Deaths
Printer-Friendly
Email Article
Reprints
Comments
Benjamin S. Bloom, an education professor and researcher at the
University of Chicago whose work on early-childhood education
influenced the creation of the federal Head Start preschool program,
died Sept. 13. He was 86. He is best known for his 1956 work, Taxonomy
of Educational Objectives, which described a "hierarchy" of learning,
beginning with factual knowledge and progressing to comprehension,
application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Translated into more
than 50 languages, the book is still used as a guide in curriculum
development. Mr. Bloom was also known for his theory of "mastery
learning," which posited that all students were capable of learning and
was reflected in many of the education changes of the 1980s and
'90s.
--LINDA JACOBSON
Web Only
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.