Sunday, September 10, 2017

How about the heart? Talking about the Affective Domain in Bloom's Taxonomy

Introversion

"I prefer to keep to myself. It's hard for me to mingle because I'm too conscious of myself." she writes.

Kari hands a list of expectations about our coursework written in a scratch paper.

"Honestly, this was also one consideration in selecting a field area for you, especially because you will enter the poor community on your own, without any teammates," I replied nonchalantly.

"Uh-huh."

"I already talked to two other professors about it," I reiterated.

"One advised against it since, as you also mentioned, your disposition might not positively assist you in a new and confusing environment. A different community might put tremendous stress on you."

"Yet, another professor told me that this could be exactly what you need. Maybe this is what we, as an educational institution, have not taught you."

One Wednesday afternoon in my office, at the back of my mind, I was asking, "Being introverted myself, how do I tackle Kari's issues about introversion?"

Bloom's Taxonomy

I search my laptop for documents and readings about Bloom's taxonomy: the three domains. I think, rather than the cognitive and the psychomotor domain, what Kari is asking from me is to improve her affective domain. Which I believe is highly neglected among many educational institutions.

It seems that "knoweldge" or the cognitive aspect doesn't help very much in this circumstance because it doesn't feel relevant to her. She's longing for someone or something to help her on the affective domain that might have been underdeveloped simply because, as I said, it's neglected.

In my classes, I have tried to address this issue yet it remains just an extra or a minor addition compared to the cognitive domain. My students stare blankly at the blinding blue light from the projector.

The affective domain is the area that focuses on emotions like values and attitudes.

"In schools, we always say improve the mind,
but how about the heart?"


This diagram demonstrates the aspects of the Affective Domain namely: Receive, Respond, Value, Organize, and Internalize.

What are the teaching techniques and approaches specific to the affective domain? How do we form values and attitudes? How do we facilitate emotional maturity among our students?

Remember the marshmallow test? It's EQ, not IQ, that determined the success of those kids as they grew up.

For this reason, I decided to talk about "introversion" on my next meeting with Kari. I plan to use Philip Zimbardo's book "Shyness: What is it? What to do about it?"



Thinking about it, this endeavor will confront my shyness too. It will help nurture an outgoing personality for both me and Kari during times we need it. It's not going to completely change us because there is nothing wrong with being introverted, rather it will help us grow. The projector's blinding blue light slowly starts to show moving pictures. It is starting to make sense.

In schools, we always say improve the mind, but how about the heart?

*Picture from https://spatkinson.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/atkinson-taxonomy-circles-march-2015.jpeg

Click here to read "Shyness: What is it? What to do about it?" by Philip Zimbardo

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