Benjamin Bloom
In 1956, a committee of colleges, led by Benjamin Bloom, published the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives for the cognitive domain. The taxonomy proved to be extremely valuable in the specification and analysis of instructional outcomes and the design of instruction to attain them. Advocating a mastery approach to learning, Bloom endorsed instructional techniques that varied both instruction and time according to learner requirements. This approach provides instructional developers a means by which to match subject matter and instructional methods.
Three domains of educational activities were identified:
- Cognitive: mental skills (Knowledge)
- Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas (Attitude)
- Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (Skills)
For more information, see Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives.