Taxonomy of Instructional Objectives

TAXONOMY means a system of classification.

-a teaching-learning process may be conceived as an attempt to change the behavior of pupils which respect to some subject matter or learning experiences.

3 Domains;

1. Cognitive (knowing)
2. Affective (feeling)
3. Psychomotor (doing)

Taxonomy of Objectives in the COGNITIVE DOMAIN

     It helps a teacher to keep him/her reminded that many and important high mental process beyond the acquisition of knowledge on the part of his/her students.

KNOWLEDGE- mainly call for recall and recognition.
Primarily aims for the acquisition of the knowledge concerning:

·         Specific facts, terminology, methods and processes, and

·         Generalized principles, theories and structures.

COMPREHENSION- its level is little higher thank knowledge. Basic understanding of the facts, ideas, methods, processes, principles or theories.

As a result, what is communicated to a learner, he may

·         Translate or summarize the communicated knowledge in his own words,

·         Interpret, i.e. cite examples, discriminate, classify, verify or generalize, and

·         Extrapolate, i.e. estimate or understand the use of knowledge and extend it to other subjects and fields.

APPLICATION- knowledge is useful only when it is possible to be applied. The application of an idea, principle or theory may be made possible only when it is grasped and understood properly. Under this objective, the learner is required to acquire the ability to

·         Make use of the abstract or generalized ideas, principles in the particular and concrete situations.

ANALYSIS- refers to an understanding at a higher level. The learner is expected to acquire the necessary skill in

·         Drawing inferences, discriminating, making choices and selection.

·         Separating apart the different components or elements of a concept, object or principle.

SYNTHESIS- aim to help the learner acquire necessary ability combine the different elements or components of an idea, object, concept or principle produce an integrated picture, i.e. a figure of wholeness.

As a result, he/she may be expected

·         Propagate or present a theory or principle by combining different approaches, ideas or view point.

·         He/she may arrive at something new or originate some novel thing or idea after.

EVALUATION- ability to make a proper value judgment about what has been acquired by him/her in the form of knowledge, understanding, application, analysis and synthesis. As a result, the learner is expected to take proper decision about the quantitative and qualitative value of a particular idea, object, principle or theory.

                                                                    

     Bloom and his associates wished to make use of the contents and learning experiences of a topic/unit/subunit of a subject in such a way that results in the desired behavioural changes in one’s cognitive domain.

Taxonomy of Objectives in the AFFECTIVE DOMAIN

Krathwohl, Bloom and Maria (1964) Taxonomy

RECEIVING (attending)

• a.       Awareness
• b.      Willingness to receive
• c.       Controlled or selected attention

     It is the inculcation of certain interests, attitudes, values or ideas, it is essential that the learner is made to receive or attend the desired ideas, events or objects.

RESPONDING

• a.       Acquiescence in responding
• b.      Willingness to respond
• c.       Satisfaction in response

     The responses here do not confine itself in just paying attention or arousal of a simple intention or desire of getting a thing, as in the 1^st category of receiving, but manifest themselves in the active behavior like obeying, answering, reading, discussing, recording, writing and reacting to a stimulus.

VALUING

• a.       Acceptance of a value
• b.      Preference for a value
• c.       Commitment

     Learners are drifted towards taking value judgment about that thing, idea or event. Here the learner is expected to imbibe a definite value pattern towards different ideas, events and objects.

ORGANIZING

• a.       Conceptualization of a value
• b.      Organization of a value system

     The construction of relatively enduring value structure in the learner by organizing and synthesizing the different value patterns imbibe by him/her from time to time. This category of objective leads the learner to form set value structure or philosophy of life.

CHARACTERIZING BY A VALUE OR VALUE COMPLEX

• a.       Generalized set
• b.      Characterization

     It is the highest level in the categories of the objectives. The learner is able to imbibe all the essential effective behavior, i.e. interests, attitudes, values, value complex or value patterns, a permanent set value structure. The learner is destined to imbibe typical characteristics of his individual character, i.e. lifestyle of his own. In fact, it is the end point or ultimate goal of the process of education.

      It may also be observed that although it is possible to reach all the levels or cover all the categories mentioned in this classification through the teaching of a particular topic or subject belonging to the school curriculum, yet the task of reaching the two cup levels of the affective domain(i.e. organization and characterization by a value) is not so simple. In practice, usually it yields to be a life-long task effectively mastered by a only few adults in their lives.


Taxonomy of Objectives in the PSYCHOMOTOR DOMAIN

Harrow (1972) Taxonomy

1. REFLEX MOVEMENTS: Reflex movements may be considered as the involuntary motor responses to various stimuli in the environment. They are largely controlled by the autonomous nervous system. Examples,

• jerking of hands
• closing of eyelid
• stretching of the arms

2. BASIC FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENTS: It represents the simple basic movements of the body almost requiring the serious attempts or skilled practice for their occurrence. In the late years of his/her life, these movements are made as a result of obeying certain kinds of orders. Examples;

• kneeling
• creeping
• stumbling
• walking
• jumping
• moving hands and neck

3. PERCEPTUAL ABILITIES: Whatever is perceived by one's senses becomes an ignition point for his motor behavior. Such type of behavior is learned behaviour. It is always acquired through experience and systematic training. As a result;

• the learner is able to derive useful meanings out of the exposure of their senses to various stimuli in the environment.

4. PHYSICAL ABILITIES: For an effective motor behavior, there is an urgent need of the development of desirable physical abilities. Therefore, this category of objectives aims to develop the various physical abilities of the learners like;

• tolerance to stand against rough weather
• to do hard labour
• to carry heavy load
• to bend an article
• to demonstrate one's physical power in starting, stopping or running an object or machine.

5. SKILLED MOVEMENTS: Skilled movements are those complex bodily movements which help in performing skilled tasks. These movements can be acquired through an organized and systematic learning process. The development of the abilities concerning such skilled movements depends upon the development of the motor abilities described under all the earlier four categories. Examples;

• dancing
• diving
• driving
• playing musical organs
• skating
• typing
• swimming
• tailoring

6. NON-DISCURSIVE COMMUNICATION:The bodily movements are hereby integrated with inner feelings and effective behavior of the learner. In this way, non-discursive communication may be defined in terms if the overt behavior activities related to the communication of affective behavior feelings and emotions. This communication may range from a simple behavior expressed through posing or facial expression to a complex behavior performed through a highly sophisticated;

• classical dance
• sketching
• painting
• acting

An Alternative Taxonomy of PSYCHOMOTOR OBJECTIVES

Dr. R. H. Dave (1969) Taxonomy

IMITATION

•  Impulsion
• Overt repetition

     The student feels an inner push or an impulse (by having an inner rehearsal of the psychomotor activities) to imitate the action. It is followed by the overt-repetition (imitation) of the demonstrative behavior. Example;

1. Drawing or surveying skill in social studies, the task begins with the imitation of observed facts;
2. The child observes the demonstrated behavior related to drawing of a map outline, measurement of latitude and longitude on a globe.

MANIPULATION

• Following direction
• Selection
• Fixation

     It emphasizes manipulation on the part of the learner for the acquisition of skills by following directions, performing selected action and fixation of performance through necessary practice.

PRECISION

•  Reproduction
• Control

     The learner is able to perform skilled acts or activities with a desired level of precision (accuracy, exactness and right proportion) and as such may be said to reach a higher-level or refinement in reproducing a given act or skilled task.

ARTICULATION

• Sequence
• Harmony

     The learner becomes capable of coordinating a series of acts by establishing appropriate sequence and accomplishing harmony or internal consistency among different acts.

NATURALIZATION

• Automatism
• Interiorization

     One can now perform a single act or a series of articulated acts with a greater refinement, ease and convenience as automatic and naturally as possible.