Blooms Taxonomy was developed in 1956 and was used to help classify the difficulty associated with questions asked during assessments, ultimately being transformed into a “system” for classifying various learning outcomes. But how do serious games tie in with Blooms Taxonomy?
A Quick Overview of Bloom’s Taxonomy
In simple terms, the Blooms Taxonomy model is based around the idea that learning can be divided into three main areas - learning that is generating a skill, learning that is developing attitudes, and finally, learning that is transferring knowledge. These are referred to as “domains”, and more complicated “languages” can be used to capture each of these areas. They include:
- Cognitive Domain
- Attitude Domain
- Skills Domain
Okay, so what about the “Taxonomy” part? Well, this isn’t too complicated either. It basically means the classification of something. To explain further, the Bloom’s model suggests that each individual learning type has a series of learning levels that should be considered when providing a serious game platform for learners.
A Quick Overview of Serious Games
A “Serious Game” is basically a game that is designed for the primary purpose of teaching rather than entertaining. The “Serious” adjective used in its name refers to the various industries that take advantage of them include the corporate industry, scientific community, and even education system.
One of the main characteristics that separates a serious game from a regular game is that it is designed for a real-world problem. Serious games can be entertaining, but they are there to educate learners. Now that you understand both Bloom’s Taxonomy and serious games, let’s take a look at how they can be tied together to create the ultimate real-world learning experience.
Choosing the Complexity of the Game
As a general rule of thumb, the amount of complexity associated with a serious game will be directly correlated with the level of learning that you desire. For instance, if you simply wanted the learner to increase their knowledge and memorize the material then you could take advantage of the Taxonomy’s first level of learning - knowledge.
The learner would be required to recite specific facts and terminology, as well as understand various theories and structures associated with the subject. But if you wanted to take your serious game one step further then you could use the comprehension level of learning.
This would essentially require the serious game player to understand the facts and information being given by comparing, translating, and interpreting it. In the serious game itself, you could have the learner compare different aspects of what they learned.
Creating Different Types of Serious Games
Creating a serious game that only requires basic recall is quite easy to accomplish. However, if you are creating a serious game that requires the learner to come up with much more complex conclusions based on what they learned then your instructional design will need to be altered. Bloom’s taxonomy and serious games tie in together quite well if you understand the level of learning that you require for your learners. For more information on how to determine the best solution for your learners contact us today.