Bloom’s Taxonomy of Education and Its Use in Nursing Education Essay Example

as Bloom’s Taxonomy has three domains: the cognitive domain, knowledge-based domain of six levels; the affective, attitudinal based domain of five levels and the psychomotor, skills based domain, consisting of five levels (Larkin and Burton, 2008).

Bloom’s Taxonomy was revised in 1990’s and it was published in 2001 to make it relevant for the 21st century students and teachers which include several seemingly minor yet actually significant changes (Forehand, 2005).

Terminology changes were made in the cognitive domain’s lowest level. The new cognitive domain terminologies are; Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate and Create. The cognitive domain (Bloom, 1956) involves recalling relevant knowledge, interpreting, carrying out or implementing a procedure, determining how parts relate to others, making judgments and putting the elements together as a coherent or functional whole (Forehand, 2005). For a patient with a chronic disease, education starts with evaluating the knowledge of the patient about his condition.

The affective domain involves our emotions, values, and attitudes. The categories in this domain are receiving, responding, valuing, organizing and value concept. This domain pertains to our willing to hear and participate. We learn if we can place value on what we are about to learn and resolve our internal conflicts. How does the patient feel about his chronic condition? Does he value life and will the patient comply with the plan of care.

The third and last domain in Bloom’s Taxonomy is psycho-motor. This domain has five categories; Perception, manipulation, precision, articulation, and naturalization (Larkin & Burton, 2008). This pertains to use of our motor-skills. Here, the patient does not have to do much but take his medications at the prescribed

time and frequency. Motor skills become accurate and coordinated with less energy. Actions become automatic and without hesitation.

Conclusion

Bloom’s Taxonomy is easy to understand and makes logical progression from the fundamental learning to complex synthesis (Larkin & Burton, 2008). According to Anderson and Krathwohl (2001 as cited in Yan, 2006), Bloom’s Taxonomy offers a unique opportunity for instructional designers to match a cognitive skill to a specific knowledge level. It is very relevant to nursing education as in Benner’s Beginner to Expert practitioner theory of learning.