Bloom's Domains of Learning

Benjamin Bloom and his coauthors presented a taxonomy of learning objectives that are valuable in determining learning outcomes and designing instruction (Anglin, 2011). This diagram  shows the three domains of learning presented by Bloom; the cognitive, affective and psychomotor have for a long time served as the framework for building curriculum and instruction. All domains are linked. The cognitive domain entails memory storage and developing schemas. Piaget’s concept of schemas is the notion that our thoughts or cognitions come from what we perceive, understand, and think of the world around us (Hill, 2002). In the psychomotor domain, learning involves the acquisition of skills and knowledge. The more you train, the better you will become at a skill. In the affective domain, skill and knowledge acquisition is dependent on the “inner self.” For example, a student’s feelings, beliefs, personality traits, and attitudes all affect learning. The goal of teaching is to take a student from the basic skills of learning in each of the domains to the higher order skills once mastery has occured. 

Sources:

Anglin, G.J. (2011). Instructional Technology: Past, Present, and Future. Colorado:

Libraries Unlimited.

Hill, W. (2002). Learning: A survey of psychological interpretation. Boston MA: Allyn

& Bacon.