Customized Bloom’s Taxonomy

The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, often called Bloom's Taxonomy, is a classification of the different learning outcomes that educators set for students.  Bloom's Taxonomy divides educational objectives into three domains: Affective, Psychomotor, and Cognitive.  In Bloom's hierarchical taxonomy, achievement at the higher levels is dependent on having attained prerequisite knowledge at lower levels. (see Bloom B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.)

The ACM Committee for Computing Education in Community Colleges has adapted Bloom’s original taxonomy in developing a rubric for the assessment of student learning outcomes in its computing curricula.  This customization includes only the relevant domains, Cognitive and Affective.  The levels identified in the Cognitive domain revolve around knowledge, comprehension, and thinking through a particular topic.  In its computing curricula, the ACM Committee for Computing Education in Community Colleges uses the Cognitive domain to assess student mastery of technical subject matter.  There are six levels in the taxonomy for the Cognitive domain, progressing from the lowest order processes to the highest:

1. Knowledge - The ability to recall what has been learned.
2. Comprehension - The ability to demonstrate a basic understanding of communicated material or information.
3. Application - The ability to put basic rules, conventions, ideas and concepts together to solve new problems.
4. Analysis - The ability to deconstruct information logically into components to ascertain interrelationships and to distinguish between facts and inferences.
5. Synthesis - The ability to assemble ideas creatively to design or develop a new or unique product or structure.
6. Evaluation - The ability to judge the value or usefulness of materials, ideas or information based on established standards and criteria.

The levels identified in the Affective domain describe the way people react emotionally and their ability to feel empathy for another.  Affective outcomes typically assess awareness and growth in attitudes, emotion, and feelings. In its computing curricula, the ACM Committee for Computing Education in Community Colleges uses the Affective domain to assess student demonstration of soft skills such as professional behavior, ethical conduct, and social awareness of the impact of technology. There are five levels in the affective domain progressing from the lowest order processes to the highest:

1. Receiving – Students become aware of an attitude, behavior, or value.
2. Responding – Students exhibit a reaction or change as a result of exposure to an attitude, behavior, or value.
3. Valuing – Students recognize value and display this through involvement or commitment.
4. Organizing – Students determine a new value or behavior as important or a priority.
5. Characterizing – Students integrate consistent behavior as a naturalized value in spite of discomfort or cost. The value is recognized as a part of the person’s character.

 Cognitive Domain
Student Learning Outcomes related to knowledge

The tasks charted below increase in sophistication moving from left to right.

Basic Knowledge Level                                   More Sophisticated, Higher Level Thinking,
                                                                        Critical Thinking

Affective Domain
Student Learning Outcomes related to attitudes, behaviors, and values
     
Elementary Values and Behaviors                                          More highly developed attitudes