DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINKING AND LEARNING: THE AFFECTIVE DOMAIN Krathwohl et al. (1964) wrote the seminal book describing what Bloom and ot...
DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINKING AND LEARNING: THE AFFECTIVE DOMAIN Krathwohl et al. (1964) wrote the seminal book describing what Bloom and others called the affective domain. The affective domain includes all things that limit or enhance learning in addition to basic thinking. The affective domain describes learning objectives that emphasize a feeling, an emotion, or a degree of acceptance or rejection. Affective characteristics vary from simply paying attention, to complex qualities of character and conscience. The affective domain involves many things that at first seem unconnected, but Krathwohl et al. (1964) arranged them in a hierarchical order (Figure 1) related to an individual's level of commitment to learning. The Science Education Resource Center website has a good summary of the affective domain (http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/intro.html). The key idea is this: receiving information is the first and easiest part of learning. More important is Figure 1. The affective domain as described by Krathwohl et al. (1964).
Krathwohl et al. organized the domain into a hierarchy based upon an individuals commitment to living and valuing. 8 Wirth & Perkins - Learning to Learn that you respond to what you learn, you value it and organize it and eventually use it to guide your lives. A key part of this process is developing good attitudes toward learning and what you learn. Motivation and values are important. In fact, a recent study by Dweck and others demonstrates that student views of learning often have significant effects on student grades. The affective domain, according to current educational literature, is essential for learning. Yet, it receives little attention from most teachers. Instead, most teachers focus on the cognitive aspects of the teaching and learning and most of the classroom time is designed for cognitive outcomes. Additionally, many affective characteristics are nebulous or hard to quantify making it difficult for both teachers and students to specify goals and to evaluate whether those goals are met. Perhaps the most important consideration of the affective domain occurs when you assess your own learning. You can consider and evaluate motives, attitudes, and other things in a way that your teacher cannot. You can identify and deal with affective roadblocks to learning that can neither be recognized nor solved when using a purely cognitive approach. FINK'S TAXONOMY OF SIGNIFICANT LEARNING In response to a need for a broader consideration of learning, Fink (2003) proposed a taxonomy of “significant learning”
(Table 2) that involves aspects of both the cognitive and affective domains. This taxonomy was developed to emphasize that learning involves changes in the learner. Significant learning is characterized by “some kind of lasting change that is important in terms of the learner’s life” (Fink 2003). Each of Fink’s rather broad categories includes several related specific kinds of learning. However, unlike in Bloom’s taxonomy, the categories in the Fink (2003) taxonomy are interactive rather than hierarchical. According to the Fink scheme, foundational knowledge includes knowledge and understanding of basic facts, ideas, and perspectives. Foundational knowledge also includes understanding the conceptual structure of factual knowledge within a subject, essential when applying factual knowledge in other areas. Foundational knowledge is also essential for other kinds of learning to be useful, hence the term foundational. In addition to being able to recall information and ideas, one also needs to be able to apply one’s knowledge or skills to new situations; this is application. This category includes learning to engage in new kinds of thinking (critical, creative, practical) as well as certain skills (e.g., communication, playing an instrument).
Critical thinking, discussed in more detail below, refers to the process of analyzing and evaluating, whereas creative thinking is the process of creating new ideas, designs, products, or forms of expression (Sternberg 1989; cited in Fink 2003). Practical learning occurs when foundational knowledge is applied to answering questions, solving problems, or making decisions. In the Fink taxonomy, the real intellectual power comes from integration, which involves being able to make connections between specific ideas, people, or different realms of life. This includes interdisciplinary learning, learning communities, and connecting academic work with other areas of life. The human dimension of learning describes the type of learning that occurs when a student learns something important about himself or Wirth & Perkins - Learning to Learn 9 herself, or what they might desire to become. This new self-knowledge enables them to recognize the personal and social implications of their knowledge and to function and interact more effectively with others. (Others are broadly defined by Fink to include interacting with technology). These kinds of learning (human dimension) are broadly similar to “emotional intelligence,” which Goleman (1998; cited in Fink 2003), describes as including self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Both authors note the importance of understanding self and others, and of the reciprocity of learning about oneself and others. When a learning experience has a profound effect on a student, it can result in a greater sense of caring for the subject, for themselves, others, or learning in general. Greater caring can lead to new interests, energy for learning, or a change in values. Finally, it is also important to learn how to learn. This includes learning how to diagnose one’s own need for learning and how to be a self-learner. This type of learning enables students to continue learning with greater effectiveness and is a particularly important skill with the recent explosion of knowledge and technology. Table 2. Fink’s (2003) Categories of Significant Learning. Learning Categories Specific Kinds of Learning Examples from Geology Foundational Knowledge Understanding and Remembering Information & Ideas Understand important geologic features, processes, and concepts sufficiently well to explain and predict other observations Application Skills; Critical, Creative, and Practical Thinking; Managing Projects Be able to find and analyze information to solve problems from a geologic perspective; learn to manage complex tasks; develop new skills such as language, communication, music, dance, sports Integration Connecting Ideas, People, and Realms of Life Identify the interactions between geology and other realms of knowledge such as biology, politics, or economics Human Dimension Learning about Oneself and Others Be able to identify ways in which one’s own life affects and is affected by interactions with the Earth; learning how to be a leader or a team member; developing character and ethics; becoming culturally sensitive and serving others; taking responsibility for one’s own life Caring Developing New Feelings, Interests, and Values Be interested in the Earth and continue learning about it; wanting to be a good students; being excited about a subject or activity Learning How to Learn Becoming a Better Student; Inquiring About a Subject; SelfDirecting Learners Be able to interpret the significance of new geologic information; learning how to inquire and construct knowledge; developing a learning agenda and plan 10 Wirth & Perkins - Learning to Learn The lecturer pumps laboriously into sieves. The water may be wholesome, but it runs through
. A mind must work to grow. C.W. Eliot At best, most traditional college courses and curricula are designed to provide students with foundational knowledge and the skills for self-directed learning after graduation. How does one develop the other aspects of significant learning? That’s a question for both the learner and the instructor. For an overview of the skill and value objectives considered by teachers when designing courses, view the Teaching Goals Inventory (http://www.uiowa.edu/~centeach/tgi/). The bottom line is this: there is a lot more to learning than memorizing, recalling, or even understanding, facts. Stated another way: there is much more to learning than content. The successful student must also know how to apply knowledge to new areas; integrate knowledge with other aspects of life; understand the implications of knowledge for self and others; care about learning; and learn how to learn. None of these learning categories can be neglected because learning in one area enhances learning in other areas (Fink 2003).
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