Can online learning foster higher levels of cognitive thinking in Bloom’s taxonomy?

Why does online tuition struggle to develop higher levels of learning?

These challenges arise from the nature of the online learning environment and the methods employed. Here are some key reasons why online tuition may struggle to foster higher-order thinking skills:

Lack of Personal Interaction:

Online tuition often lacks the face-to-face interaction that traditional classrooms provide. In-person discussions, debates, and real-time interactions between students and educators can be instrumental in nurturing critical thinking and higher-order cognitive skills. The absence of immediate feedback and spontaneous interactions might hinder the depth of analysis and synthesis that is often facilitated in a physical classroom.

Overemphasis on Lower-Order Cognitive Skills:

Online learning platforms sometimes prioritise knowledge acquisition and comprehension over higher-order cognitive skills due to the ease of assessing factual information through multiple-choice questions and quizzes. As a result, learners might focus more on rote memorisation rather than engaging in deep analysis, evaluation, and creative problem-solving.

Limited Practical Application:

Online tuition can struggle to provide hands-on and experiential learning opportunities, especially in fields that require practical application, experimentation, or physical engagement. Certain higher-level skills, such as designing experiments, creating artwork, or conducting field studies, may be challenging to replicate effectively in a virtual environment.

Isolation and Motivation Challenges:

The solitary nature of online learning might lead to feelings of isolation and reduced motivation among students. Collaborative activities and discussions that facilitate the exchange of ideas and perspectives, vital for higher-order thinking, can be hindered by technological glitches, time zone differences, and communication barriers.

Assessment Limitations:

Assessing higher-order thinking skills through traditional methods like online quizzes and exams might be limited. These assessments might not adequately capture a student's ability to analyse complex problems, synthesize information from various sources, or critically evaluate arguments, as they often require open-ended responses and in-depth reasoning.

What is Bloom’s taxonomy?

Bloom's Taxonomy is a hierarchical framework that classifies different levels of cognitive learning objectives. It was developed by educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom in 1956, and later revised by his colleagues and other educators. The taxonomy categorises cognitive skills into six levels, ranging from lower-order thinking skills to higher-order thinking skills. These levels represent the complexity of mental processes involved in learning and understanding various concepts. Each level has associated verbs that are used by educators and learners to identify the level at which they are currently learning. The six levels, in ascending order, are:

Level 1: Remember

At the Remember or Knowledge level, learners demonstrate their ability to recall and remember information. This involves recalling facts, concepts, definitions, and details without necessarily understanding their deeper meanings. Activities at this level include listing, naming, defining, identifying, and describing. For example, students might recall historical dates, scientific terms, or basic principles. Examples of verbs associated with this level are (see adjacent word cloud for more): recall, recite, select, quote.

Level 2: Understand

Understand or Comprehension moves beyond mere recall and requires understanding the meaning of information. Learners at this level can explain concepts in their own words, interpret data, and summarize main ideas. Activities might involve rephrasing information, translating complex ideas into simpler terms, and providing examples to demonstrate understanding. Examples of verbs associated with this level are: express, explain, summarise.

Level 3: Apply

Application involves using learned concepts and information to solve problems or address real-world situations. Learners demonstrate their ability to apply knowledge in practical contexts. Activities could include solving equations, conducting experiments, applying theories to case studies, or using tools and techniques to achieve specific goals. Examples of verbs associated with this level are: compute, calculate, determine, use.

Level 4: Analyse

Analysis delves into breaking down complex ideas or information into smaller components to understand their relationships and patterns. This level requires learners to identify underlying structures, connections, and causes. Activities include identifying themes, categorizing information, dissecting arguments, and recognizing patterns in data. Examples of verbs associated with this level are: characterise, compare, investigate.

Level 5: Evaluate

Evaluation is often interchangeable with Synthesis as the highest level of cognitive thinking, where learners make judgments about the value, quality, and credibility of information, ideas, or solutions. This level requires critical thinking, the ability to weigh evidence, and articulate informed opinions. Activities include critiquing arguments, assessing the reliability of sources, and making decisions based on a thorough analysis of different options. Examples of verbs associated with this level are: appraise, critique, justify, recommend.

Level 6: Create

Create, sometimes known as Synthesis, is about creating something new by combining existing elements in novel ways. This level fosters creativity and originality. Learners might generate hypotheses, design experiments, compose music, or develop new theories. Synthesis involves the integration of concepts from lower levels of Bloom's Taxonomy to create a cohesive and innovative whole. Examples of verbs associated with this level are: arrange, construct, design, develop, formulate.

Throughout these levels, learners progress from foundational knowledge to increasingly complex cognitive skills. Higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy build upon lower levels, as learners move from basic recall to deeper understanding, application, analysis, synthesis, and finally, evaluation. Bloom's Taxonomy provides educators with a structured framework for designing learning experiences, assessments, and curriculum that gradually build students' cognitive skills. By progressing through the levels, educators aim to encourage deeper understanding, critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and effective communication. The taxonomy serves as a guide to help educators set clear learning objectives, develop appropriate teaching strategies, and assess students' mastery of different cognitive skills.

Sohkahtoa, Bloom’s taxonomy and higher levels of learning

Sohkahtoa is designed with a comprehensive approach to support learning across all levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.

Video Lessons:

Video lessons provide foundational knowledge (Level 1) by presenting information, concepts, and explanations. Learners comprehend (Level 2) the material through visual and auditory means. To enhance learning, the videos incorporate examples, real-world applications, and scenarios that encourage learners to apply (Level 3) what they've learned.

Topic Quizzes:

Topic quizzes assess knowledge (Level ) and understanding (Level 2) of the material. They test whether students can recall facts, concepts, and explanations. Questions are set up to enable students to apply (Level 3) their knowledge to solve simple problems.

Real-World Quizzes:

Real-world quizzes are designed to promote higher level learning when student apply (Level 3) and analyse (Level 4) concepts in practical scenarios. These quizzes encourage learners to take their knowledge and apply it to real-life situations, fostering deeper understanding. By encountering complex, authentic problems, students are challenged to think critically and creatively to arrive at solutions. Through these authentic problems, students are required to evaluate (Level 5) their solutions and will often need to compare and contrast their solutions.

Student-Created Questions:

This feature is particularly beneficial for higher-order cognitive skills. Students create their own questions requiring them to synthesise (Level 6) their understanding of the material. By designing meaningful questions, they need to analyse (Level 4) the core concepts and evaluate (Level 5) what is most important. Student created questions are checked using AI to provide immediate support and to reinforce students' ability to assess the quality and validity of their own work.

AI Tutor Support:

AI tutor support can cater to different cognitive levels. At the lower levels, it can provide immediate feedback for correct answers, helping students confirm their knowledge and understanding. For higher levels, AI support can guide students through analysis, evaluation , and synthesis by posing probing questions, encouraging critical thinking, and suggesting alternative approaches.

By incorporating these features, Sohkahtoa provides a holistic approach to learning that spans across Bloom's Taxonomy. The combination of video lessons, quizzes, real-world application, AI tutor support, and student-generated questions supports learners in progressing from foundational knowledge to advanced levels of thinking. This comprehensive approach helps students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practical contexts.