Running head: CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING - BLOOM'S 1

TAXONOMY

Critical and Creative Thinking - Bloom's Taxonomy

Rajendrasinh Dodia (1011001)

University of Canada West

Dr. Chris Tabi

MBA 502 Business Environment

Wednesday, 9 February 2011

CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING - BLOOM'S TAXONOMY 2

Abstract
This article will review briefly on Bloom’s Taxonomy and strategic planning as well as the

critical and creative thinking. Initially Following the 1948 Delegation of the American

Psychological Association, Benjamin Bloom started developing a classification of the objectives

of the academic process. In year 1956, Benjamin Bloom developed a classification of levels of

intellectual behavior in learning. This classification contains three domains, which overlap each

other: the cognitive, psychomotor and affective. Eventually, Bloom and his team constituted a

hierarchy of academic objectives, which is mainly referred to as Bloom’s Taxonomy. As even

today, these domains and levels are useful as you develop the critical thinking of students.
CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING - BLOOM'S TAXONOMY 3

Critical and Creative Thinking - Bloom's Taxonomy

According to the British Columbia’s Ministry of Education site, the student should

concentrate on what they are studying as well as the course of action. As said initially by

Einstein and Infeld (1938) “The formulation of a problem is often more important that its

solution, which may be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill. To raise new

questions, a new possibility, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires imagination and

marks real advance in science.” The classification of these processes is as follows:

 Critical Thinking

 Creative Thinking

 Problem Solving

 Research

According to Aviles (2000), “Critical thinking is often apprehending as a heavy drilling

of the brainpower, an imperceptible pursuit, reserved for the likes of Aristotle and Einstein.”

However, critical thinking can be defined in simple words as “what you can generate from what

you know”. The ones who truly learned it are the ones who can visualize mentally the content for

themselves. Now according to the Bloom’s taxonomy, initially you must gain knowledge and

comprehensive abilities. Gradually under critical thinking, you learn how the information can be

analyzed, synthesized and evaluated. Figure below shows the six cognitive levels of the

taxonomy arranged from the lowest level (Knowledge) to the highest (Evaluation), along with

verbs associated with common student tasks. (Aviles, 2000)

CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING - BLOOM'S TAXONOMY 4

(* Created from table in B S Bloom Taxonomy of educational objectives. Published by Allyn

and Bacon, Boston, MA.1984)

CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING - BLOOM'S TAXONOMY 5

Knowledge: This is the first and easiest cognitive level in bloom’s taxonomy. In higher

educational system, the instructors simply use textbooks and create exams based on textbooks’

contents because it is the most commonly used level of testing. (Bloom, 1956)

Comprehension: Is the competency to analyzing, defining and anticipating of Ideas and

information. In simple words, figuring out material by bringing out more than recalling and

repeating.

Application: Application is identified as process of taking leaning and educational situations to

a new degree.

Analysis: At this level of taxonomy, breaking down and examining of various aspects of what is

being learned is carried out. The process can be done as a whole or in parts, with which

conclusions can be made from it.

Synthesis: This is one of the most important level in taxonomy because this is the level where

new ideas and information that is already being analyzed is amalgamated. In simple word,

synthesis can be considered as stage or creativity where the ideas, information, or conclusion

produced are new or unique.

Evaluation: This is the final stage/level of taxonomy where final judgments are made depended

on the internal and external evidences and criteria. Moreover, it involves taking in to

consideration all the above stages and conclusions produced from each of them.

Bloom’s taxonomy and six cognitive levels can be used in almost every field. It can be very

much helpful in strategic planning.

At the same time only critical thinking is not enough it has to be also creative too. Creative

thinking can be defined as capability of going beyond the information and consolidating
CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING - BLOOM'S TAXONOMY 6

unrelated ideas and information together and arrive with new ideas and information with modern

way of expression. The four major etiquettes associated are:

 Fluency

 Flexibility

 Originality

 Elaboration

SCAMPER

“Scamper is a strategy that can be used to break mind-set and enhance creative thinking.” Under

this to take or create new decision or solutions, student must ask “What Might I… Substitute?

Combine? Adapt? Modify? Put to other uses? Eliminate? Rearrange? (Eberle, 1987).

Strategic Planning

Learning systems are required that encourage broad reasoning, problem solving, and critical

thinking. From centuries, the instructors were challenged during their quest of flawless teaching

and learning method. Direct method had been condemned for falling sort on stressing practical

problem solving and critical thinking. As the future can never be predicted correctly, there are

always chances of uncertainty. So, under planning process even though “How good the plan is…

How good the planning process is” there are some uncertainty attached to it. In such case,

Bloom’s taxonomy can be more helpful in the process of planning. Use of bloom taxonomy and

process in Strategic planning

CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING - BLOOM'S TAXONOMY 7

References

Aviles C B. 2000, Teaching and Testing for Critical Thinking with Bloom’s Taxonomy

of Education Objectives

Retrieved from: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED446023.pdf

BC Education website

Retrieved from: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/gifted/process.htm

University of Victoria website

Retrieved from: http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learning/exams/blooms-taxonomy.html

HANNAFIN M J. & LAND S M. 1997,

Retrieved from: http://web.utk.edu/~mperkin2/hannafin.pdf