Skip to main content

Blooming Orange



Learning Classification Chart using Bloom's Taxonomy
Educational technologies for addressing each level of learning

My latest assignment for the course on New Learning Environments asked me to explore existing educational technologies and how they may apply to Bloom's Taxonomy. I had to choose one tool for each level of learning - which, if you are aware of just how much is out there, is no mean feat! 

I am so new to technology I think I have a grasp only on the tip of the iceberg; keeping up to date with new tools is one of the things I find the hardest. Working full time, leading PL sessions at school whilst completing three online courses (and being a mom and wife and runner) means I have limited time to fully explore every new tool I come across. I am trying to limit myself to experimenting with new tools only once I have applied, used and evaluated one fully. Therefore, whilst there are many possible, perhaps limitless potential tools for each level of learning, I have tried to stick with the ones I am used to; these are tools that I have tried and tested with learners; these are tools that have allowed success and thinking; these are tools that I have chosen based on active research in the classroom.

When I first came across Bloom's Taxonomy, it was explained to me as a ladder suggesting a sequence, one leading to the other. Whilst I do agree that in order to understand, we have to remember; in order to apply we have to understand, etc. I see the learning process as more cyclical, rather than a ladder or step system. I like the idea of the orange, above and highly value the revised Taxonomy over the original, as 'create' is one of the most important parts of learning to me. The hardest part about this assignment was slotting the tools into each level, as I do view the process of learning as cyclical and many of the tools I think can be used across the levels. I tried to base my classifications on a progression that allows for review so that learners can come back to any stage as needed yet build on the prior ones. For example, Mural.ly is an excellent 'storage' tool where things to be remembered can be put and revisited as needed. However, it is also a great tool for understanding, as it is collaborative so can be contributed to and viewed by many learners at once; therefore they have to be able to analyse and evaluate their sources and links and images and those of others in terms of relevanc to topic. Equally, Mural.ly is an excellent tool for creating - the whole process creates an interactive collection of knowledge, learning, understanding etc. Mural.ly could therefore fit in any level - or, looking at it another way, fits in all levels. Remembering becomes creating; creating becomes remembering. Isn't this learning?

I read an article the other day about how exams should be about creation - how we need to stop asking fact recall or multiple choice questions, which show nothing above remembering; how we need to make learners apply their knowledge, evaluate what they have learned and create something with that learning. It made me think about my A-Level English Language exam which I sat, (gulp) 18 years ago! I admit that I used to really look forward to that exam - yes, I am an English geek - but it was unlike any exam I had done before and I found it exciting and interesting and yes, enjoyable. On the Friday, we would be issued with two big booklets of material, each on a different topic. Each would be a collection of articles, images, fiction, non-fiction etc. - two collections of different text types and two different topics. We had the weekend to review and read and assimilate the material. On the Monday we sat our exam. We would have a variety of questions and would choose one, for example create a leaflet advertising the positive effects of..., create a fact sheet for parents on..., write a local newspaper article expressing your views on..., write a speech for your classmates about... Then we would create! Using the material we had in front of us and our knowledge of text types, language, audience and purpose, we would apply our knowledge and understanding, evaluate the material's suitability and create a new product. It was awesome - writing, sticking, gluing, drawing - I loved it! I loved it because it didn't feel like a test - but it was; I had to take everything I had learned and make something of my own. This was 18 years ago. This is what we should be doing now. This is why so much of the learning in my classroom culminates in a showcase of something created by the learners that shows what they have learned through the products they create.

Anyway, I digress. Here is a breakdown of the education technology tools currently available that I have used to great effect in my classroom. But bear in mind the Blooming Orange - learning is a cycle that goes round and round and should never stop.

Remembering
Mural.ly
An interactive pinboard/collage that allows learners to add links, images and ideas for use at a later time for design, sharing, analysing etc.

Understanding
Edmodo
An excellent tool for collaboration, communication and clarification.
Multiple users and classes mean all members can add comments and share learning and understanding. Rather than sending one email to the teacher and having to wait for a reply, learners can ask each other questions in a forum where all are able to answer to confirm, clarify and consolidate understanding.

Applying
Google Drive
Learners use Google Drive to organise work and collaborate. I can share tools easily; provide models and frames to allow for them to apply their knowledge.
Forms can be used to apply criteria to peer and self assess work or collect responses.
Drawings can be used to apply learning in image sorts etc.
Organisational skills are applied in sharing folders and files or keeping things private or public.

Analysing
Twitter
Brilliant tool for searching and asking questions. It is THE place I go to find out stuff - but I have to read and I have to analyse because the wealth of material out the would be overwhelming. 
Learners are just getting to grips with this as a learning tool; they need to analyse the validity of the variety of answers that may be provided and come up with an acceptable result of their own. They need to make value judgements on what to read, what to follow up and what to discard. The ability to analyse and discriminate is an essential skill in this explosion of information.

Evaluating
Blogger /
Quadblogging
Great place for reflection. Having an audience adds value to their work and I seem to notice my learners writing a lot more than normal. They are also classifying their work with labels, meaning they are thinking about style and purpose and making it easier for them to return to work at a later date.
Review past work work allows them to evaluate their learning and make progress based on past comments.
Commenting on others means they have to evaluate the learning intentions, purpose, audience and language of the posts. They have to critically comment and add suggestions that are constructive, useful and helpful – hopefully informing their own learning.
Linking with outsiders makes this even more authentic through organisations such as Quadblogger.

Creating
iMovie
Allows learners to easily create effective movies from presentations, images, film etc.
Allows easy editing and adding of effects, text etc. to showcase learning.
Even the most challenged ‘creative’ learners are able to create and show a variety of learning easily.

Further Reading

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

All comments gratefully received - thanks for taking the time to read :)
Anonymous comments and spam will be removed.

Past Thoughts

CONNECTION

We had our kick-off meeting last week on Tuesday 5 February 2013. I was able to connect using Blackboard Collaborate , something I had not used before, but unfortunately had to leave as I was at school. However, with it being Chinese New Year I have had an extended weekend, so was able to catch up and watch the full recorded version. I have also had a cold so have not felt up to tackling the mountain of marking, but have caught up on my reading for the next meeting, namely Chapters 1-3 of the book, ' Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds '; my Tweets about the most interesting salient points for me personally, can be found under @MrsHollyEnglish under #flatclass. Having reached the end of Chapter 3, I have come across my first 3 of the 15 Flat Classroom Challenges. Having taken part in the survey assessing my current connectivity, I feel confident that I am currently in a good position - I already have established a sound PLN that I build on when I can and have added s...
57 comments
Read more

Infographics - good and bad

This week in my MEd, we are exploring the heady world of infographics with the objective of learning how visual representations of data can enhance and distort data. The aim is for us to think carefully about the use of graphics in our teaching in order that we use visuals to effectively deliver information rather than distort it and confuse our learners. After reading three articles by Edward Tufte, I summarised some basic principles to form the basis of my explorations and use them to evaluate the infographics I found. According to Tufte (1983), graphical excellence happens when graphics: show data make viewers think about content not presentation/design avoid  the distortion of data present many numbers in a small space make large data sets coherent encourage the eye to compare different pieces of data reveal data on different levels - from broad to fine have a clear purpose: descriptive/ explorative /decorative/ tabulative be closely correlated with s...
7 comments
Read more

From Alignment to Impact: Why Curriculum, Feedback, and Organisational Design Matter

This reflection draws on established research in curriculum design, instructional leadership, feedback, and school improvement, as well as my ongoing doctoral study in curriculum and learning sciences. It is written from a leadership perspective and informed by sustained engagement with departments, teams, and classrooms throughout this half term. The intention is to make visible the research-informed rationale underpinning current and future priorities for teaching, learning, and collaboration. A Shift in Perspective This half term, my work has taken me away from classrooms and more into meetings. I have spent sustained time with several Heads of Department in strategic planning discussions, in departmental meetings focused on implementation, and in conversations with teachers and parents regarding learning, assessment, and progress. While this is a different vantage point from earlier reflections grounded in classroom observation, it has provided an additional and highly valuable per...
Post a Comment
Read more

Creativity Runs Wild

“There’s probably no better example of the throttling of creativity than the difference between what we observe in a kindergarten classroom and what we observe in a high school classroom.” (Levine) Wherever in the world I have been teaching, one of the most common observations of my classroom by other teachers is that it is "like a primary classroom". This is, more often that not, said in a derogatory and dismissive way, as if the colourful and expressive landscape of learning created through explorations of language and literature is a negative thing. That I cannot possibly be teaching a secondary curriculum if they seem to be creating so much..."mess" (as it has also been called). I have never paid much attention to this; I believe that my IB Diploma English Literature class learnt a great deal about the symbols, motifs, characters, language, themes and setting through the mural we painted all over the classroom. They learnt to problem solve and collaborate...
4 comments
Read more

Take charge of your own learning this year!

Following on from my post about taking up the Ten Tool Challenge , I have just started reading and taking part in a virtual book club for a fabulous book, 'Professional Learning in the Digital Age' by Kristen Swanson . From the start, this is a book that resonates with me on many levels and builds on approaches I was beginning to develop in my own practice. Its exploration of the ways adults learn and how educators can approach professional learning confirms and expands on many of my current beliefs - that we need to collect, consider and evaluate and share. One of my pet hates has always been professional learning that is outdated, repetitive, not relevant and a waste of my very precious time. Swanson states that "for adult learning experiences to be successful, learners should be aware of the intention of the activity. Instruction should be problem-based instead of content-based, and planning should be collaborative. Succinctly, adults must be engaged with the content...
1 comment
Read more
From Brain-Based Learning to Heutagogy: Designing Agency With Care How do we design learning that develops agency without assuming learners are already fully independent? In my research this week, I found myself returning to the same question: how do we design learning that supports agency without assuming that learners are already fully self-directed or self-determined? The readings move from brain-based learning, to the space between pedagogy and andragogy, to the history of andragogy, and finally to heutagogy. Taken together, they challenge the idea that teaching and learning models can be neatly organised by age or stage. Instead, I see that they suggest effective learning design depends on context, readiness, purpose, motivation, and the kind of support learners need to grow. Jang et al. (2022) provide a useful starting point, reminding me that learning design needs to be grounded in how learning actually occurs. Their review of brain-based learning research highlights the import...
Post a Comment
Read more

From Consumers to Changemakers: Why Purposeful Digital Learning Matters

Conversations about technology in schools often begin from a place of legitimate concern. Families and educators are right to ask questions about distraction, wellbeing, social media, sleep, attention, and the amount of time young people spend in front of screens. These concerns should not be dismissed. They matter because children’s digital lives are complex, and schools have a responsibility to think carefully about how technology shapes learning, relationships, identity, and wellbeing.  However, one distinction is often blurred: Unmanaged recreational screen use is not the same as intentionally designed digital learning. Passive scrolling is not the same as collaborative inquiry. Social media consumption is not the same as learners using digital tools to research, create, communicate, receive feedback, organise ideas, or participate in meaningful communities. When all screen-based experiences are treated as the same, schools risk making decisions based on anxiety rather than on ...
Post a Comment
Read more

"A wonderful contribution to the field of global collaborative projects"

I am currently working on the culmination of my Flat Classroom Teacher Certification course, which is a collaborative Global Project Design. I have worked with a colleague from Wisconsin, USA to modify and develop my ' Dare to be Yourself ' unit, designed for my Year 8 and 9 learners this term. Originally written to address the problem of intolerance and lack of kindness, the 'Dare to be Yourself' unit, using the novel Stargirl , has been utilised to become a Global Project that can be delivered across the world and allow learners to connect and observe the similarities that exist in our world, with the hope of building individual, social and global conscience. In preparation, the following feedback has been received from one of the course facilitators:- Stargirl  by Jerry Spinelli from Goodreads "AMAZING!!!! Seriously, this is one of the most thoroughly and thoughtfully planned out projects I have seen. You have chosen a timely and timeless topic tha...
3 comments
Read more

Belonging Is Designed

Belonging is not granted after learners prove they can access the curriculum. Belonging is created through the way curriculum, instruction, assessment, relationships, and evidence-informed responses are designed. That idea has been sitting with me deeply. In schools, we often talk about belonging as something relational, cultural, or pastoral. Whilst it is, of course, all of those things, I also think belonging is a curriculum and learning design issue. Learners experience belonging, or exclusion, through the tasks they are given, the examples they see, the feedback they receive, the ways they are invited to participate, and the assumptions adults make about what they can do. Inclusion, then, cannot sit only in intervention structures or individual support plans. These matter, of course; some learners need targeted and specialist support, and schools need strong systems to provide it. But if inclusion begins only after a learner struggles, we have already accepted a design problem as a...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Impossible Knife of Memory: Review

The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson It might be safe to say that I inhaled this book and its incredibly crafted story, breathing out the smoke of words I digested and chewed over, coating my classroom in metaphors both grotesque and moving. This novel was the first of the Book a Month Challenge myself and my PLN established on Twitter, and I enjoyed this novel both as a reader and as a teacher. My learners noticed my reading it around the corridors; parents stopped me in the car park to ask what I was reading and to make sure I didn't walk into anything. An intriguing and moving novel about an intense father-daughter relationship of trauma and heartache, Amazon describes it as "Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down" - I guess I cannot disagree. I have taken and used many passages to teach figurative language as the writing demonstrates metaphor and personification in a complex yet access...
Post a Comment
Read more