Bloom’s Taxonomy and Martial Arts Training
Bloom's Taxonomy is a framework that classifies educational objectives into cognitive domains. It was created by educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom in 1956 and later revised by others. The taxonomy is often represented as a pyramid with levels of increasing complexity, from simple recall of facts at the base to higher-order thinking skills at the top. The six cognitive domains in Bloom's Taxonomy are:
Remembering: Recall of facts and basic concepts.
Understanding: Comprehension of information and ability to explain it.
Applying: Application of knowledge in new situations or contexts.
Analyzing: Breaking down information into parts and understanding the relationships between them.
Evaluating: Making judgments about the value of ideas or materials.
Creating: Synthesizing information to generate new ideas or products.
Now, let's explore how Bloom's Taxonomy can be related to martial arts:
Remembering: At the basic level, students need to remember the names and sequences of techniques, kicks, strikes, stances, and forms in the various martial arts. This also involves memorizing fundamental principles and terminology, as well as some of the culture of the arts being taught.
Understanding: Students must understand the purpose and mechanics behind each technique. What the skill is for and why it is used. This includes understanding the principles of balance, positioning, angles, leverage, and body mechanics that underlie each of the different martial arts movements.
Applying: Here the martial artists apply their knowledge in practical situations, such as sparring or self-defense scenarios. This level involves using techniques and strategies in drills that can be applied in real-world practical contexts.
Analyzing: At this stage the martial artist analyze their own performance and that of their opponents. This might involve breaking down a complex sequence of movements or understanding the weaknesses and strengths of each particular style.
Evaluating: Students can evaluate the effectiveness of different techniques or strategies in various situations. This level involves making judgments about the quality and appropriateness of martial arts techniques and thei use in real self defense.
Creating: At the highest level, martial artists may create new combinations of techniques, strategies, or even develop their own martial arts style. This involves synthesizing knowledge and experience to innovate within the martial arts domain.
Incorporating Bloom's Taxonomy into martial arts training helps us instructors design comprehensive lesson plans here at Strickland’s Martial Arts that address various cognitive skills for our students. It also encourages students to develop a deeper understanding of the principles behind the physical movements of the skills and drills, while fostering a more holistic and thoughtful approach to martial arts practice.
