the transmission of basic knowledge. From this, comprehension will be built and this will serve as foundation for the kinds of learning associated with application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
It can be seen from examination of the components and elements of the designed program that they are in accord with the lowest taxonomic level of knowledge dissemination. Regarding this level of Bloom's Taxonomy--the knowledge level--Klausmeier (994) reports that it relates to specific facts and terminology. Another way of saying this is that students are provided with concrete bits of information about the subject area. This is done in the developed program. For example, the terms HIV and AIDS are comprehensively yet concretely defined for students.
The knowledge level of Bloom's Taxonomy also includes the means of dealing with the specific pieces of information given to students. The designed HIV/AIDS education program includes delineations of specific actions and activities that students can use to deal with the problem of HIV transmission such as safe-sex practices and abstinence.
Finally, the knowledge level of cognitive learning also contains the objectives of learning some basic principles or theories concerning the topic of interest (Klausmeier, 1994). The developed program also offers students information concerning the basic theories of HIV transmission as well as several psychosocial principles related to safe-sex practices.
Given the foregoing, it can be seen that the designed program meets one of the key taxonomic assumptions for effective cognitive learning. However, there are other assumptions which the designed program also meets. In this regard, Ornstein and Hunkins (1993) report that a second assumption of Bloom's Taxonomy is that higher levels of learning must be stressed.
What are the highest levels of learning? As noted by Papalia and Olds (1992), the two highest levels of cognitive learn...