6 Levels of Thinking Every Student MUST Master

Summary

This video explores six levels of thinking every learner should master to achieve top results. Starting with memorization, it progresses through comprehension, application, analysis, and evaluation, before concluding with creating new knowledge. The presenter emphasizes that most students struggle by staying stuck at lower levels, which leads to stress and inefficient learning. By focusing on higher-level thinking (particularly evaluation and prioritization), learners can improve retention and problem-solving, ultimately reaching their full potential. The video also highlights strategies, such as Bloom's revised taxonomy, to help learners move efficiently through these levels.

Takeaways

• 😀 Level 1 thinking is about memorization and rote learning, often involving repetition and flashcards, but it doesn’t lead to deep understanding or long-term retention.
• 😀 The first level of results, 'Regurgitate', involves recalling facts and definitions, but this level becomes less useful as academic and professional demands increase.
• 😀 Level 2 thinking, called 'Understand', goes beyond memorization and focuses on comprehending the material, leading to the result of being able to 'Explain' concepts.
• 😀 Bloom's Revised Taxonomy is a framework for understanding different levels of thinking in learning, and it remains highly relevant for academic success, even 70 years after its creation.
• 😀 Level 3 thinking, 'Apply', involves using learned knowledge to solve simple problems, such as applying formulas in math or physics to solve specific questions.
• 😀 Advanced problem solving and more complex questions move into Level 4, 'Analyze', where learners compare and contrast concepts and ideas, enhancing their depth of understanding.
• 😀 The result of Level 4 thinking, 'Comparison', requires the ability to analyze relationships between concepts and use techniques like Venn diagrams and mind maps.
• 😀 Level 5 thinking, 'Evaluate', is focused on judgment and requires prioritization and forming conclusions by justifying your reasoning, often requiring more mental effort and deep analysis.
• 😀 Level 5 results, 'Prioritize', are essential for top academic performance and higher-level professional roles, requiring you to synthesize information and ask, 'Why does it matter?'
• 😀 Moving from lower to higher levels of thinking can lead to knowledge decay. Instead, starting at Level 5 and working downward helps create deeper, more durable learning.
• 😀 To perform at Level 5 and beyond, focus on evaluation and analysis, as this promotes better memory retention, critical thinking, and long-term understanding across all levels of learning.

Q & A

What are the six levels of thinking described in the script?

The six levels of thinking are: 1) Remember, 2) Understand, 3) Apply, 4) Analyze, 5) Evaluate, and 6) Create.

Why do many students struggle to achieve top results according to the script?

Many students struggle because they often operate at lower levels of thinking (such as remembering or understanding) when they need to be thinking at higher levels like analyzing or evaluating. This can lead to stress, frustration, and wasted time.

How is Bloom's Revised Taxonomy relevant to the levels of thinking?

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy, created in 1956 and revised in 2001, is a framework that categorizes different levels of thinking. The script uses it as a foundation to explain how students can improve their learning by progressing through higher cognitive levels.

What is the 'Remember' level and its associated result?

The 'Remember' level involves rote learning, like memorizing facts through repetitive reading or flashcards. The result of this level is the ability to 'Regurgitate' information, which involves simply stating facts but doesn't contribute to deeper understanding or practical application.

How does the 'Understand' level differ from the 'Remember' level?

The 'Understand' level focuses on grasping the meaning of concepts and forming a mental model of them, while the 'Remember' level is all about memorization and repetition. Understanding allows students to explain concepts in their own words, whereas remembering leads to basic recall of facts.

What is the 'Apply' level, and what kind of problems does it involve?

The 'Apply' level is about using learned knowledge to solve problems. This can involve simple problems where a direct application of concepts or formulas is needed, such as in math or physics.

What is the main characteristic of 'Analyze' level thinking?

The 'Analyze' level is focused on comparing and contrasting different pieces of information to identify similarities and differences. Techniques like Venn diagrams, mind maps, and tables are useful at this level.

How does 'Evaluate' differ from 'Analyze' in terms of thinking and results?

'Evaluate' involves making judgments and prioritizing information. It requires you to go beyond analysis and to form conclusions based on comparing and contrasting. It is more focused on why something matters and its implications, unlike 'Analyze,' which is just about identifying patterns and differences.

Why are level 4 ('Analyze') and level 5 ('Evaluate') thinkers rare?

Level 4 and level 5 thinking are rare because they require more mental effort and deeper cognitive engagement. Most students avoid them because they feel harder and more time-consuming. These levels demand that students think more deeply, which can be mentally exhausting.

What is the key strategy for reaching level 5 and level 6 thinking according to the script?

The key strategy for reaching level 5 and level 6 thinking is to start from the top (level 5) and work your way down. This approach is more efficient because thinking critically at higher levels (like evaluating and prioritizing) strengthens memory and understanding at lower levels, such as remembering and understanding.