In addition to being active, tutoring sessions should approach learning in a way that encourages the tutee to get beyond surface level learning. The cognitive domain of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives Revised (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001) is a great framework for planning and evaluating the levels of cognition and learning in your tutoring session.

Bloom’s taxonomy was originally created in 1956 by a group of college educators interested in exams and educational objectives. The taxonomy laid out a six category hierarchy that featured skills and abilities building upon the foundation of knowledge. In 2001, a group led by Anderson and Krathwohl (including Bloom) established a revised taxonomy. The revision kept the six categories but shifted the focus to action (as their titles were changed from nouns to verbs) and recognized learners can still process and learn at a higher level even if they haven’t completely mastered levels below it. With that in mind, let’s look at the revised taxonomy we use today. Click on Fig 1.6.1 - 1.6.4.

Often high school exams require students to be prepared for remembering and understanding levels. However, many exams in college require students to process at higher levels. This might be part of the reason students often say “What worked in high school no longer works!” or “I was able to ace tests in high school without having to study.” Helping your tutees recognize what level of thinking and learning is expected of them is a great way to prepare effectively and efficiently for exam.

When you are tutoring, try to work with the tutee to identify which level their current study approaches and strategies are aimed at meeting. Next, the tutee and you can identify the level the faculty expects them to meet on the exam or assignment. This gives you an idea of where the tutee is currently and a goal for the level of learning they will need to meet to be successful. You can gradually structure the session and how you approach the material to meet the goal level.

Click on Fig 1.7.1 - 1.7.2

Think back to some of the ideas, tips, and strategies from active learning as well as other activities you’ve done while studying. Consider where these activities might fall in Bloom’s taxonomy.

Here are some key verbs that might help you identify the used or expected level and even plan activities to apply learning at that level.

Click on Fig 1.8 on the left.

Module 4: Approaches to Learning