Benjamin Bloom

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Lore & Background

Bloom was born in Lansford, Pennsylvania, to an immigrant Jewish family whose parents fled a climate of discrimination in Russia. He received a bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1935 and a master's degree from Penn State, also in 1935. He received a doctorate from the University of Chicago in 1942 and joined its faculty in 1944. From 1965–1966, he served as president of the American Educational Research Association. In 1956, Bloom edited the first volume of The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals, which classified learning objectives according to a rubric that has come to be known as Bloom's taxonomy. It was one of the first attempts to systematically classify levels of cognitive functioning and gave structure to the otherwise amorphous mental processes of gifted students. Bloom's taxonomy remains a foundation of the academic profession according to the 1981 survey, 'Significant Writings That Have Influenced the Curriculum: 1906–81' by Harold G. Shane and the National Society for the Study of Education. Bloom's 2 Sigma Problem is also attributed to him. Bloom conducted research on student achievement. Through a variety of studies, he and his colleagues observed factors within the school environment as well as outside of it that can affect how children learn. One example was the lack of variation in teaching. Bloom hypothesized that if teachers adapted their teaching methods to the individual needs of each student, more children would receive the opportunity to learn better. This led to the creation of Bloom's Mastery Learning procedure. The procedure required teachers to organize skills and concepts into instructional units approximately 1–2 weeks in length. At the end of the unit, the student would receive an assessment that provided constructive feedback. If a child lacked understanding, they would be assigned corrective assignments and then take a second assessment. For students who showed mastery, enrichment activities were recommended. Aside from his work on educational objectives and outcomes, Bloom also directed a research team that evaluated and elucidated the process of developing exceptional talents in individuals, shedding light upon the phenomena of vocational eminence and the concept of greatness. In the article 'The Role of Gifts and Markers in the Development of Talent' (1982), 70 individuals known as being among the best in their field were interviewed, along with their parents, teachers, and other significant persons. The individuals studied were mathematicians, Olympic swimmers, and concert pianists. The three main characteristics frequently shared were willingness to work, competitiveness, and ability to learn new techniques. The interpretation of the children as being talented led parents to create an environment that allowed for growth through hiring teachers/tutors, opportunities in competitions and events, and overall encouragement.

Reader's Guide

Benjamin Bloom's significance lies in his systematic approach to understanding and improving education. His taxonomy of educational objectives provided a common language for educators to describe and assess cognitive skills, influencing curriculum design and teaching methods worldwide. In 1956, Bloom edited the first volume of The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals, which classified learning objectives according to a rubric that has come to be known as Bloom's taxonomy. It was one of the first attempts to systematically classify levels of cognitive functioning and gave structure to the otherwise amorphous mental processes of gifted students. The taxonomy's impact was affirmed by the 1981 survey 'Significant Writings That Have Influenced the Curriculum: 1906–81' by Harold G. Shane and the National Society for the Study of Education. Bloom's Mastery Learning procedure addressed the problem of varied student achievement by advocating for individualized instruction and formative assessment. The procedure required teachers to organize skills and concepts into instructional units approximately 1–2 weeks in length. At the end of the unit, the student would receive an assessment that provided constructive feedback. If a child lacked understanding, they would be assigned corrective assignments based on information they had trouble understanding, then take a second assessment. For students who showed mastery, enrichment activities such as academic games, reports, or special projects were recommended. His research on talent development challenged the notion of innate genius. In the article 'The Role of Gifts and Markers in the Development of Talent' (1982), 70 individuals who were among the best in their field—mathematicians, Olympic swimmers, and concert pianists—were interviewed along with their parents and teachers. The three main characteristics frequently shared were willingness to work, competitiveness, and ability to learn new techniques. The interpretation of children as being talented led parents to create an environment that allowed for growth through hiring teachers/tutors, opportunities in competitions and events, and overall encouragement. Bloom's work continues to inform educational practices, from lesson planning to gifted education.

Did You Know?

• Bloom received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Pennsylvania State University in 1935.
• He served as president of the American Educational Research Association from 1965–1966.
• Bloom's Mastery Learning procedure required teachers to organize skills and concepts into instructional units approximately 1–2 weeks in length.
• For his research on talent development, Bloom interviewed 70 individuals who were among the best in their field, including mathematicians, Olympic swimmers, and concert pianists.
• The three main characteristics frequently shared by successful individuals in Bloom's study were willingness to work, competitiveness, and ability to learn new techniques.