The University Core Course

You are enrolled in a required university core course that is outside your major field of study. Your professor uses language from the first two levels of the pyramid in your assignments and on your syllabus which leads you to believe that they are expecting you to develop a knowledge base and basic understanding of the course content. For example:

• At the end of this course, you will be able to list the five major musical genre of the 20th Century. (Knowledge)
• From the following list, identify those composers who were from the Baroque Period. (Understanding)
• Arrange the following composers by century and musical period. (Knowledge)
• You will be able to recognize the music of Bach, Bartók, Beethoven, Dvorak, Gabrieli, Hayden, and Charles Ives. (Understanding)

The language used in these examples is from the first two levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy: Knowledge and Understanding. These are the building blocks of learning. Learning tools that might be appropriate in this course are those which would help you remember and understand content. This could include flash cards, memory lists, acronyms, mind maps, t-charts, matrixes, etc.

The Major Course

You are a sophomore and enrolled in a 3000-level course in your major. In their syllabus and exams, your professor uses language from the first through fifth levels of the pyramid:

• This course is an introduction to electronic systems and signal processing. You will be able to recognize the internal components and operating systems of each type of system. (Knowledge)
• After completing this course, students should be able to calculate the response of zero‐state and zero‐input systems. (Analysis)
• Describe the properties of Z and Fourier Transforms. (Understanding)
• Design and calculate the BW for filters, in the context of a larger system. (Analysis & Synthesis)
• Choose the appropriate filter for a given system. (Application)

Obviously, the tools for remembering and understanding have a place here, but their use will be somewhat limited. This course now requires that you begin to apply, analyze and evaluate information based on past learning. Tools that might be helpful for these higher levels of learning include flash cards (technical terms), problem cards, self-created test banks, self-created lab or project notebooks, etc.

Study Strategies

There are different ways to study for each level of Bloom's Taxonomy. Each level is listed below with appropriate study strategies and key words to use for creating practice exam questions. The key words will also help you identify which levels of learning your professor expects form you in their class.

Why Bloom's?

The benefit of Bloom’s Taxonomy is that it helps you identify where you are and where your professor expects you to be on the pyramid for a particular class or subject. Once you know this, you can develop learning strategies that are most appropriate, effective, and efficient for your class. Start where you are in terms of knowledge in a subject and to adjust your learning strategies as you move up the pyramid to more complex and demanding learning.