Flip the Day

Most of us are familiar with Bloom's Taxonomy. Teachers begin new lessons by introducing the basic knowledge which students must memorize and understand before challenging students to use their new information in creative ways.

Well, it seems that this traditional model is being questioned. Educators Dr. James Norwood recently suggested that we flip this model.

In this model, students create before the basics of the lessons are introduced and cemented. This speaks to an old question. Should educators introduce a new lesson with an activity or use the activity after introducing terms and concepts. A good case can be made for both options.

I've never really used Bloom's Taxonomy as a road map when designing a lesson or unit. Instead I've tried to do what was best for each topic. Sometimes introducing a vocabulary, concpets, and facts first is necessary before challenging students to evaluate and create. Other times, though not often, I've introduced an activity to generate interest before discussing the concepts and terms.

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