We are in a new era of learning. Technology is at the forefront of our everyday lives, and it is imperative that all stakeholders adopt the use of technology. According to Fullan and Langworthy, “Digital tools and resources have forced education to revamp its pedagogical practices” (2014). I know this is true for my classroom. When I first started teaching in 2017, my classroom had a limited amount of technology. I used my microphone and speaker to play music, and I would use the projector to show health videos. Digital access makes it possible for students to apply concepts beyond the boundaries of their schools (Fullan and Langworthy, 2014). Fast forward to 2025, I use a view board to display standards, learning targets, and success criteria. I use the view board as a reference key for students when we play games or have activity stations. I also use the view board for instant activities for K-2nd students, and my students in grades 3rd-8th have 1 to 1 device that they take to each class and take home.
Unfortunately, I still come across some educators who are late majority and/or laggards. They are stuck in the 20th century style of education. Their assessments are arranged to assess students’ knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, which is the original Bloom’s Taxonomy. In addition, these teachers normally shy away from the use of technology. However, Bloom’s Taxonomy has been revised. Assessing knowledge became recalling, comprehension became understanding, application became applying, and analysis became analyzing. Synthesis and evaluation were changed to evaluating and creating. According to Huitt, “They are both on the highest level of the problem-solving process. If either is omitted, effective learning declines” (2011). Therefore, Bloom’s Taxonomy is still relevant and needed in education, but it must be integrated with other teaching methods.
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences means that people are intelligent in many ways. For example, some learners are logical and good at math. Others are kinesthetic learners. Some are interpersonal, visual/spatial, verbal/linguistic, and intrapersonal learners. For the last 5 years, my school has been working with the district’s STEM/STEAM department to help turn my school into a STEAM school. STEAM is an educational framework that integrates science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. As educators, we were tasked to create PBL lesson plans. PBL can stand for Project-Based Learning or Problem-Based Learning. Both are student-centered instructional approaches that encourage active learning through real-world challenges or problems. This is an example of using depth and multiple intelligence. Therefore, combining Bloom’s taxonomy with Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences is essential for deepening learning.
Having technology in the classroom is important, but as educators it is vital that we empower our students with the skills to understand digital and media literacy. Learners need access to relevant and credible information that helps them make life decisions (Hobbs, 2011). For example, I administer a nutrition project every year for my middle school students. I created a digital grocery store where my students have to grocery shop online for a month. Engagement in current events like this may help build conductions between the classroom and the real world (Hobbs, 2011). My students get the opportunity to learn budgeting skills. In addition, they learn the cost of food and how to read food labels. According to Hobbs, “This type of engagement helps learners see how the news and current events are constructed by those with economic, political and cultural interest at stake (2011). As stakeholders we must learn to minimize the negative dimension of digital and media literacy by maximizing the positive characteristics of technology.
References
Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. (2014). A rich seam: How new pedagogies find deep learning. London: Pearson. Retrieved from https://www.pearson.com/content/dam/one-dot-com/one-dot-com/global/Files/about-pearson/innovation/open-ideas/ARichSeamEnglish.pdf
Hobbs, R. (2011). Empowering learners with digital and media literacy. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 12-17. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
Huitt, W. (2011). Bloom et al.'s taxonomy of the cognitive domain. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cognition/bloom.pdf
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