Analysis , fourth level of B loom’s Taxonomy

1. Analysis , fourth level of Bloom’s Taxonomy Bloom’s Taxonomy influenced the development of educational curricula and evaluation measures. Categorized learning behaviors into six hierarchical categories from simple to complex. Developed by Benjamin Bloom and group of psychologist in 1959.

2. Bloom found that over 95 % of the test questions students encounter require them to think only at the lowest possible level, the recall of information • Knowledge, understanding, application : low level. • Analysis, synthesis, knowledge: high level.

3. Analysis • The breaking down of informational materials into their component parts, examining (and trying to understand the organizational structure of) such information to develop divergent conclusions by identifying motives or causes, making inferences, and/or finding evidence to support generalizations. • Question verbs: Differentiate, compare / contrast, distinguish x from y, how does x affect or relate to y? why? how? What piece of x is missing / needed? (http://krummefamily.org/guides/bloom.html)

4. Analysis • Examine and break information into parts by identifying motives or causes. Make inferences and find evidence to support generalizations • Analysis of elements • Analysis of relationships • Analysis of organizational principles • Questions like: List four ways of serving foods made with apples and explain which ones have the highest health benefits. Provide references to support your statements (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom's_Taxonomy)

5. Analysis • Reduction of concepts into parts and showing the relationship of parts to the whole. • Require students to reduce or breakdown a complex concepts into its basic parts or elements in a manner that illustrates the relationship of parts to a whole.(measurement and evaluation in education, second edition, by Reynold C. R etal)

6. Analysis • The breakdown of a communication into its constituents elements or parts such that the relative hierarchy of idea is made clear and /or the relation between the ideas expressed are intended to clarify the communication, to indicate how the communication is organized and the way in which it manages to convey its effect, as well as its basis and arrangements. (Brookkhart S.M etal, educational Assesment of Students- fifth edition, 2007)

7. Analysis • Requires recognition of logical errors, comparison of components, or differentiation between the components. • Although Bloom and his colleagues proposed six categories of cognitive functioning, it is sometimes difficult in practice to differentiate between them. (Worthen B.R etal, measurement and assessment in schools.-second edition, 1999)

8. Example questions Short answer questions • Why left ventricle of the heart has thicker muscular walls than right ventricle?(2 marks) • Differentiate between artery and vein. (2 marks) • Carbon and nitrogen fall in same period but different groups. Why(2 marks) Long answer questions • How does stomach helps in digestion of foods? (4) • Skin provides protection against foreign substances. Justify.(5) • Explain why circulation of blood in mammals are often termed as double circulation. (4)

9. Exercise The heart is divided into four chambers. • right atrium (RA) • right ventricle (RV) • left atrium (LA) • left ventricle (LV) • Each chamber has a sort of one-way valve at its exit that prevents blood from flowing backwards. When each chamber contracts, the valve at its exit opens. When it is finished contracting, the valve closes so that blood does not flow backwards. • The tricuspid valve is at the exit of the right atrium. • The pulmonary valve is at the exit of the right ventricle. • The mitral valve is at the exit of the left atrium. • The aortic valve is at the exit of the left ventricle. When the heart muscle contracts or beats (called systole), it pumps blood out of the heart. The heart contracts in two stages. In the first stage, the right and left atria contract at the same time, pumping blood to the right and left ventricles. Then the ventricles contract together to propel blood out of the heart. Then the heart muscle relaxes (called diastole) before the next heartbeat. This allows blood to fill up the heart again. The right and left sides of the heart have separate functions. The right side of the heart collects oxygen-poor blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs where it picks up oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. The left side of the heart then collects oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and pumps it to the body so that the cells throughout your body have the oxygen they need to function properly.

10. Conclusion • Use of Six levels of bloom’s cognition level should be interdependent to each other, while framing questions or objectives. • However level application varies with grade.

11. It Is difficult to frame short answer questions(MCQ, TRUE OR FALSE, MATCHING QUESTIONS, FILL IN THE BLANKS etc) incorporating higher levels of the Bloom’s cognition. • Because short answer questions demand one or two word answers. Therefore it cannot let the students to judge and think critically. • Essay questions are best questions in which we can incorporate the higher level of Bloom’s taxonomy. Thus analysis can be best tested by long answer questions.

12. Reference Retrieved on March 16, 2011 from http://krum.mefamily. org/ guides/bloom.html Retrieved on March 16, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Bloom'sTaxonomy Reynolds C.R, Livingstons R.B, Wilson V.(2009). Measurement and evaluation in education(second edit). New Jersy:pearson education Inc. Brookhart S.M ,& Nitko A.J(2007). Educational Assessment of Students( fifth edit). New Jersy: Upper Saddle River. Worthen B.R, White K.R, Fan X., Sudweek R.R.(1999). Measurement and assessment in schools.(second edit). New York:Mapple –Vail Manufacturing Group.