Levels of Thinking and Reasoning

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Levels of Thinking and Reasoning

• The Bloom-Marzano Hierarchy
• Scott King-Owen, Instructional Services

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Welcome!

• Make sure you sign the Schoollink roster!
• Pick up your workshop materials.
• Scott King-Owen, gkingowe_at_nhcs.net

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Objectives

• Define the levels of thinking and reasoning used
  in the Standard Course of Study and testing in
  North Carolina.
• Generate content-specific examples of the levels
  of thinking and reasoning.
• Apply the levels of thinking and reasoning to
  classroom practice.
• Evaluate effective use of the levels of thinking
  and reasoning in classroom practice.

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Pre-Assessment

• On your own paper, construct a circle map.
• Within your circle write down all you know about
  Blooms Taxonomy.

Blooms Taxonomy
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Blooms Taxonomy

• 1956 Benjamin Bloom publishes a small volume
  called Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, The
  Classification of Educational Goals, Handbook I
  Cognitive Domain.

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Blooms Taxonomy
Educators use the taxonomy to write instructional
objectives.
Benjamin Bloom wanted a way to classify
educational goals.
Bloom publishes his Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives.
Assessments are designed according to the
taxonomy.
State curricula were written according to the
taxonomy.
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Blooms Taxonomy

• Blooms Taxonomy was updated in 2001 by Anderson
  and Krathwol.

So, why do we still not use Blooms Taxonomy
in North Carolina?
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Taxonomy Redefined

• Problems with Blooms taxonomy
• Oversimplifies the nature of thought and its
  relationship to learning (Furst, 1994).
• The taxonomy implied a hierarchy of thought
  processes running from lower to higher which did
  not hold up in research studies (Marzano, 2001).

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Learning What We Now Know
Learning must take into account the types of
knowledge as well as the thinking processes
required for manipulating that knowledge.
Learning must take into account the learners
control of his or her own thinking as well as the
role of emotion and interest in acquiring
knowledge.
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The Birth of Marzanos Hierarchy

• Robert Marzano set out to repair the deficiencies
  of Blooms Taxonomy in the 1990s.
• The result was Designing a New Taxonomy of
  Educational Objectives (2001).
• Revised as The New Taxonomy of Educational
  Objectives (2006)

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Marzano and North Carolina

• North Carolinas ABCs program required testing,
  and the test designers needed a taxonomy for
  aligning the goals and objectives to test
  questions so that we would teach what we test and
  test what we teach.
• The resulting Understanding North Carolina
  Tests Thinking Skill Level was published in
  1999.

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NC Thinking Skills
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Marzano and North Carolina
Misconception Alert North Carolina did not
fully adopt Marzanos hierarchy.
Instead, state officials hybridized Marzanos
work with the original Blooms Taxonomy.
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So What?

• Why does the hierarchy matter?
• The goals and objectives of the Standard Course
  of Study are written with the levels of thinking
  and reasoning based on Marzanos work.

So, to effectively teach the SCOS, teachers must
be intimate with the hierarchy in order to know
how to really teach the cognitive demands in the
objectives.
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So What?

• Why does the hierarchy matter?
• All North Carolina EOGs and EOCs are written with
  the hierarchy.

So, in order to effectively prepare students for
state assessments, teachers must be able to
transform objectives into measurable test items.
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Reflection

• What is the most important big idea uncovered
  in the previous slides? What would be different
  about the way we teach and assess if we all knew
  this big idea?
• In groups, come to consensus about one big idea
  from the material.

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A Closer Look at Bloom and Marzano

• Who can name the levels of Blooms Taxonomy?

Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synth
esis Evaluation
Blooms Taxonomy
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Bloom-Marzano Hybrid
Knowing Organizing Applying Analyzing Generating I
ntegrating Evaluating
Hybrid Taxonomy
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Similarities and Differences

• In groups, construct a Double-Bubble map
  comparing the Bloom Hierarchy to the hybrid
  Marzano-Bloom hierarchy.

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Bloom Marzano Hybrid Definitions
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Bloom-Marzano Hybrid Definitions
Low-Level Cognitive Tasks
High-Level Cognitive Tasks
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Part 1 Low-Level Cognitive Tasks
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What does Knowing mean?
describe
label
identify
use the senses to observe
Knowing
recall information
store information in memory
list
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Knowing Objectives

• ESL 3, NL 3.02 Recognize some high frequency
  words in simple or patterned text.
• Science 2, 1.03 Observe the different stages of
  an insect life cycle.
• Social Studies 5, 4.03 Describe the
  contributions of people of diverse cultures
  throughout the history of the United States.

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Knowing Questions

• What is federalism?
• a form of government with elected
  representatives
• a division of power between the national and
  state governments
• a belief in the idea of national sovereignty
• a form of government in which elected officials
  make all economic decisions

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Knowing Questions

• What led to the decline of soapstone mining?
• Dwindling supplies
• Discovery of mica
• Preference for pottery
• Interest in gold mining

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What does Organizing mean?
comparing
arrange information in an ordered way
sequencing in order or by a criteria
Organizing
changing the format of information
contrasting
classifying
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Organizing Objectives

• Social Studies 6, 9.01 Trace the historical
  development of governments . . .
• ELA 8, 3.03 Evaluate and create arguments by
  arranging details, examples, and reasons
  effectively.
• Advanced Functions, 1.02 Compare distributions
  of univariate data.

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Organizing Questions

• Why are parallel circuits, rather than series
  circuits, commonly used in wiring houses?
• They allow appliances to operate separately.
• They are cheaper.
• They have a higher total resistance.
• The voltage drop varies with each resistor.

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Organizing Questions
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What does Applying mean?
knowing when to use knowledge
transferring knowledge from one field to another
using prior knowledge in a new situation
Applying
recognizing similarities and differences between
situations
bringing together information to solve problems
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Applying Objectives

• Healthy Living K, 2.06 Demonstrate how to get
  help in an emergency.
• Theatre Arts 6, 3.02 -- Plan and create a simple
  set for formal or informal dramatic
  presentations.
• Spanish for Native Speakers 1, 3.07 -- Apply
  understanding of conventional written and spoken
  expressions in a variety of settings by using
  appropriate and exact words to influence
  reactions, perceptions, and beliefs.

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Applying Questions

• Which propaganda technique is represented by the
  quote My opponent is soft on crime!?
• Name calling
• Bandwagon
• Glittering generality
• Stacked cards

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Applying Questions

• A boulder falls from a cliff. What is the
  boulders acceleration during the fifth second of
  the fall?
• 2.0 m/s2
• 9.8 m/s2
• 20.0 m/s2
• 98 m/s2

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Review and Application

• In your groups, you will be given some sample
  objectives and test questions. Identify the
  thinking skill level for the objectives and test
  questions.
• Be prepared to defend your thoughts to the whole
  group.

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Categorizing Objectives and Questions - A Caveat

• OFTEN, categorizing a question or an objective
  requires that you understand the amount of prior
  knowledge needed to process the objective at a
  particular level.
• Objectives in higher grades often assume prior
  knowledge, so what may be knowing to you is
  categorized as applying by the state.

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Strange Verbs in the SCOS

• To what levels do you assign the following verbs?
• Acquire...
• Interact...
• Share knowledge...
• Investigate...
• Develop...
• Explore...
• Compose...
• Observe...

Verbs that often call for the student to do
something imply procedural knowledge. Procedural
knowledge requires the use of information to
complete a task. Many times this is nothing more
than application.
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Part 2 High-Level Cognitive Tasks
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What does Analyzing mean?
identifying the attributes of things
cause and effect
identifying parts of objects
Analyzing
identifying logical errors
identifying relationships and patterns
identifying the main idea
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Analyzing Objectives

• Physics, 8.01 Analyze the nature of electrical
  charges.
• US History, 6.01 Examine the factors that led
  to the United States taking an increasingly
  active role in world affairs.
• Visual Arts 7, 3.04 -- Explore and discuss the
  value of intuitive perceptions in the
  problem-solving process.

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Analyzing Questions

• A cell with 5 solute concentration is placed in
  a beaker with a 1 solute concentration. What
  will happen to the cell over time?
• The cell will gain H2O and expand.
• The cell will lose H2O and shrink.
• The cell will both gain and lose equal amounts of
  H2O thus, it will remain the same size.
• The cell will undergo no exchange of H2O with its
  surroundings.

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Analyzing Questions

• Why did the horse in The Runaway Stallion most
  likely run through the water to the opposite
  bank?
• He was afraid that Jeff was trying to capture
  him.
• He wanted the oats in the bucket.
• He needed to cool down in the water before
  eating.
• He was frightened by a noise that Hank made.

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What does Generating mean?
producing new meaning or ideas
exploring hypothetical situations
inferring new meaning
Generating
drawing a conclusion
predicting outcomes
elaborating by adding examples or details
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Generating Objectives

• Theatre Arts 6, 5.04 -- Infer meaning from a
  script to create characters.
• Science 8, 5.05 -- Use maps, ground truthing and
  remote sensing to make predictions regarding
  changes over time, land use, urban sprawl, and
  resource management.
• Civics, 2.02 Explain how the United States
  Constitution grants and limits the authority of
  public officials and government agencies.

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Generating Questions

• Which best explains why the author includes this
  line in the play?
• HANNAH There are tougher questions we have to
  deal with than baseball movies . . . or which
  river is the longest . . . or . . .
• To create sympathy for Jay
• To reveal Hannahs wisdom
• To foreshadow the choice Jay will have to make
• To reduce the tension building between Jay and
  Hannah

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Generating Questions

• While cleaning a saltwater aquarium, students
  placed the aquarium plants in a container of
  distilled water. What effect will this have on
  the plants?
• The plant cells will separate.
• The plant cells will shrink.
• The plant cells will swell.
• The plant cells will remain the same.

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What does Integrating mean?
connecting and combining information
Integrating
generalizing from examples or details
summarizing
restructuring ideas to include new information
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Integrating Objectives

• ESL 9-12, IH 4.05 -- Write an organized and
  focused composition with supporting details on
  familiar and previously studied topics.
• US History, 12.01 Summarize significant events
  in foreign policy since the Vietnam War.
• Science 7, 5.05 -- Summarize the genetic
  transmittance of disease.

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Integrating Questions

• Which of the following statements concerning
  diffusion and active transport is correct?
• Both diffusion and active transport require cell
  energy.
• Neither diffusion nor active transport require
  cell energy.
• Diffusion requires cell energy while active
  transport does not.
• Active transport requires cell energy while
  diffusion does not.

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Integrating Questions

• A house plant is wilting however, it is still
  green. What vital resource is it most likely
  lacking?
• Plant food
• Water
• Sunlight
• Air

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What does Evaluating mean?
judging the reasonableness of information
Evaluating
establishing criteria for judging
checking the accuracy of claims
rating ideas by quality
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Evaluating Objectives

• Civics, 6.08 Evaluate methods used by society
  to address criminal and anti-social behaviors.
• Algebra II, -- 2.05 Use rational equations to
  model and solve problems justify results.
• ELA 7, 4.03 -- Develop the stance of a critic by
  considering and presenting alternative points of
  view or reasons, remaining fair-minded and open
  to other interpretations, and creating a critical
  response/review of a work/topic.

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Evaluating Questions

• The scatterplot shows the number of absences in a
  week for classes of different sizes. Trevor
  concluded that there is a positive correlation
  between class size and the number of absences.
• Which statement best describes why Trevors
  conclusion was incorrect?
• The largest class does not have the most
  absences.
• The smallest class does not have the least number
  of absences.
• The data show no relationship between class size
  and number of absences.
• The data show a negative relationship between
  class size and number of absences.

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Evaluating Questions

• Which of the following pieces of information is
  most helpful in supporting the writers request
  for a replacement?
• The writer knew she had the perfect gift for her
  mother.
• The writer gave the hand vacuum to her mother for
  her fortieth birthday.
• The vacuum had no suction.
• The writer and her father read the owners manual
  together.

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Review and Application

• In your groups, will you be given some sample
  objectives and test questions. Identify the
  thinking skill level for the objectives and test
  questions.
• Be prepared to defend your thoughts to the whole
  group.

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Thoughts for the Classroom

• Should teachers start at the bottom of the
  hierarchy and work their way up to more complex
  levels of thinking?
• In other words, should we always start with
  knowing and end up at evaluating?

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Some Thoughts for the Classroom

• The view that learners must start at the
  bottom and work toward the top may be
  characterized as the climbing the ladder model
  of cognition.

This model is at odds with contemporary views of
the learning process and may confine students to
a boring regimen of low-level, skill-drill
activities, rote memorization of discrete facts,
and mind-numbing test prep worksheets.
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Some Thoughts for the Classroom

• Teachers should incorporate Marzanos vocabulary
  into questioning
• Use a variety of questions at different cognitive
  levels.
• Ask different students questions.
• Vary the questions asked for each student.
• Challenge all students to answer complex
  questions.

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Some Thoughts for the Classroom

• Use the Marzano structure for developing
  assessment items
• Write or re-write multiple choice items to match
  the hierarchy.
• Construct open-ended items according to the
  cognitive demands of the objective.

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Some Thoughts for the Classroom

• Embed using the vocabulary of the hierarchy in
  everyday work without focusing on the structure
  itself
• Students do not need to know the levels of
  thinking and reasoning.
• Students do need to know what common terms like
  verify, assess, analyze, and infer mean.

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Some Thoughts for the Classroom

• Does posting the objective daily mean that the
  teachers or the students actually understand it?
• NO! NO! NO! NO!
• The evidence of understanding of the objective
  comes from how it is unpacked in the classroom.
• Teachers should work at making objectives
  student friendly and encouraging students to
  personalize objectives.

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Marzano and CITW

• How does this hierarchy connect to Marzanos
  Classroom Instruction that Works?

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North Carolina Thinking Skills Levels Thinking
Maps
Knowing
Organizing
Applying
Analyzing
Generating
Integrating
Evaluating
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A Few Big Ideas

• Categorizing an objective or a question often
  depends on the interpretation of that item as
  well as the background knowledge of the student.

• Since the Bloom-Marzano hierarchy is the language
  of the SCOS of testing, it is essential that it
  be understood and applied to classroom practice.

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A Few Big Ideas

• Objectives must be unpacked to get at what is
  implied for students to know, understand, and be
  able to do in the classroom.

• The NC SCOS did not adopt the full Marzano
  hierarchy, so teachers must pay attention to
  other critical issues such as metacognition,
  emotion, and interest and the roles they play in
  learning.

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Conclusion -- Administration

• As a result of this information,
• How will my administrative practice change?
• What will I look for in lesson plans and
  observations?
• How has my understanding of the curriculum and
  testing changed?

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Conclusion -- Teachers

• As a result of this information,
• What will I do differently in my classroom
  assessments?
• What will I do with my lesson planning?
• How will I unpack my curriculum to get at what
  students should know, understand, and be able to
  do?

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Conclusion

• Questions?
• Comments?
• Next Steps?
• For more information, contact Scott King-Owen,
  gkingowe_at_nhcs.net