Critical and Creative Thinking - Bloom's Taxonomy Page 1 of 3

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Critical and Creative Thinking - Bloom's Taxonomy
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LIBRARIES & LITERACY What are critical thinking and creative thinking?
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What's Bloom's taxonomy and how is it helpful in project planning?

How are the domains of learning reflected in technology-rich projects?

Benjamin Bloom (1956) developed a classification of levels of intellectual behavior in learning. This
taxonomy contained three overlapping domains: the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. Within
the cognitive domain, he identified six levels: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis,
synthesis, and evaluation. These domains and levels are still useful today as you develop the
critical thinking skills of your students.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking involves logical thinking and reasoning including skills such as comparison,
classification, sequencing, cause/effect, patterning, webbing, analogies, deductive and inductive
reasoning, forecasting, planning, hyphothesizing, and critquing.

Explore the Georgia Critical Thinking Skills Program. It contains links to lessons and resources
in many areas of critical thinking

Creative Thinking

Creative thinking involves creating something new or original. It involves the skills of flexibility, originality, fluency, elaboration,
brainstorming, modification, imagery, associative thinking, attribute listing, metaphorical thinking, forced relationships. The aim of
creative thinking is to stimulate curiosity and promote divergence.

Read the article Teaching Thinking Skills and Critical and Creative Thinking for additional background information.

While critical thinking can be thought of as more left-brain and creative thinking more right brain, they both involve "thinking."
When we talk about HOTS "higher-order thinking skills" we're concentrating on the top three levels of Bloom's Taxonomy:
analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
Knowledge
collect describe identify list show tell tabulate
define examine label name retell state quote
enumerate match read record reproduce copy select
Examples: dates, events, places, vocabulary, key ideas, parts of diagram, 5Ws

Comprehension
associate compare distinguish extend interpret predict differentiate
contrast describe discuss estimate group summarize order
cite convert explain paraphrase restate trace
Examples: find meaning, transfer, interpret facts, infer cause & consequence, examples

Application
apply classify change illustrate solve demonstrate
calculate complete solve modify show experiment
relate discover act administer articulate chart
collect compute construct determine develop establish
prepare produce report teach transfer use
Examples: use information in new situations, solve problems

Analysis
analyze arrange connect divide infer separate
classify compare contrast explain select order
breakdown correlate diagram discriminate focus illustrate
infer outline prioritize subdivide points out prioritize
Examples: recognize and explain patterns and meaning, see parts and wholes

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Critical and Creative Thinking - Bloom's Taxonomy Page 2 of 3

Synthesis
combine compose generalize modify invent plan substitute
create formulate integrate rearrange design speculate rewrite
adapt anticipate collaborate compile devise express facilitate
reinforce structure substitute intervene negotiate reorganize validate
Examples: discuss "what if" situations, create new ideas, predict and draw conclusions

Evaluation
assess compare decide discriminate measure rank test
convince conclude explain grade judge summarize support
appraise criticize defend persuade justify reframe
Examples: make recommendations, assess value and make choices, critique ideas

Affective Domain
Domain Attributes: interpersonal relations, emotions, attitudes, appreciations, and values
id
accepts attempts challenges defends disputes joins judges
contributes praises questions shares supports volunteers

Resources on Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom's Taxonomy by J. Prado - This site contains the levels, example words, products, and example questions.

Other Sites with an Overview and Key Words:

Bloom's Taxonomy: An Overview from Family Education Network's TeacherVision

Taxonomy of Educational Objectives developed by A. Harrow, adapted by T. Allen - This page provides sample questions.

Learning Skills Program: Bloom's Taxonomy from University of Victoria - This page lists the six levels of the cognitive domain
with examples.

Other Sites Listing the Taxonomy:

Designing and Managing MCQs from University of Cape Town, South Africa

Major Categories in the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives by G. Krumme, University of Washington, Seattle

Question Types Based on Bloom's Taxonomy from University of Colorado

Bloom's Taxonomy from University of Mississippi

Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum by B. Fowler, Longview Community College - Explore the questions associated with
each Bloom category.

Critical Thinking Resources

Critical Thinking from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga - This webpage provides an overview of critical thinking.

Critical Thinking on the Web by T. van Gelder at The University of Melbourne - This links page provide connects to lots of
teaching and learning resources related to critical thinking.

Free Brainstorming Training from Infinite Innovations Ltd - Learn basic and advanced techniques for brainstorming.

Mission: Critical from San Jose State University - This website provides an advanced look at critical thinking and specifically
analysis of arguments and persuasion.

Examples and Applications of Critical Thinking

Evaluating Primary Sources from Library of Congress's American Memory - This website does a great job providing an example
of using Bloom's Taxonomy for evaluating primary resource materials.

http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic69.htm 4/15/2010