6 Levels of Thinking Every Student MUST Master

Summary

This video script delves into six levels of thinking essential for learners, revealing that many students remain stuck at basic levels, causing frustration and hindering top results. It explains that progressing through these levels, from memorization to creation, can enhance academic and professional success. The speaker emphasizes the importance of starting at the higher level of evaluation to solidify understanding and retention, ultimately leading to more efficient learning.

Takeaways

• 📚 There are six levels of thinking that learners should master, with each level leading to a different outcome.
• 🔄 Many students get stuck at the lower levels of thinking, which can lead to stress and frustration.
• 🧠 The first level, 'Remember', involves memorization and is not an effective long-term retention strategy.
• 📘 The second level, 'Understand', is about comprehending the material rather than just memorizing it.
• 🔑 The third level, 'Apply', involves using knowledge to solve simple problems directly related to what was learned.
• 🔍 The fourth level, 'Analyze', requires comparing and contrasting information, which is more mentally demanding.
• 🏆 The fifth level, 'Evaluate', is about making judgments and prioritizing information, key for top academic and professional performance.
• 🛠 The sixth level, 'Create', is about synthesizing new information and creating hypotheses, relevant for advanced learners or professionals.
• 📈 Starting at the highest level of thinking (level five) and working downwards can be more effective than progressing linearly through the levels.
• 🔄 The process of 'knowledge decay' means that revisiting lower levels is often necessary due to forgetting previously learned material.
• 💡 Bloom's revised taxonomy is a framework that categorizes these levels of thinking and is useful for understanding educational objectives and assessment types.

Q & A

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

The six levels of thinking are: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create.

Why do most students struggle to reach top results according to the script?

Most students struggle to reach top results because they are thinking at the wrong level, which causes stress, wastes time, and can lead to frustration and a lack of confidence.

What is the first level of thinking called, and what does it involve?

The first level of thinking is called 'Remember' and involves memorizing things through rereading, rewriting, and repetition, which can feel tedious and often makes one feel drowsy.

What is the result of thinking at the 'Remember' level?

The result of thinking at the 'Remember' level is the ability to regurgitate facts, which is less common in higher education and semi-useless in professional life.

What is the second level of learning called, and what is its focus?

The second level of learning is called 'Understand' and focuses on comprehending what is being learned rather than just memorizing it.

How does the script describe the 'Apply' level of thinking?

The 'Apply' level of thinking involves using learned knowledge to solve problems, which can range from simple problems where knowledge is directly applied to more advanced problems requiring strategic thinking.

What is the 'Analyze' level of thinking, and how is it achieved?

The 'Analyze' level of thinking involves comparing and contrasting information to find similarities and differences. It can be achieved through techniques like Venn diagrams, tables, summaries, and mind maps.

What does the 'Evaluate' level of thinking entail, and what result does it unlock?

The 'Evaluate' level of thinking involves making judgments and prioritizing information based on its importance. It unlocks the 'Prioritize' result, which requires forming conclusions and justifying them.

What is the 'Create' level of thinking, and what is its relevance to most people?

The 'Create' level of thinking is about synthesizing new and novel information from existing knowledge, creating hypotheses for gaps in knowledge. It is less relevant for most people unless they are at the highest levels of education or their profession.

What is the recommended method to reach higher levels of thinking according to the script?

The recommended method to reach higher levels of thinking is to start at the top level, which is 'Evaluate', and then move down. This approach is more effective because the brain processes information and forms memory more strongly at higher levels.

What is the phenomenon called when students move back and forth between learning levels without mastering them?

The phenomenon is called 'knowledge decay', which occurs due to the forgetting curve, causing students to spend most of their time relearning forgotten information instead of progressing.