In this blog, I am going to show you step-by-step, how you can use Blooms taxonomy to map the learning journey for your learners/performers/colleagues. How this will help you is, it will give you clarity in designing programmes and how to stage the learning so as not to overwhelm participants. It will help you to create robust learning objectives that will be linked to the improved performance of those participants on the learning journey.
For longer programmes, when writing objectives, you may be revisiting the same subject on a number of different occasions. So, do you just have one objective or a number of objectives to cover the different stages of the learning journey? I would suggest the latter. The objectives need to build up logically, the knowledge, skills and attitudes along that journey.
During the programmes I deliver, working with trainers, facilitators or subject matter experts, I help participants on a learning journey to creating robust objectives, knowing that this helps greatly in design. I do this in stages:
- Introduce the thought that it is hard to write SMART objectives without some extra help – I use Robert Mager’s PCS framework. Before they can even start though, they have to be able to differentiate between aims, organisational objectives, performance objectives and learning objectives/outcomes.
Learning Objective: In a group activity correctly match the definitions, with the terms and examples, without the use of notes.
- Draw attention to the table of objective verbs and the reason for their classification. Discuss which verbs you should avoid using and why.
Learning Objective: As a group list at least 5 words or phrases that you should never use when setting robust objectives
- For a given topic explore how learning can be a mixture of knowledge, skills and attitudes according to Blooms Taxonomy.
- It is important you know which level of Blooms taxonomy this specific group of people need to achieve. Not all roles require learning to the same level.
- Walk through the Blooms taxonomy examples for each domain
Learning Objective: In your small groups determine for the case studies given, the correct domain and level of learning that is required
- Watch the video on objective setting and take them through the slides on Robert Mager’s PCS framework.
Learning Objective: Individually, with the use of notes write 1 learning objective on a given topic using Robert Magers PCS framework.
The first step for you, in creating great objectives, is to map the learning journey and you can use Blooms Taxonomy to help map that journey.
This diagram was taken from my book “How Not To Waste your Money On Training”.
Here are a couple of examples to show you how you might map the learning journey, using Blooms taxonomy.
The first example is for customer service skills in a call centre:
- At the induction, participants learn about your customer service charter (knowledge domain – level 1 and attitudinal, level 1).
- From conversation with their line manager, expectations of the role are discussed. They are given their objectives and asked to describe how that might apply to their role (knowledge domain, levels 2 – 3).
- They observe some live calls from their colleagues and make notes about what went well and what might be even better if….? (knowledge domain, levels 2 – 3).
- They buddy up with an experienced colleague in their new role, who observes them during their practice sessions and gives feedback (skill domain, level 1 – 2, attitudinal domain level 2).
- They attend a workshop on handling objections where they get to stretch their thinking and practice some new techniques (knowledge domain level 3, skill level 2-3, attitudinal level 2-3).
- Once a month they are observed/recorded and they critique their own performance as well as get feedback (knowledge domain level 4, skill level 3, attitudinal level 3).
- In their line manager conversations, they discuss the impact of some of the feedback, how it might change their behaviours and why (attitudinal domain, level 4).
Let us now look at a practical example of being able to write good witness statements.
- They look at a (good)sample witness statement and learn to identify the component parts (knowledge domain – levels 1-2).
- They look at a bad witness statement and are able to spot the errors (knowledge domain – level 3 or 4).
- Learn about questioning skills and have a practice at using them (knowledge domain, levels 1-3 and skills – level 1).
- What are the legal requirements of a witness statement and the conditions under which it should be taken? (knowledge domain level 3)
- How should you prepare to make a statement? (knowledge domain, level 3 attitudinal level 2).
- Practice interview skills (skills domain, level 3).
- Observe someone else doing an interview and assess their statement as to whether it is acceptable (knowledge domain, level 4).
- Conduct an interview in a role play and score well on the observation sheet (skill domain, level 3, attitudinal level 3).
Below is another diagram showing Blooms taxonomy examples. Once your journey has been mapped, you can use the relevant verbs and Robert Magers’ PCS framework, to create robust objectives for each part of that journey.