MSc Education Futures
KIPP Blog
Rob Rizzo
I may have been wrong with Bloom
The experiment I mentioned in my last post is still ongoing, and seems to be going well, but I’ll tell you more about that in a week or so.
I started this project thinking about how Large Language Models (LLMs) could disrupt (or are disrupting?) one of the frameworks used in education – Bloom’s Taxonomy. The pinnacle of Bloom’s taxonomy is creating, and while we may discuss the level of quality of AI’s ‘work’, there’s no doubt they they are able to ‘create’. But then I read this article by Holmes and Tuomi for our course on the Future of Learning Organisations, and I began the think that I may have been wrong with my premise or perspective.
The article introduced me to Biesta’s view of education, which goes beyond just acquiring knowledge and skills. According to Biesta, education is about:
Qualification: The knowledge and skills bit.
Socialisation: Becoming part of social and cultural ‘orders’.
Subjectification: Developing independence in thinking and acting.
This wider view made me realize I’d been looking at AI in education through a keyhole when I should’ve been thinking about how to open the door. Through Bloom’s taxonomy I was looking at the academic or knowledge aspect (what Biesta places in Qualification), while not taking into account other aspects of holistic education, those of Socialisation and Subjectification.
So, where does this leave my project? Well, instead of just asking “How do LLMs ‘short circuit’ Bloom’s taxonomy?” I’m now thinking about how it disrupts the equilibriums that education has been journeying towards in Qualification, Socialisation and Subjectification. The scope is wider, but this will open the door for the whole person to pass through the door of education.
I’m now thinking:
- Can AI support social skills and cultural understanding? If so, how?
- How might AI foster (or hinder) independent thinking?
- How do AI literacy, and Truth literacy come into all of this?
- How can LLM’s be used at the service of the person, through education, so that LLM’s remain as tools, and
My approach to AI use in the classroom is not just about what AI can do, but what it should do in education. I’m still figuring out what this means for my project, but it looks like a new fork in the road is opening up before me.
If you have any thoughts or ideas on this and how we should use AI in ways that support not just knowledge and skills, but also social development, socialisation and independent thinking I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Very intrigued by the third question “how do AI literacy, and Truth literacy come into all of this?”.
AI is very double-edged here – it both propagates truth and untruths. I don’t have an answer to this societally but personally, I try to fact check every (or at least ensure that the source seems reliable). But its super time-consuming and sometimes feel somewhat defeatist.
Happy to hear what you find out.
Hi Rob, I really appreciate your post. I think it highlights how research adapts and shifts as we (researchers) grow and expand our knowledge. I think that taking on a holistic view of education is key ( I am a primary school teacher so I may be biased). I wonder if you have explored Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and how that would also integrate into this conversation about using Ai and Tech generally to support the student/child more holisitically… We have a saying in our schools “Maslows before Blooms”, meaning that you cant expect a student to flourish on Blooms without first ensureing all their Maslows need are met… Think eating breakfast and getting enough sleep, so you can take an exam… Or feeling safe enough to share your ciritcal refelctions… Happy to discuss more with you if you are interested.
Best, Carleigh