I had an ‘ahha’ moment at 3.30am early this week. I have been thinking about students assessment for a long time ( a couple of years actually) and have been an active Bloom devotee and used Bloom to plan for higher order thinking.
As I am an ICT teacher, I teach years 7-12. We use the subject to teach students (7-10) to use ICT across the curriculum using a variety of ICT skills. For example, in year 7 we teach students how to make digital stories using Storyboards, Flash and Photostory. Storyboards are the thinking and planning tool to organise their stories. While Flash is not strictly a drawing tool, it is a good introduction to a web tool that comes in handy later in web development. Photostory is a great tool to make still images appear to move and can highlight parts of the image. Photostory also allows audio transcription and background sound. So there are many components to learn about before the final task reveals a compiled WMV movie.
I’m a great believer in Bloom, particularly the original taxonomy. When I set a task I am always aiming for higher order thinking - the analysing, synthesising (creating), and evaluating. I explain to my students the Bloom levels before I start a unit of work. I explain the different levels and the type of thinking used at each level. I explain the difference between lower order and higher order thinking and show students how they can use this to achieve higher marks. I remind them of this taxonomy often as it is a good way to help them differentiate between various work examples. This taxonomy is translated into a marking scheme and it goes something like this;
Bloom level
|
Marking scheme /10
|
/5
|
Knowledge / understanding
|
0 - 2
|
1
|
Comprehension
|
2 - 4
|
2
|
Application
|
4 - 6
|
3
|
Analysing
|
6 - 8
|
4
|
Synthesising
|
8 - 10
|
5
|
Evaluating
|
8 - 10
|
5
|
When a task is set, such as developing a storyboard, students are given examples to show what to do and what is expected. The students that can successfully apply this are marked at the application level. Students who have deconstructed or analysed the structure and format and have demonstrated that, are marked at the analysing levels. A complete reinterpretation would indicate a student synthesising the task.
I use Bloom in this way so I can have a level of consistency and reliability to my grading scheme. I find it particularly helpful when I have a number of developmental exercises leading up to an assessment task. I want my marks to indicate the level my students are thinking at.
My ‘ahha’ moment came when I realised that this could be extended to a rubric that not only describes learning but would also help teachers develop their units of work and assessment tasks.
Remember
Understand
|
Knowledge and concepts are not recalled, remembered or understood
|
0
|
Partial recall of knowledge is achievable and basic concepts are understood
|
1
|
Recall of knowledge is good and concepts are understood
|
2
|
Apply
|
May Partially remember and understand concepts but is unable to use them to solve problems
|
0
|
Some problems are solved by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules.
|
1
|
Solves problems by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way
|
2
|
Analyse
|
Able to demonstrate a degree of problem solving but cannot differentiate or deconstruct problems.
|
0
|
Breaks information into parts, identifies some structural make up, makes some inferences, finds evidence to support view.
|
1
|
Examins and breaks information into parts, identifies motives or causes, makes inferences, finds evidence to support generalisations.
|
2
|
Evaluate
|
May demonstrate some level of problem solving but cannot say why. cannot articulate an opinion
|
0
|
Limited presentation and defence of opinions in making judgements about information. Some validation of ideas or minimal quality of work based on a set of criteria.
|
1
|
Presents and defends opinions by making judgements about information. validates ideas or quality of work based on a set of criteria.
|
2
|
Create
|
May be able to defend a point of view but cannot propose new solutions
|
0
|
Insufficient compilation of new information. Some compilation of elements in a new pattern or partially proposes alternate solutions.
|
1
|
Compiles information together in a new and different way. Combines elements in a new pattern or proposes alternate solutions
|
2
|
When these are aligned with a model like SAMR it is fairly simple to put a digital context to it. I am hoping to present this to our Curriculum Executive as an aid to course planning.
