Learning Domains and Effective Delivery of Instruction by Cindy Vinson Ed.D.

Learning domains, sometimes referred to as categories of learning outcomes, are critical to

consider as you plan your lessons. By analyzing the type of learning domain or outcome that you
want, you can determine which activities, assessments, and representational modes (face-to-face,
video, online, multimedia) are optimal based on the learning outcome desired. With the access to
learning technologies more available to faculty and with greater numbers of students having
access at home and work, it is possible and desirable to use multiple representational modes to
increase the probability that students will attain higher levels of learning.
The following is a brief overview of learning domains with examples of how you might represent
content, provide activities, and assess mastery of that domain. These domains include cognitive,
affective, psychomotor, and interpersonal.

Cognitive Domain
This domain focuses on intellectual skills and is familiar to educators. Bloom’s Taxonomy
(knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) is frequently used to
describe the increasing complexity of cognitive skills as students move from beginner to more
advanced in their knowledge of content. The cognitive domain is the core learning domain. The
other domains (affective, interpersonal, and psychomotor) require at least some cognitive
component.
The cognitive domain is well suited to the online environment. Face-to-face courses benefit from
using the web as a way to supplement classroom lectures that are cognitive in nature. These
supplemental material may include the following:

Additional explanations of key concepts

 Graphics to show relationships between ideas

 Organized class notes
 Tables that provide summary information
 PowerPoint slides
 Additional examples
 Self-check quizzes
 A discussion board
 Case studies
 Drill and practice of content that must be memorized
 FLASH animations or simulations of challenging and key concepts
 Practice questions with answers and “expert” explanations
 Links to similar information presented in a different way

Courses that are hybrid (presented in both an online and face-to-face format), often present the
cognitive portion of the course via the web and use classroom time for the more affective,
psychomotor, and interpersonal learning outcomes.
As we move up the cognitive domain especially as we get to synthesis and evaluation,
collaborative assignments requiring students to engage in problem-based or project-based
activities serve as important ways to determine if students have reached that level of learning.
These projects can be done online, but often lend themselves to at least some face-to-face
interaction. If face-to-face interaction is not possible, synchronous mediated events such as web
casting, interactive video, or conference calls facilitate project development. Also, higher cognitive
skills provide opportunities for student to develop interpersonal domain learning. To the extent that
we desire interpersonal learning outcomes, we should consider how to facilitate face-to-face
interactions.
Ref: https://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/slatta/HI885/Learning_Domains.htm
Cognitive Domain

According to various researchers there are six levels of cognitive complexity: knowledge, comprehension, application,
analysis, synthesis, evaluation. In the chart below, note the hierarchical arrangement, which means that higher levels
subsume ability in lower levels. The higher the level, the presumably more complex mental operation is
required. Higher levels are not necessarily more desirable than lower levels, because one cannot achieve the higher
levels without an ability to use the lower levels. As one moves up into higher levels, however, the more applicable the
skills are to those needed in daily life.
Action Verbs Describing Learning
Level Description Outcomes
Evaluation Requires the formation of Appraise Judge
judgments and decisions Compare Justify
about the value of methods, Contrast Support
ideas, people, Criticize Validate
products. Must be able to Defend
state the bases for
judgments (e.g., external
criteria or principles used to
reach conclusions.)

Sample question: Evaluate

the quality or worth of a
value as applied to
pharmacy.
Synthesis Requires production of Categorize Devise
something unique or Compile Formulate
original. At this level, one is Compose Predict
expected to solve unfamiliar Create Produce
problems in unique way, or Design
combine parts to form a
unique or novel solution.

Sample question: Integrate

data from several sources
(e.g., various readings and
observations at the service
site).
Analysis Identification of logical Break down Infer
errors (e.g., point out Deduce Outline
contradictions, erroneous Diagram Point out
inference) or differentiate Differentiate Relate
among facts, opinions, Distinguish Separate out
assumptions, hypotheses, Illustrate Subdivide
conclusions. One is
expected to draw relations
among ideas and to
compare and contrast.

Sample question: Deduce a

client’s beliefs regarding
preventive health actions.
Application Use previously acquired Change Organize
information in a setting other Compute Prepare
than the one in which it was Demonstrate Relate
learned. Because problems Develop Solve
at this level are presented in Modify Transfer
a different and applied way, Operate Use
one cannot rely on content
or context to solve the
problem.

Sample question: Organize

your observations at a site
to demonstrate a particular
value.
 Comprehension Some degree of Convert Extend
understanding is required in Defend Generalize
order to change the form of Discriminate Infer
communication, translate, Distinguish Paraphrase
restate what has been read Estimate Predict
or heard, see connections Explain Summarize
or relationships among parts
of a communication
(interpretation), draw
conclusions, see
consequences from
information (inference).

Sample Question: Explain

pharmaceutical care.
Borich, G.D. Knowledge Remember or recall Define Name
information such as facts, Describe Outline
terminology, problem- Identify Recall
solving strategies, rules Label Recite
List Select
Sample question: Define Match State
pharmaceutical care.

(1996). Effective teaching methods, 3rd Ed. Englewood cliffs, NJ: Merrill.

Ref: http://courses.washington.edu/pharm439/Bloomstax.htm
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The Three Levels of the Mind
Learning is everywhere. We can learn mental skills, develop our attitudes and acquire new
physical skills as we perform the activities of our daily living. These domains of learning can be
categorized as cognitive domain (knowledge), psychomotor domain (skills) and affective domain
(attitudes). This categorization is best explained by the Taxonomy of Learning Domains formulated
by a group of researchers led by Benjamin Bloom in 1956.
A. Cognitive Domain
The cognitive domain involves the development of our mental skills and the acquisition of
knowledge. The six categories under this domain are:
Knowledge: the ability to recall data and/or information.
Example: A child recites the English alphabet.
Comprehension: the ability to understand the meaning of what is known.
Example: A teacher explains a theory in his own words.
Application: the ability to utilize an abstraction or to use knowledge in a new situation.
Example: A nurse intern applies what she learned in her Psychology class when she talks
to patients.
Analysis: the ability to differentiate facts and opinions.
Example: A lawyer was able to win over a case after recognizing logical fallacies in the
reasoning of the offender.
Synthesis: the ability to integrate different elements or concepts in order to form a sound
pattern or structure so a new meaning can be established.
 Examples: A therapist combines yoga, biofeedback and support group therapy in creating a
care plan for his patient.
Evaluation: the ability to come up with judgments about the importance of concepts.
Examples: A businessman selects the most efficient way of selling products.
Ref: https://explorable.com/domains-of-learning

The Original Cognitive or Thinking Domain –

Based on the 1956 work, The Handbook I-Cognitive Domain, behavioral objectives that dealt with
cognition could be divided into subsets. These subsets were arranged into a taxonomy and listed
according to the cognitive difficulty — simpler to more complex forms. In 2000-01 revisions to the
cognitive taxonomy were spearheaded by one of Bloom’s former students, Lorin Anderson, and
Bloom’s original partner in defining and publishing the cognitive domain, David Krathwohl. Please see
my page entitled Anderson and Krathwohl – Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised for further details.

Remember while it is good to understand the history of the older version of this domain, the newer
version has a number of strong advantages that make it a better choice for planning instruction
today. One of the major changes that occurred between the old and the newer updated version is
that the two highest forms of cognition have been reversed. In the older version the listing from
simple to most complex functions was ordered as knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis,
synthesis, and evaluation. In the newer version the steps change to verbs and are arranged
as knowing, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and the last and highest function,
creating.

Taxonomies of the Cognitive Domain

Bloom’s Taxonomy 1956

1. Knowledge: Remembering or retrieving 1. Remembering: Recognizing or recalling knowledge

previously learned material. Examples of from memory. Remembering is when memory is used
verbs that relate to this function are: to produce or retrieve definitions, facts, or lists, or to
recite previously learned information.
know define record
identify recall name
relate memorize recognize
list repeat acquire

2. Comprehension: The ability to grasp or 2. Understanding: Constructing meaning from

construct meaning from material. Examples different types of functions be they written or graphic
of verbs that relate to this function are: messages, or activities like interpreting, exemplifying,
classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, or
restate identify illustrate explaining.
locate discuss interpret
report describe draw
recognize discuss represent
explain review differentiate
express infer conclude
 3. Application: The ability to use learned 3. Applying: Carrying out or using a procedure
material, or to implement material in new through executing, or implementing. Applying relates to
and concrete situations. Examples of verbs or refers to situations where learned material is used
that relate to this function are: through products like models, presentations, interviews
or simulations.
apply organize practice
relate employ calculate
develop restructure show
translate interpret exhibit
use demonstrate dramatize
operate illustrate

4. Analysis: The ability to break down or 4. Analyzing: Breaking materials or concepts into
distinguish the parts of material into its parts, determining how the parts relate to one another
components so that its organizational or how they interrelate, or how the parts relate to an
structure may be better overall structure or purpose. Mental actions included in
understood.Examples of verbs that relate to this function are differentiating, organizing, and
this function are: attributing, as well as being able to distinguish
betweenthe components or parts. When one is
analyze differentiate experiment analyzing, he/she can illustrate this mental function by
compare contrast scrutinize creating spreadsheets, surveys, charts, or diagrams, or
probe investigate discover graphic representations.
inquire detect inspect
examine survey dissect
contrast classify discriminate
categorize deduce separate

5. Synthesis: The ability to put parts 5. Evaluating: Making judgments based on criteria
together to form a coherent or unique new and standards through checking and critiquing.
whole. In the revised version of Bloom’s Critiques, recommendations, and reports are some of
synthesis becomes creating and becomes the products that can be created to demonstrate the
the last and most complex cognitive processes of evaluation. In the newer
function. Examples of verbs that relate to taxonomy, evaluating comes before creating as it is
the synthesis function are: often a necessary part of the precursory behavior
before one creates something.
compose plan propose
produce invent develop
design formulate arrange
assemble collect set construct
create up organize
prepare generalize originate
predict document derive
modify combine write
tell relate propose
 6. Evaluation: The ability to judge, check, 6. Creating: Putting elements together to form a
and even critique the value of material for a coherent or functional whole; reorganizing elements
given purpose. This function goes to #5 in into a new pattern or structure through generating,
the revised version of Bloom’s. Examples planning, or producing. Creating requires users to put
of verbs that relate to evaluation are: parts together in a new way, or synthesize parts into
something new and different thus creating a new form
judge argue validate or product. This process is the most difficult mental
assess decide consider function in the new taxonomy.
compare choose appraise
evaluate rate value
conclude select criticize
measure estimate infer
deduce

Table 1.1 – (Wilson, L.O. 2001) – Bloom vs. Anderson/Krathwohl revisions

Additional Resources: There are many different types of graphics cleverly depicting the new versions
that can be printed and readily used as everyday references during instructional planning. In a search
engine like Google enter “revised Bloom’s taxonomy” and view the “images” portion of the search to
find many different types of colorful and useful graphics on this topic.

Ref: https://thesecondprinciple.com/instructional-design/threedomainsoflearning/

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Bloom's Taxonomy was created in 1956 under the leadership of educational

psychologist Dr Benjamin Bloom in order to promote higher forms of thinking in
education, such as analyzing and evaluating concepts, processes, procedures,
and principles, rather than just remembering facts (rote learning). It is most
often used when designing educational, training, and learning processes.

The Three Domains of Learning

The committee identified three domains of educational activities
or learning (Bloom, et al. 1956):

o Cognitive: mental skills (knowledge)

o Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas (attitude or self)
o Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (skills)

Since the work was produced by higher education, the words tend to be a little
bigger than we normally use. Domains may be thought of as categories.
Instructional designers, trainers, and educators often refer to these three
categories as KSA (Knowledge [cognitive], Skills [psychomotor],
and Attitudes [affective]). This taxonomy of learning behaviors may be thought
of as “the goals of the learning process.” That is, after a learning episode, the
learner should have acquired a new skill, knowledge, and/or attitude.
While the committee produced an elaborate compilation for the cognitive and
affective domains, they omitted the psychomotor domain. Their explanation for
this oversight was that they have little experience in teaching manual skills
within the college level. However, there have been at least three psychomotor
models created by other researchers.

Their compilation divides the three domains into subdivisions, starting from the
simplest cognitive process or behavior to the most complex. The divisions
outlined are not absolutes and there are other systems or hierarchies that have
been devised, such as the Structure of Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO).
However, Bloom's taxonomy is easily understood and is probably the most
widely applied one in use today.

Cognitive Domain
The cognitive domain involves knowledge and the
development of intellectual skills (Bloom, 1956). This
includes the recall or recognition of specific facts,
procedural patterns, and concepts that serve in the
development of intellectual abilities and skills. There are
six major categories of cognitive an processes, starting
from the simplest to the most complex (see the table below for an in-depth
coverage of each category):

o Knowledge
o Comprehension
o Application
o Analysis
o Synthesis
o Evaluation

The categories can be thought of as degrees of difficulties. That is, the first
ones must normally be mastered before the next one can take place.

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy

Lorin Anderson, a former student of Bloom, and David Krathwohl revisited the
cognitive domain in the mid-nineties and made some changes, with perhaps the
three most prominent ones being (Anderson, Krathwohl, Airasian, Cruikshank,
Mayer, Pintrich, Raths, Wittrock, 2000):

o changing the names in the six categories from noun to verb forms
o rearranging them as shown in the chart below
o creating a processes and levels of knowledge matrix

The chart shown below compares the original taxonomy with the revised one:
This new taxonomy reflects a more active form of thinking and is perhaps more
accurate. The new version of Bloom's Taxonomy, with examples and keywords
is shown below, while the old version may be found here

Table of the Revised Cognitive Domain

Examples, key words (verbs), and technologies for learning
Category
(activities)

Examples: Recite a policy. Quote prices from

memory to a customer. Recite the safety rules.

Key Words: defines, describes, identifies, knows,

Remembering: Recall or retrieve
labels, lists, matches, names, outlines, recalls,
previous learned information.
recognizes, reproduces, selects, states

Technologies: book marking, flash cards, rote

learning based on repetition, reading

Examples: Rewrite the principles of test writing.

Explain in one's own words the steps for
performing a complex task. Translate an equation
into a computer spreadsheet.
Understanding: Comprehending
the meaning, translation, Key Words: comprehends, converts, defends,
interpolation, and interpretation distinguishes, estimates, explains, extends,
of instructions and problems. generalizes, gives an example, infers, interprets,
State a problem in one's own paraphrases, predicts, rewrites, summarizes,
words. translates

Technologies: create an analogy, participating

in cooperative learning, taking notes, storytelling,
Internet search
 Examples: Use a manual to calculate an
employee's vacation time. Apply laws of statistics
to evaluate the reliability of a written test.
Applying: Use a concept in a
new situation or unprompted use
Key Words: applies, changes, computes,
of an abstraction. Applies what
constructs, demonstrates, discovers, manipulates,
was learned in the classroom into
modifies, operates, predicts, prepares, produces,
novel situations in the work
relates, shows, solves, uses
place.
Technologies: collaborative learning, create a
process, blog, practice

Examples: Troubleshoot a piece of equipment by

using logical deduction. Recognize logical fallacies
in reasoning. Gathers information from a
Analyzing: Separates material or department and selects the required tasks for
concepts into component parts so training.
that its organizational structure
Key Words: analyzes, breaks down, compares,
may be understood.
contrasts, diagrams, deconstructs, differentiates,
Distinguishes between facts and
discriminates, distinguishes, identifies, illustrates,
inferences.
infers, outlines, relates, selects, separates

Technologies: Fishbowls, debating, questioning

what happened, run a test

Examples: Select the most effective solution. Hire

the most qualified candidate. Explain and justify a
new budget.
Evaluating: Make judgments
Key Words: appraises, compares, concludes,
about the value of ideas or
contrasts, criticizes, critiques, defends, describes,
materials.
discriminates, evaluates, explains, interprets,
justifies, relates, summarizes, supports

Technologies: survey, blogging

Examples: Write a company operations or process

manual. Design a machine to perform a specific
Creating: Builds a structure or task. Integrates training from several sources to
pattern from diverse elements. solve a problem. Revises and process to improve
Put parts together to form a the outcome.
whole, with emphasis on creating
a new meaning or structure. Key Words: categorizes, combines, compiles,
composes, creates, devises, designs, explains,
generates, modifies, organizes, plans, rearranges,
 reconstructs, relates, reorganizes, revises,
rewrites, summarizes, tells, writes

Technologies: Create a new model, write an

essay, network with others

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy not only improved the usability of it by using action
words, but added a cognitive and knowledge matrix.

While Bloom's original cognitive taxonomy did mention three levels of

knowledge or products that could be processed, they were not discussed very
much and remained one-dimensional:

o Factual - The basic elements students must know to be acquainted with a discipline or
solve problems.
o Conceptual – The interrelationships among the basic elements within a larger structure
that enable them to function together.
o Procedural - How to do something, methods of inquiry, and criteria for using skills,
algorithms, techniques, and methods.

In Krathwohl and Anderson's revised version, the authors combine the cognitive
processes with the above three levels of knowledge to form a matrix. In
addition, they added another level of knowledge - metacognition:

o Metacognitive – Knowledge of cognition in general, as well as awareness and

knowledge of one’s own cognition.

Ref: http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html