The New Taxonomies: Moving From the

Knowledge Age to the Conceptual Age

Valorie Hargett, Section Chief

Social Studies/English Language Arts
Secondary Division
North Carolina Department of Public
Instruction

Fall 2006

IF
Intelligence is teachable, learnable, multiple types
Intelligence is impacted by experience, instruction and/or by nature
Intelligenceis flexible and subject to change, both up and down
Intelligence has the capacity to continue growing throughout ones life
Intelligence (cognitive functioning) is enhanced and/or impacted by
certain interventions

THEN
What are our universal frameworks, models or theories in
which we communicate with one another to grow or increase
our cognitive capacity?
Fall 2006

Introducing the 1950s

Benjamin Bloom Used for the past fifty years as a codification system
whereby educators could design learning objectives
that have a hierarchical organization
Remains a standard reference for discussions of
testing and evaluation, curriculum development and
teaching and teacher education.
Became a powerful tool for objectives-based
evaluation that had not been achieved before
Fall 2006

Model of Evaluation

1965 - Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)

1970 - Statewide testing
1980 - Higher levels of thinking
1983 - A Nation at Risk
1984 - ASCD, Racine, Wisconsin
1985 - 32 States testing
1990 - Additional states enter
2001 - NCLB
Fall 2006

The Original Blooms Taxonomy

Framework for communication between
individuals
Tool for designing test items especially
multiple choice

Fall 2006

The Original Blooms Taxonomy

Evaluation
Synthesis

Analyzes
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge
Fall 2006

The Original Blooms Taxonomy

Evaluation
Synthesis

Analyzes
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge
Fall 2006

All NOUNS for processes

One dimensional

Hierarchical

Degrees of difficulty as the basis

for the difference between levels
of the taxonomy

Multiple types of Knowledge

Very cognitively ambiguous

verbs

Failure for trained educators to

recognize questions at higher
levels as more difficult than at
lower levels

Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge

The Original Blooms Taxonomy

Fall2006

Why the Revised Taxonomy?

Historical link (1949 to the present)
Two dimensions match the structure of all
objectives: subject-verb-object.
Verbs are critical since they represent the cognitive
processes; objects, in noun form, represent the
subject-matter content.
Complete crossing of rows with columns (i.e.,
students can remember factual, conceptual,
procedural, and metacognitive knowledge).
Fall 2006

THE TAXONOMY TABLE

1.
REMEMBER

A. Factual
Knowledge

B. Conceptual
Knowledge

C. Procedural
Knowledge

D. Metacognitive
Knowledge

Fall2006

2.
UNDERSTAND

3.

4.

5.

6.

APPLY

ANALYZE

EVALUATE

CREATE

TheRevisedBloomsTaxonomyTable
ProjectBrightIDEA2KindergartenLanguageArts

TheCognitiveProcessDimension

The
Knowledge
Dimension
A
Factual
Knowledge

B
Conceptual
Knowledge
C
Procedural
Knowledge

1
Remember

2
Understand

3
Apply

4
Analyze

5
Evaluate

6
Create

G2.03A1
G1.04A1

G1.01A2
G1.02A2
G1.04A2
G1.05A2
G2.05A2
G4.06A2
G5.01A2
G3.02B2

G1.03A3G2.01A3
G2.02A3G2.03A3
G2.07A3G3.01A3
G3.04A3G4.01A3
G4.02A3G4.03A3
G4.04A3G4.05A3
G5.02A3G5.03A3
G3.04B3
G5.01B3

G3.03A4

G2.04A6

G4.06B4
G5.01B4
G5.01B4

G2.06C2

G4.06C6

D
Meta
Cognitive
Knowledge

Fall2006

Major Characteristics of Blooms

Framework
Two Dimensions
Cognitive processes
Knowledge Dimensions
Cognitive Processes renamed and
reorganized
Least cognitively ambiguous verbs
Knowledge Subcategories renamed and
reorganized
Strong verb-noun relationship
Fall 2006

Major Characteristics of Blooms

Analysis and alignment for learning,
teaching and assessment (format/structure)
Tool for unpacking standards
Tool for extending standards
Tool for defensible differentiated instruction
Not a cumulative hierarchy
Subcategories overlap
Omission of problem solving and critical
thinking
Fall 2006

THE TAXONOMY TABLE

A. Factual
Knowledge

B. Conceptual
Knowledge

C. Procedural
Knowledge
PROCEDURAL
D. Metacognitive
Knowledge

OPINION

Fall2006

1.
REMEMBER

2.
UNDERSTAND

MEMORY

UNDERSTAN
D

3.

4.

5.

6.

APPLY

ANALYZE

EVALUATE

CREATE

Designing a New Taxonomy of

Educational Objectives

A place holder for my thinking.

Robert Marzano

Fall 2006

ANewTaxonomyofEducationalObjectives
RobertMarzano

Model of Behavior
NewTask SelfSystem
DecidestoEngage
No Continue current behavior

YES
MetacognitiveSystem
SetsGoalsandStrategies

CognitiveSystem

ProcessesRelevantInformation

KnowledgeDomain

Fall2006

TheNewTaxonomyofEducationalObjectives byRobertMarzano
ThreeSystemsandKnowledge
SelfSystem
Beliefsabouttheimportanceofthe BeliefabouttheEfficacy(ability
knowledge
tolearn)

Emotionassociatedwith
knowledge

OverallMotivationtoLearn
MetacognitiveSystem
Specifyinglearninggoal

Monitoringforexecutionof
knowledge

Monitoringforclarity

Monitoringfor
accuracy

CognitiveSystem
Retrieval
Recall

Execution

Comprehension
Synthesis

Representation

Analysis
Matching

Classifying Error
Analysis

KnowledgeUtilization
Generalizing

KnowledgeDomain
Information Conceptual and Factual

Fall2006

MentalProcedures

Specifying

Decision
Making

Problem
Solving

PhysicalProcedures

Experimental Investigation
Inquiry

Marzanos Taxonomy
Levels of Processing

1.
2.

Retrieval
Comprehension

3.

Analysis

4.

Knowledge Utilization

5.

Metacognitive System

6.

Self-System

Fall 2006

Knowledge Domains
1. Information

2. Mental Procedures
3. Psychomotor
Procedures

Adaptation from Developing Minds Edited by Art Costa

Student and Teacher Cues and Questions
For the Levels of the New Taxonomy by Robert Marzano

Level 6: Self

Fall 2006

Student Cues and Questions

(Robert Marzano)

Teacher Cues and Questions

A. Examining
Importance

How important is this to me?

What is my reasoning?
How logical is my reasoning?

How have I provided opportunity or opportunities

for the students to express why this is important?
How have I supported students in checking the
logic in their reasoning?

B. Examining
Efficacy

How capable do I think I am to

learn this? What is my
reasoning? How logical is my
reasoning?

How have I encouraged or promoted confidence

in students to learn new materials, ideas, concepts
and/or procedures? How reasonable and logical
are these pursuits in relationship to the request?

C. Examining
Emotional
Response

How have I provided opportunity or opportunities

What is my emotional response
for students to explore their emotional response to
to this? What is the reasoning
a topic, idea, concept or procedure? How have I
behind my response? How
assisted students in examining the logic behind
logical is my response?
their emotional response?

D. Examining
Motivation

How have I provided opportunity or opportunities

What is my level of motivation
for the students to become interested in the new
to learn this? What is my
materials, ideas, concepts and/or procedures thus
reasoning? How logical is my
motivating them to be engaged in the learning
reasoning?
process?

Adaptation from Developing Minds Edited by Art Costa

Student and Teacher Cues and Questions
For the Levels of the New Taxonomy by Robert Marzano
Student Cues and Questions
(Robert Marzano)
A. Goal
Specification

B. Process
Monitoring
Level 5:
Metacognition
C. Monitoring
Clarity

D. Monitoring
Accuracy

Fall 2006

Teacher Cues and Questions

How have I taken time to prepare and/or provided opportunities for

students to develop goals and to discuss steps for attacking
problems, rules to remember and directions to follow? Have
students created a road map to accomplish desired goals? If so,
how? (Costa, 2001)
How have I provided time for student reflections? Are students
What is working well and what is evaluating how effective possible solutions are to problems, how
not working well relative to my productive the strategies are, whether instructions were followed
use of this skill or process?
correctly and what would be some alternative more effective
strategies for the future? (Costa, 2001) Lessons learned?
How clearly are students articulating the new knowledge? Do
About what am I clear and about
students have a deep understanding of the knowledge (interpreting,
what am I not clear in terms of
exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing and
this knowledge?
explaining)? (Anderson, 2001)
What is my goal relative to
learning this?
What have I planned for
accomplishing this goal?

About what am I accurate and

about what am I not accurate in
terms of this knowledge?

How accurately are students detecting errors and recovering from

those errors? Identifying areas where errors most likely might
occur? Selecting a strategy or strategies that will reduce the
possibility of error and provide easy recovery? (Rigney, 1980)

Adaptation from Developing Minds Edited by Art Costa

Student and Teacher Cues and Questions
For the Levels of the New Taxonomy by Robert Marzano

A. Decision
Making

Level 4:
Utilization

Fall 2006

Student Cues and Questions

(Robert Marzano)
How can this knowledge be used
to make a decision?
What decision can be made
about the knowledge?

How can this knowledge be used

to help solve a problem?
B. Problem Solving
What problem can be solved
about the knowledge?

C. Experimental
Inquiry

How can this knowledge be used

to help generate and test a
hypothesis? What hypotheses
can be generated and tested about
knowledge?

D. Investigation

How can this knowledge be used

to help investigate something?

Teacher Cues and Questions

How have I provided appropriate decision making models/graphic
organizers and provided instruction in how to use them correctly?
Do students demonstrate understanding in how to use models across
various disciplines?
How have I provided appropriate problem solving models/graphic
organizers and provided instruction in how to use them correctly? How
do students demonstrate understanding in how to use problem solving
models across disciplines? How do students
understand the characteristics/indicators of good problem solving?
How have I provided opportunities for students to explain their
hypothesis and conclusions? Do students understand how to evaluate
themselves and to become better problem solvers? Is, how?
How have I provided students with appropriate models/graphic
organizers for experimental inquiry? How have I used familiar content
to teach students the steps for experimental inquiry? How
have I provided guidance as needed? How have I provided
opportunities for students to explain their hypotheses and conclusions?
How have I provided students with appropriate models/graphic
organizers for the process? How have I used familiar content to teach
the process? How have I provided opportunities for students to explain
their hypotheses and conclusions?

Adaptation from Developing Minds Edited by Art Costa

Student and Teacher Cues and Questions
For the Levels of the New Taxonomy by Robert Marzano

A. Matching

B. Classifying

C. Error Analysis
Level 3: Analysis

D. Generalizing

E. Specifying

Fall 2006

Student Cues and Questions

(Robert Marzano)
How is this knowledge similar to
and different from other
knowledge?

Teacher Cues and Questions

How can I improve students listening, observation and description

skills in order to detect correspondences between ideas, objects,
concepts, principles, etc?
How have I provided students with appropriate models/graphic
To what general category does
organizers for the process? How have I used familiar content to teach
this knowledge belong? What are
the process and then provided students opportunities to classify items
the subcategories of this
using their own rules for category membership? How have I provided
knowledge?
opportunities for students to explain their hypotheses and conclusions?
How have I taught students how to monitor for accuracy and clarity so
What errors (if any) have been
as to detect and to reduce possible errors? How have I taught students
made in the presentation or use of
to make either a quick fix or to retreat to the last known correct
this knowledge?
operation and then to proceed on task? (Rigney, 1980)
How have I provided students with models of deductive and inductive
thinking? How have I, and possibly other colleagues, provided
What generalizations can be
opportunities for students to use generalizations from interdisciplinary
perspectives across the disciplines? How have I monitored how well
inferred from this knowledge?
students understand generalizations? How will I help students who are
struggling with developing understanding of generalizations?
How may I guide students to develop generalizations based on stated
What predictions can be made
knowledge gained from the deductive and/or inductive thinking skills
and proven based on this
models? What hypotheses may be developed form other models
knowledge?
students may know and use?

Adaptation from Developing Minds Edited by Art Costa

Student and Teacher Cues and Questions
For the Levels of the New Taxonomy by Robert Marzano

A. Synthesis
Level 2:
Comprehension
B. Representation

How can the basic structure of

this knowledge be represented
symbolically or graphically?

A. Recall

Is this accurate about the

knowledge?

B. Execution

Perform this skill or process.

Level 1:
Retrieval

Fall 2006

Student Cues and Questions

(Robert Marzano)
What is the basic structure of this
knowledge - main ideas versus
supporting ideas, sequence of
information, relationship between
the parts?

Teacher Cues and Questions

How have I provided students opportunities to construct meaning from
instructional messages, including oral, written and graphic
communication? How have students connected prior knowledge and
constructed new meaning? Do students understand the relationships
between ideas, wholes, and parts? If so, how?
How have I provided students with opportunities to represent and
structure their knowledge through graphic organizers, pictographic
representations, mental images, physical models and kinesthetic
representations?
How have I designed instruction to allow students to store knowledge
in multiple memory pathways (implicit and explicit, and opportunities
to retrieve long-term information from the multiple pathways?
How have I provided students opportunity or opportunities to apply the
skill or process to a familiar task? How have I monitored students for
possible error analysis in the execution of the skill or process?

Characteristics of Marzanos
Taxonomy
A model or theory of human thought (allow for
prediction of phenomenon)
Flow of info ALWAYS (?) (self to metacognitive to
cognitive and then knowledge)
Two dimensions (Three Systems and
Knowledge)
Self-System -interrelated beliefs and goals
Metacognitive - Goals/learning targets for new
tasks

Fall 2006

Characteristics of Marzanos
Taxonomy
A model or theory of human thought (allow
for prediction of phenomenon)
Flow of info ALWAYS (?) (self to metacognitive
to cognitive and then knowledge)
Two dimensions (Three Systems and
Knowledge)
Self-System -interrelated beliefs and goals
Metacognitive - Goals/learning targets for new
tasks

Fall 2006

THE TAXONOMY TABLE

1.
REMEMBER

Retrieval

A. Factual
Knowledge
Information

B. Conceptual
Knowledge
Information

C. Procedural
Knowledge
Mental/Physic
al Procedures
D. Metacognitive
Knowledge

Metacogniti
on
Self

Fall2006

2.
UNDERSTAND

3.

4.

5.

6.

APPLY

ANALYZE

EVALUATE

CREATE

Knowledge
Comprehensio
n
Utilization

Analysis

Some Conclusions
To solve shared problems, we need shared
lenses.
Shared lenses provide a common way of
thinking about problems and a common
language to talk about them.
Any shared lens (framework) is better than
no lens at all. Without a shared lens, we
are all in this alone.
Fall 2006