How to Use Blooms Learning Objectives with Technical Content
Establishing clear learning objectives when creating lesson plans is essential, especially for adults. This shift focuses on mere content delivery to achieving tangible, measurable outcomes. With the rise of layoffs, the need for adequate technical training and enablement has never been more critical. This article explores the intricacies of creating effective outcome-based lesson plans, harnessing the power of Bloom’s Taxonomy, and setting the stage for meaningful, transformative learning experiences.
One of my favorite tools is outcome-based lesson planning. This approach, which focuses on defining what learners should know or be able to do by the end of a lesson or course, has revolutionized modern education. By leveraging Bloom’s Learning Objectives and Bloom’s Action Verbs, we can structure learning in a manner that encourages adults not only to remember but also to understand and apply technical knowledge.
Understanding and applying concepts deeply is crucial for adult learners, especially in technical fields. Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy fosters critical thinking and self-assessment skills, enabling learners to analyze, evaluate, and create based on their understanding. This method is particularly beneficial for adults who need to adapt to new challenges in their professional lives. Creating content tailored to adult learners, focusing on their clear objectives and practical mindset, is key to providing an enriching and effective learning experience.
Before you can understand a concept, you must remember it. To apply a concept you must first understand it. In order to evaluate a process, you must have analyzed it.
From, Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Write Effective Learning Outcomes – University of Arkansas’ Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center (TFSC)
Why is Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy Important for Adult Technical Learners?
Adult learners need an education beyond memorization and favor a more profound grasp of concepts. Bloom’s popularity and importance are due to its effectiveness for adult learners. It structures learning in a manner that encourages adults to remember, understand, and apply technical knowledge.
This approach is essential in technical fields where deep comprehension is required for successful application. The real value of learning for adults, especially in specialized technical domains, lies in the practical application of concepts.
The framework emphasizes learning outcomes that enable adults to transfer theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges, enhancing their problem-solving capabilities. Such hands-on application is essential for personal growth and in professional environments where technical skills are routinely tested.
Critical thinking and self-assessment are indispensable today in daily life and today’s fast-paced technical fields, and Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy fosters these skills. It encourages learners to analyze, evaluate, and create based on their understanding, a method particularly beneficial for adult learners who often need to adapt to new challenges in their professional lives.
Adults approach learning with clear objectives and a practical mindset.
Why is it Important to Write Content Specifically for Adult Learners?
Adult learners bring a diverse array of life experiences to their educational journey. Therefore, content tailored for them should acknowledge and build upon these various backgrounds, creating a learning experience that is both relatable and enriching. Recognizing and leveraging their prior knowledge validates their experiences and enhances their understanding of new concepts.
Adults approach learning with clear objectives and a practical mindset. They need content that is directly relevant, applies to their goals, and provides immediate benefits. Hence, creating straightforward content focused on real-world applications is crucial and offers tangible benefits to maintain their motivation and engagement.
Adult learners need content that is directly relevant and applicable to their goals and provides immediate benefits. This is one of the most important goals of today’s learning environment.
Finally, interactive engagement is a cornerstone of adult learning. The content designed for this audience should inform and provide an interactive platform that stimulates thought, discussion, and practical application. Making content captivating and relatable makes it more memorable and effective, fostering a deeper and more enriching adult learning experience.
First, some background to set the stage …….
What is Bloom’s Taxonomy?
Bloom’s Taxonomy, a cornerstone concept in educational theory, provides a structured classification of learning objectives to foster higher levels of thinking in education.
This framework can be instrumental in crafting effective learning objectives for complex subjects such as Power BI, Data Visualization, and Data Analysis.
It has been widely adopted in educational settings. The organizing guides curriculum development, instructional design, and assessment, becoming vital to helping educators create more effective and engaging adult learning experiences.
Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised 2021
Cite this guide: Armstrong, P. (2010). Bloom’s Taxonomy. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching.
Retrieved July 28, 2023, from Bloom’s Taxonomy | Center for Teaching | Vanderbilt University
Bloom’s Original Taxonomy (1956) vs The Revised Taxonomy (2001)
The original Bloom’s Taxonomy, introduced in 1956, comprises six levels of cognitive skills:
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
Each level represents a higher cognitive skill, with ‘Knowledge’ being the most basic level and ‘Evaluation’ being the most advanced.
As adult education needs evolved, Bloom’s Taxonomy was revised to introduce changes to the original levels. The Revised Taxonomy replaces ‘Knowledge’ with ‘Remembering,’ ‘Comprehension’ with ‘Understanding,’ and ‘Synthesis’ with ‘Creating’ and rearranges the order of the levels.
Bloom’s Original Taxonomy (1956) vs The Revised Taxonomy (2001) (Click to Zoom)
Bloom’s Taxonomy Comes from The Three Domains of Educational Activities or Learning
In Bloom’s research, educational activities or learning experiences are categorized into Cognitive, Affective, and Psychomotor domains. Each domain represents a different aspect of learning and is associated with specific skills and objectives.
By considering all three domains, educators can design more holistic and effective learning experiences that address the mind, heart, and body.
The following lists the Three Domains of Learning and an example related to an Introduction to Power BI Workshop.
Three Domains of Educational Activities or Learning (Click to Zoom)
The Pivotal Role Cognitive Domain of Bloom’s Taxonomy
Adult learners typically seek more than surface-level knowledge; they desire understanding and skills they can apply in real-life situations. The Cognitive Domain addresses this by encouraging higher-order thinking skills like analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information.
I prefer concentrating my training materials on the Cognitive Domain of Bloom’s Taxonomy. It’s not just about learning new facts or procedures but transforming how adults think, analyze, and conceptualize.
This approach is crucial for adults who often need to integrate new knowledge with their existing experiences and apply it in their workplace or daily lives. By engaging the cognitive processes, adult learning moves beyond rote memorization to foster a more profound, meaningful educational experience that empowers learners to think critically and solve problems effectively.
This depth of learning is especially valuable in today’s professional landscapes, where the ability to adapt and apply knowledge creatively is paramount.
Taxonomy Of Learning Objectives: Understanding the hierarchy of outcomes.
Bloom’s Taxonomy presents a structured approach to learning, categorizing objectives hierarchically. This hierarchy is especially important in tech education, ensuring learners grasp foundational concepts before diving into advanced topics. The Walk, before you can Run 🙂
At the base of the hierarchy, we have the “Knowledge” level, which focuses on recall and recognition. For instance, a beginner’s Power BI course might involve identifying the software’s primary features. As we move up the hierarchy, the “Comprehension” and “Application” levels, where learners might interpret data visualizations or apply specific Power BI functions.
The top of the taxonomy, including “Analysis,” “Synthesis,” and “Evaluation,” demand higher cognitive skills. Data analysis could involve examining complex data sets, combining data from various sources, or evaluating the efficacy of different data visualization techniques.
For a course on Data Visualization, a “Knowledge” level objective might be “Recognize the basic types of data visualizations.” As learners progress, an “Evaluation” level objective could challenge them to “Critique the effectiveness of a given visualization in conveying complex data trends.”
Important We are going to come back again and again to the Hierarchical Nature of Learning Outcomes.In working with adult learners in the field of technology and data, understanding the hierarchical nature of learning outcomes is essential. This hierarchy ensures learners build a strong foundation before advancing to more complex topics, especially in intricate subjects like Power BI, Data Visualization, and Data Analysis.
Blooms Taxonomy Learning Objectives Action Verbs
Bloom’s Taxonomy Cognitive Domain of Learning identifies six ascending steps of cognitive operations: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create. Each step is marked by distinctive verbs that characterize the cognitive skills pertinent to that stage.
Each row in this table represents a level of Bloom’s Taxonomy; the second column lists action verbs that define the cognitive skill at that level. These action verbs can be used to create clear and measurable learning objectives for each level of cognitive development.
Use these verbs to make your objective impactful.
Graphic by Steve Young
I often return to these action verbs to help describe the learning activities that help explain the learning objectives corresponding to each level. They also help as a guide to help design activities best suited to each level.
Dive into Outcome-Based Lesson Planning
Outcome-based lesson planning is a transformative approach in education. It shifts the focus from what is being taught to what will be learned. Educators can design more targeted and impactful lessons by centering on the desired outcomes.
Let’s explore the intricacies of this approach and how it can lead to more effective learning experiences.
The Essence of Effective Learning: Breaking down the components of a successful lesson plan.
A successful lesson plan is more than just a sequence of activities. It’s a roadmap that ensures students acquire, understand, and apply knowledge.
Components of a Successful Lesson Plan
Use the Taxonomy to Help Set Goals: Practical steps to align objectives with course goals.
Setting clear and aligned goals can make or break any educational initiative. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy as a guide, educators can ensure that their objectives are hierarchical and directly related to the overarching course goals.
Begin by identifying the primary goal or outcome of the course. For a course on Data Analysis using Power BI, this might be “Effectively analyze and visualize data using Power BI.” With this goal in mind, break it down into smaller, more specific objectives, each aligning with a level of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
At the foundational level, objectives might focus on understanding the Power BI interface and basic data manipulation techniques. As the course progresses, objectives can shift towards more advanced topics, such as custom visualization creation or integrating Power BI with other tools.
In a course on mastering Data Visualization techniques, initial objectives might include “Navigate the Power BI interface” (Knowledge level) or “Apply basic data filtering techniques” (Application level). Later, the objectives could evolve to “Design a comprehensive dashboard that integrates multiple data sources” (Synthesis level).
Remember the example from above; let’s look at the Outcome Action Verbs.
The Revised Taxonomy with Outcome Action Verbs (Click to Zoom)
Objectives Aligned: The relationship between lesson-level outcomes and course-level outcomes.
Mastering a subject, especially one as intricate as Data Analysis or Power BI, requires a clear alignment between lessons and broader course-level outcomes.
Lesson-level outcomes are specific, focusing on individual topics or modules within the course. For instance, a lesson in a Data Visualization course might have the outcome “Create scatter plots in Power BI.” These granular outcomes feed into the broader course-level outcome, such as “Master advanced visualization techniques in Power BI.”
When combined, ensuring that these lesson-level outcomes provide the learner with the skills and knowledge needed to achieve the course-level outcome is essential. This alignment assures that each lesson contributes meaningfully to the learner’s journey toward mastery.
In a comprehensive course on Data Analysis, individual lesson outcomes like “Analyze data trends using Power BI” or “Interpret statistical outputs” support the overarching course outcome of “Become proficient in data analysis using modern tools and techniques.”
Lesson Supports the Module that Supports the Course That Supports the Program.
Each is separate but works together to achieve the goals of successful students.
Write Effective Learning Outcomes: Tips and tricks for crafting impactful outcomes.
As educators, we encounter distinct challenges in the ever-evolving field of technology education. Specifically, creating impactful learning outcomes and establishing well-defined student objectives is crucial in domains like Power BI, Data Visualization, and Data Analysis. In this regard, let’s explore some practical tips to assist teachers.
Crafting effective learning outcomes is both an art and a science. These outcomes are the foundation for any educational endeavor and guide teaching and learning.
Begin by being specific. Instead of a broad outcome like “Understand Power BI,” opt for “Demonstrate the ability to create interactive dashboards using Power BI.” Utilize action verbs that clearly indicate the expected level of cognition, such as “list,” “analyze,” or “design.”
Ensure that the outcomes are measurable. This allows for clear assessment and feedback. For instance, “Analyze data sets using Power BI to derive actionable insights” provides a clear metric for evaluation.
Align the learning outcomes with the broader goals of the course and the learners' needs. This ensures that the outcomes are relevant and achievable within the course’s scope.
In a course on Advanced Data Visualization, instead of a vague outcome like “Know different visualization types,” a more actionable one would be “Design and implement custom visualizations in Power BI tailored to specific data sets.”
Setting Learning Objectives: Best practices for educators.
Setting clear and aligned learning objectives is pivotal in guiding the educational journey. These objectives provide a roadmap, ensuring learners know where they’re headed.
Start with the end in mind. Determine what you want the learners to achieve by the end of the course. For a Data Analysis course, this might be “Effectively interpret and visualize complex data sets.”
Break down this overarching goal into smaller, lesson-level objectives. These should be sequential, ensuring each objective builds on the previous one. For instance, before diving into advanced statistical methods in Power BI, ensure that learners are comfortable with basic data manipulation techniques.
These objectives are reviewed and adjusted regularly based on feedback and the learners’ progress. This dynamic approach ensures that the learning experience remains relevant and effective.
In a module on Predictive Modeling in Power BI, initial objectives might include “Understanding the basics of regression analysis.” As learners progress, this could evolve to “Implement and interpret regression models in Power BI to forecast future trends.”
Examples of Learning Objectives: Real-world examples to illustrate effective objectives.
This is a sample outline I was working with for a quick one-on-one. The main purpose was to have an outline to teach someone how to “Designing a Dashboard” module in a “Learning Power BI” course. This shows the leveled outcomes for one of the modules with specific action verbs.
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Course: Introduction to Power BI
Overall Course Outcome
Learners can utilize Power BI to create interactive and visually compelling dashboards for data analysis and reporting.
Module: Designing a Dashboard
Module Outcome
By the end of this module, learners will demonstrate the ability to design, implement, and evaluate effective Power BI dashboards, applying data visualization principles and dashboard usability.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Dashboard Design
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Lesson Outcome: Learners can describe a dashboard’s key components and purposes in Power BI.
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Activities:
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Recall and list essential dashboard elements.
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Identify and define the functions of different types of visualizations.
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Lesson 2: Organizing Data for Dashboard Clarity
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Lesson Outcome: Learners will apply data organization techniques to enhance dashboard clarity and usability.
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Activities:
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Summarize principles of effective data organization.
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Apply these principles to categorize and arrange data sets in Power BI.
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This outline shows the progression from basic understanding to application and evaluation, ensuring learners grasp the theoretical aspects and apply them practically in designing Power BI dashboards.
Conclusion
Outcome-based lesson planning can transform the adult educational experience. It allows us to move beyond simply delivering information to creating an environment where learning is measurable, meaningful, and deeply rooted in real-world application.
This approach respects and leverages adult learners’ existing knowledge and life experiences in technical fields, addressing their need for relevant, practical, and immediately applicable learning.
By adopting these techniques, we, as educators, create the conditions for a more empowered, skilled, and adaptable workforce. We ensure that learners bring competence, creativity, and confidence to their professional and personal lives.
