Marzano’s New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
A comprehensive framework for classifying educational objectives that expands upon Bloom's Taxonomy by integrating cognitive research. It categorizes learning based on three domains of knowledge (Information, Mental Procedures, and Psychomotor Procedures) and six levels of mental processing that range from simple recall to complex self-regulation.
When participants seem unmotivated or disengaged
You need to understand what drives adult learners and how to create conditions for genuine engagement and retention.
This framework is ideal for designing standards-based curricula, developing rigorous assessments, and creating 'thinking-skills' programs that require learners to move beyond rote memorization into metacognitive awareness and complex application.
Level 1: Retrieval
Level 2: Comprehension
Level 3: Analysis
Level 4: Knowledge Utilization
Level 5: Metacognition
Level 6: Self-System Thinking
Taps into intrinsic motivation so participants actually want to participate.
Instructional designers can use this framework to scaffold learning by first addressing the 'Self-System' to ensure learner buy-in, then moving through retrieval and analysis, and finally reaching 'Knowledge Utilization' where learners apply skills to real-world problems. It serves as a blueprint for aligning assessments with the specific level of cognitive complexity intended for the lesson.
- 1Give participants autonomy over how they engage
- 2Connect content to their real challenges
- 3Build confidence through early wins
- 4Create psychological safety for sharing
- Standards-based curriculum design
- Higher-order thinking skills development
- Cognitive assessment mapping
- The Self-System is the primary gatekeeper of learning, determining whether a learner will engage with a task based on importance and efficacy.
- Metacognition is necessary for setting goals and monitoring the execution of cognitive tasks.
- Knowledge is processed through three distinct domains: Information (declarative), Mental Procedures (procedural), and Psychomotor Procedures (physical).
- Higher-order thinking is achieved through the 'Knowledge Utilization' phase, involving investigation, problem-solving, and experimental inquiry.
- Requires a clear distinction between declarative and procedural knowledge before selecting a processing level.
- Implementation is more complex than the original Bloom’s Taxonomy, requiring deeper facilitator training.
- Success depends on the instructor's ability to stimulate the learner's 'Self-System' to ensure initial engagement.