Here are some other resources I have created:

Bloom’s Taxonomy Live Binder

Bloomin’ Peacock

Bloomin’ Pinwheel

Umbloomra

Bloomin’ Tree

Oh yeah, in case you forgot, I organize ALL of my posts by Bloom’s Taxonomy level both here on iLearn Technology and on my app sharing blog iPad Curriculum.  Just choose the level of Blooms in the category search in the sidebar and away you go.  Happy bloomin’ friends!

You can purchase my Bloom’s posters in PDF 8.5″x11″ format from my store (only $0.99 for all 4, a steal!)  Sales help fund Donor’s Choose projects like this one that funded a class set of Leap Frog systems:


Free WebEvent with Livebinders and Yours Truly: Creative Thinking with Digital Bloom’s Taxonomy

Mark your calendars for a FREE web event this Thursday, January 13 (2011).  Click here to find out when it will be live in your timezone.  I will be joining the ladies at Livebinders and Dean Mantz for a conversation about Creative Thinking. The discussion will be focusing on Blooms to inspire critical thinking and collaboration creatively using a variety of web tools.  I will provide some insight to her methods of evaluating sites and tools before I recommend them on iLearn Technology.  It is sure to be a fun time!

Join us on Thursday using this link.

I created this Digital Bloom’s Taxonomy Livebinder for the web event, start perusing it now and bring your questions to the live event.  This Livebinder has a variety of my favorite websites and webtools organized by Bloom’s Taxonomy.

I hope to see you all there!