The Domains of Learning

How We Learn
Humans are lifelong learners. From birth onward we learn and assimilate what we have just learned into what we already know. Learning in the Geosciences, like all learning, can be categorized into the domains of concept knowledge, how we view ourselves as learners and the skills we need to engage in the activities of geoscientists. As early as 1956 Educational Psychologist Benjamin Bloom divided what and how we learn into three separate domains of learning.

Cognitive Domain


this domain includes content knowledge and the development of intellectual skills includes the recall or recognition of specific facts and concepts that serve developing intellectual abilities and skills there are six major categories, starting from the simplest behavior (recalling facts) to the most complex (Evaluation) knowledge or mind based

A mnemonic device for remembering the six levels:

Killing Cats Almost Always Seems Evil Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation

Categories in the Cognitive Domain: (with Outcome-Illustrating Verbs)



Knowledge: defined as the remembering (recalling) of appropriate, previously learned information >defines, describes, enumerates, identifies, labels, lists, matches, names, reads, records, reproduces, selects, states, views, writes Comprehension: grasping (understanding) the meaning of informational materials

>classifies, cites, converts, describes, discusses, estimates, explains, generalizes, gives examples, illustrates, makes sense out of, paraphrases, restates (in own words), summarizes, traces, understands Application: the use of previously learned information in new and concrete situations to solve problems that have single or best answers >applies, articulates, computes, constructs, demonstrates, determines, develops, discovers, establishes, extends, implements, reports, shows, solves

Analysis: the breaking down of informational materials into their component parts, examining such information to develop divergent conclusions by identifying motives or causes, making inferences, and/or finding evidence to support generalizations >analyzes, breaks down, categorizes, compares, contrasts, correlates, diagrams, differentiates, discriminates, distinguishes, focuses, illustrates, outlines, points out, recognizes Synthesis: creatively or divergently applying prior knowledge and skills to produce a new or original whole

>adapts, anticipates, collaborates, combines, communicates, composes, creates, designs, develops, devises, expresses, facilitates, formulates, generates, hypothesizes, invents Evaluation: judging the value of material based on personal values/opinions, resulting in an end product, with a given purpose, without real right or wrong answers > compares & contrasts, concludes, criticizes, critiques, decides, interprets, judges

>>>The University of Washington's Geography Department

Affective Domain


includes feelings, values, appreciation, attitudes, enthusiasms and motivations

Receiving  being aware of or attending to something in the environment Responding  showing some new behaviors as a result of experience

Valuing  showing some definite involvement or commitment Organization  integrating a new value into one's general set of values, giving it some ranking among one's general priorities Characterization by Value  acting consistently with the new value; person is known by the value
>>>Krathwohl, D., Bloom., & Masia, B. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives. Handbook II: Affective Domain. New York: David McKay

Psychomotor Domain


includes physical movement, coordination, and use of the motor-skill areas development of these skills requires practice and is measured in terms of speed, precision, distance, procedures, or techniques in execution

Perception  process of becoming aware of objects and qualities by way of senses

Set  readiness for a particular kind of action or experience; may be mental, physical or emotional Guided Response  overt behavioral act under guidance of an instructor, or following model or set criteria Mechanism  learned response becomes habitual; learner has achieved certain confidence and proficiency or performance

Complex Overt Response  performance of motor act considered complex because of movement pattern required Adaptation  altering motor activities to meet demands of problematic situations Origination  creating new motor acts or ways of manipulating materials out of skills, abilities and understandings developed in the psychomotor area
>>> Simpson, J. S. (1996). The classification of educational objectives, psychomotor domain. Office of Education Project No. 5-85-104. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois

Presented by: Rosales, Ladylyn V.