Bloom’s Taxonomy:
1.  Knowledge   2.  Comprehension   3.  Application   4.  Analysis   5.  Synthesis   6.  Evaluation

Blooms Taxonomy       1       2       3       4       5       6
Number of postings      3       5       3       8       6       7       Total reviewed:  32
 

Example 1: Week Four Discussion Forum
I like to use Windows Media Player and listen to the radio tuner.  Mon Sep 13, 2004 3:22 pm

If you ever use the Windows Media Player and click on the radio tuner, you can listen to a tremendous variety of different styles of music. Having a faster connection is really worth it when you do this to keep it running smoothly. Otherwise, you end up listen to a lot of pauses while it is constantly re-buffering to get the right stream of information. This may be a nice alternative to those that may not have the time to download music and burn a CD. Instead of turning on a radio and listening to a limited number of channels that are full of commercials, I log on and choose from hundreds of sites uninterrupted.

This could be categorized as Knowledge at level 1 due to the post primarily stating information or defining the benefits of Windows Media Player. In this posting I provide basic information regarding this feature. Although I offered some minor explanation at to why I chose it, the content focused primarily on relating information regarding this product without going into detail.

Example 2:  Week Ten discussion Forum
The Internet is great, in moderation.  Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 am

I am in full agreement with you Thomas. I also have concerns about the addiction of Internet contact as the primary way for people to communicate. It makes one wonder if over time, people will lose some of the social skills that were present in the past. The point about the Internet being an enabler for agoraphobia is a good one. The Internet is great but it can also result in too much of a good thing.

This could be categorized as Knowledge at level 1 as the post states an opinion and repeats what the original author said.  Although I express my opinion on the topic I do not elaborate on how I came to the conclusions. I could have done a better job supporting my idea with facts, and not as much opinion.

Example 1: Week Twelve Discussion Forum
I agree the Internet is the future of instant news  Thu Nov 4, 2004 7:38 pm

"I think you might be on to something when you mention that someday in the future that the internet will be the main source of news.  One interesting trend out there now is the drop in the main three networks of NBC CBS and ABC to cable news, which is on 24 hours and fits to your schedule.  Maybe the Internet news will be as cable news was to the main 3 networks, the next step in the evolution of instant news.  I found a story that supports this observation regarding the use of Internet news and the possibility it will someday surpass cable news. The article is titled, "INTERNET GROWING AS NEWS MEDIUM, AT TIMES EXCEEDING TRADITIONAL MEDIA USAGE" and it is located at http://www.msnbc.com/m/info/press/02/0107.asp

In the article it states that: "Currently, 65% of the U.S. Internet population report regularly using the Internet as a source for news, exceeding magazines (58%), almost equal to radio (67%), and approaching network TV (89%) and cable (76%) usage"

This looks like it really supports what you are saying and may one day be the number one means to gather news.

I believe that this posting could be categorized as Comprehension at level 2 as it restates information and reports statistics and information supporting the thought process. It did not include independent analysis or application of the data however and therefore cannot be categorized at higher levels.
 

Level Three, Application

Example 1:  Week  Nine Discussion Forum
I would use the online diagnostic sites if the symptoms were mild.  Wed Oct 13, 2004 9:41 pm

Whether or not I would use the online diagnostic sites depends on the severity of the symptoms. If it were checking for heartburn, poison ivy, sinus infection, or other common medical symptoms I would consider using these websites. The Pew Internet Paper reported that 6 million Americans use online medical sites compared to 2.75 million ambulatory and 2.27 million physician office visits. If you can self analyze using an online website, it may save money for a wasted trip, as well as wasted time for a mild condition. However, if I had excruciating pain, loss of feeling in limbs, or other severe symptoms I am going straight to a doctor. One thing I learned from working at a hospital is that the moments immediately after an injury are very crucial for degree of recovery that is possible later. One of the drawbacks to online diagnostics is a number of Americans have a new source of information, even though helpful, that can also increase fears of sickness that are not real. In an article named "Imaginary maladies online Internet spreads ‘cyberchondria’" it discusses a new form of hypochondria that is due to the Internet called cyberchondria. An excerpt from the story located at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/02/15/LVGIU4R1OP1.DTL is as follows:

"Doctors used to call it by a common name -- hypochondria, a condition documented for almost 2,000 years but little studied in modern times. The name described a real illness, but carried such a negative connotation that few wanted to hear it. Today it is often referred to as health anxiety or a "somatoform disorder," where symptoms suggest a disease not explained by a medical diagnosis, or even, in the age of the Internet, "cyberchondria.""

I found this article interesting; it might be a small window into why eventually consulting a doctor would be a good idea. They are trained professionals and can truly differentiate symptoms that might be misconstrued by the online viewer. Using the Internet might be a good tool to get an idea of a possible illness, but for final diagnosis, a physician might be a good idea. Also, physicians can skillfully use the senses; sight, sound, smell, and touch to thoroughly diagnose a patient.

This could be categorized as Application at level three. In this post I first defined a term and reported some statistics. However, this post moves on and into the degree of application as I discuss the methods in which I would apply this technology and my rationale for doing so.

Example 2: Week Ten Discussion Forum
Using screen saver passwords and hardware locks may prevent unsupervised computer use. Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:13 am

I do not have children yet, but I can sure imagine how important it would be to guard against the tech-savvy child. One idea might be to utilize the screen saver password and create a password that is completely random. This password can then be memorized by the parent or kept in a secure place in the home or at a relative’s house. There are other options out their in the software realm, such as parent control provided by ISP’s and anti-virus software.

Another suggestion that might work is looking at the hardware aspect of the computer. I found a website located at http://www.fastcomputerparts.com/en-us/dept_71.html that sells a Multi-Function Computer Lock System. This system locks not just drives, but power switches as well, and requires a key to unlock. It might be an option to prevent unsupervised computer use by children. I have also seen motion detectors and alarms that can prevent unwanted use or theft. A website that sells alarms that I found can be located at http://www.officeshopdirect.com/computer-locks.aspx. I hope this may give some additional ides of how to prevent unsupervised computer use.

This could be also be categorized as Application at level 3, due to my use of interpretation and problem solving skills. In the response I provided several ideas and suggestions on how to solve the issue of tech-savvy children. This is advanced beyond simply regurgitating or explaining information.

Level Four, Analysis

Example 1:  Week Five Discussion Forum
There is too much greed for this idea to work  Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:38 pm

This would negatively affect the music industry financially and only unique artists would benefit from this type of distribution. The world has become so commercialized; most individuals want to drive to Best Buy, plug a CD into a Sony player, after giving it power with Duracell batteries. I would think only anti-establishment types would support this new way of finding music, or pure music lovers that truly appreciate music. This type of idea reminds me of how the Linux operating system came about, which is an alternative to Microsoft Windows. The originator of Linux, Linus Torvald, started what is now known as Open-Source Development. He put the source code for Linux on the web and let others offer ideas, critique, and make changes to the software. This was new and different from the status quo of traditional software development that was done in phases and under lock and key. However, Linux is now considered to be one of the most reliable operating systems out there. I think this is because people who truly had a love for programming made it better. It would be nice if musicians could create music for the love of it and not to be a one hit wonder just to get their mansion. I think a minimal amount of artists would support this type of distribution. As for companies that distribute the music, they would do everything to prevent this unless they could profit in some way. There is a common theme that would be the reason for artists and distributors opposition, greed.

In this post I criticized the idea and provided my opinion as to why I did not agree. I did this by comparing two ideas and discussing how there were similarities between them. This could be categorized as Analysis at level 4 on Bloom’s scale.

Example 2: Week Two Discussion Forum
According to some research, newspapers do not appear to be conservative  Sun Aug 29, 2004 2:16pm

The following statement was made by Thomas Boken in a reply to Jennifer Koontz’ statement about bias in the media. "Many local newspapers are owned by Republican businessmen. The newspaper in my hometown was owned by a huge Reagan fan."

Also, "Bias in media depends on who owns it." Is that your opinion or do you have some statistics to back up the statement that most local newspapers are owned by Republicans? Also, the fact that your local newspaper happens to be owned by a Reagan fan is just anecdotal. The United States extends well beyond your hometown newspaper's circulation area. The following research would indicate according to your statement that most newspapers would tend to lean towards the Democratic party.

The following information is provided at:
http://secure.mediaresearch.org/news/MediaBiasBasics.html#HOW%20THE%20MEDIA%20VOTE

In 1996, as a follow-up to a 1988 survey, the American Society of Newspaper Editors  http://www.asne.org/index.htm (ASNE) surveyed 1,037 reporters at 61 newspapers of all sizes across the nation, asking "What is your political leaning?" Results of the survey were published in ASNE's 1997 report "The Newspaper Journalists of the 90s" http://www.asne.org/kiosk/reports/97reports/journalists90s/survey19.html, highlights of which appeared in the MRC's May 1997  MediaWatch http://secure.mediaresearch.org/news/mediawatch/1997/mw19970501p8.html.

The following is just a small excerpt from the key points listed from that survey:

 "At newspapers with more than 50,000 circulation, 65 percent of the staffs were liberal/Democrat or leaned that way. The split at papers of less than 50,000 was less pronounced though still significant, with 51 percent of staffs identifying as liberal/Democrat compared to 23 percent who identified as conservative/Republican."

This research appears to be very extensive, and provides a good deal of information that would indicate that key people that comprise newspapers as a whole are not conservative or Republican. Of course, the ownership of corporations could be very conservative and their journalists could be liberal, but that would not seem to be a logical conclusion.

In fact, a majority of the various forms of the media tend to lean that way in regards to political affiliation, as indicated by the research posted on the website that I linked. I am not going to assume that just because a journalist has certain political beliefs that they cannot be objective in their work. Just as the assumption that, a certain politically leaning ownership will bias the output of their product, is false in my opinion. I hope that journalists and owners will do their job, which is to report the news, and not slant their work and product. In my opinion, excluding editorial / opinion writings, it is not ethical to report in such a way.

This could be categorized as Analysis at level 4; I provided criticism regarding the prior post. I examined pertinent statistics and information on this topic and then provided that information in support of the criticism. The post in which I replied had a weakness in its theory, which was an anecdotal evidence to formulate a generalization about newspaper ownership and it’s political leanings.

Level Five, Synthesis

Example 1:  Week Eleven Discussion Forum
According to one source K-12 is the second most popular place for Internet use outside Sun Oct 31, 2004 7:28 pm

At the following website I found some statistics regarding your questions:  http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/digitaldivide/factsheets/access.htm

FACT SHEET: Americans Increasingly Use Internet Outside the Home

22.2% of Americans have Internet access from their homes, while 17.0% use the Internet outside the home. Nearly one-third (32.7%) use the Internet from any location (at home and/or outside the home.  People without home computers are almost 1.5 times more likely than home computer owners to obtain outside Internet access through public libraries or community centers. More than half (56.3%) of Americans who use the Internet outside the home access it from work. The second most popular point of access outside the home is the Kindergarten-12^th grade school (21.8%). For those accessing the Internet outside home, 8.2% of Americans use public libraries as an access point.

Yes, however I mostly use it at home. I primarily use the Internet for school and entertainment. My job does not present a need for Internet use and these two activities (school and entertainment) would be an inappropriate use of my employer’s time. I will however use the Internet when staying at hotels. To summarize, I would correlate the location of where I use the Internet to the activities I engage in. As for why people use the internet away from home; it may be to fill up break time at work and take care of personal errands that might otherwise need to be done before or after work. also, it may be due to a family member wanting to browse leisurely at a coffee shop, so they will not be interrupted by family members.  As technology continues to improve and the cost of devices such as laptops decrease, I believe more Internet use will occur outside the home. Additionally, with the spread of WiFi , it will be extremely easy to access the Internet in places outside of home, coffee shops, bookstores, etc.

In this post, I correlated information and developed a proposal as to the future outcomes of this technology. This could be categorized as Synthesis at level 5. This moves beyond level four because of taking the information, formulating an opinion based on this information and then proposing the direction it would take us in society.

Example 2:  Week Three Discussion Forum
Seniors are more cautious with their money and time   Sat Sep 4, 2004 5:46 pm

While intimidation and lack of skill may be inhibitors to online access, I believe there are other reasons why seniors are not online.

 One reason is that the older generations went through the Great Depression, World War II and other events that may have influenced their spending habits. Fortunately, for younger generations we have lived through prosperous times for the most part. Spending twenty dollars a month for Internet access and a thousand or more for computer equipment may seem frivolous to older generations. When one grew up not knowing when the next good meal may be, spending money on high tech gadgetry may seem foolish.

Another angle to consider would be how seniors may value use of free time. One hundred years ago, a person would probably laugh at the fact that you were going to "work out" at the gym. In those times one rarely worked sedentary jobs, and the number of hours spent working was a great deal more than today. When you go through life really valuing the little free time you have, you would make the most of it. In modern times we have more sedentary jobs and fill our day up with numerous activities we consider important. We may have busy lives, but it is more of a hurry up and wait lifestyle. I would think that most seniors consider  surfing the web a silly waste of time, and spend their free time in ways they may be more accustomed to. To sit in front of a computer would be out of character for most seniors, and I do not believe that they really feel they are missing out on anything by not being online.

Due to the formulation and proposal of reasoning for certain behavior indicated in this post, this could be categorized as synthesis at level 5. I provided a belief and used historical events to support the behavior of a certain demographic. Also, I expanded the information, while sharing my proposal for the origins of this behavior and synthesized a theory explaining the behavior of seniors.

Level Six, Evaluation

Example 1: Week Ten Discussion Forum
I disagree that religion and it's doctrines are "strict".  Mon Oct 25, 2004 8:07 pm

So if not believing in a deity does not necessarily negate concepts of accountability, from where does this accountability originate? You mentioned Buddhism to illustrate spirituality; Guatama, who founded Buddhism, had the belief that men had no souls. Does this mean that there is spirituality without the spirit?   Also, why do you reference the doctrines and dogmas of organized religion as strict? It might appear strict to a person who doesn't follow any rules in an organized religion, but may not seem strict to the participants.

The following is a definition from the American Heritage dictionary:
Doctrine - A principle or a body of principles presented for acceptance or belief by a religion, political, scientific or philosophic group.

Also, I have a quote from a book titled "Cults, World Religions and the Occult" that has some interesting information regarding Buddhism, it is as follows:

"Guatama listed 5 mental hazards and 10 fetters which must be overcome before the saint can reach his goal. Some of these fetters are: belief in a self, belief in efficacy of good works, desire for a future life in heaven, pride, and ignorance. When a person finally attains nirvana he is free from another rebirth and the law of karma."

This certainly could be viewed by some, as strict doctrine to obtain nirvana, and to be freed of the law of karma. So basically, you have to strictly remain within the defined limits of Buddhism to obtain nirvana. I am not convinced that the examples you cited do not also follow some form of strict dogma or doctrine.

As for the American Indians, the Iroquois believed in a Great Spirit that represented good, and his brother that represented evil. They also believed in immortality that was obtained by being judged by the Great Spirit. This sure appears to be a being that would be considered a higher being, that spirituality derives from. I am part Chickasaw and have researched a bit on the tribe’s religious beliefs. The following is a quote from http://www.tolatsga.org/chick.html :

"The Chickasaw believed in a supreme Creator Spirit, lesser good and evil spirits, and a life after death."

This definitely appears to be a belief in a higher being as well. The point I am trying to make with all these examples is that I do not see such a clear separation between religion and spirituality. With respect to religion, there seems to be in most cases a belief in a higher being. I am not trying to be disrespectful to your beliefs; I just sense more of an anti-establishment attitude towards the supposed strict rules of Judeo-Christian beliefs and the rules associated with them.

This could be categorized as Evaluation at level 6.  In the beginning of my post I clearly present an argument against the ideas of the previous author. Also, I provide supporting information to back up my disagreement with the prior author’s one-sided approach towards western religion. Lastly, I make an assessment of the prior author’s thought process based on information available. I also defended the fact that religions are not always "strict" and that was a personal opinion.

In conclusion, I think this was a very good exercise to go back and to evaluate your responses at a deeper level. This was an excellent tool to improve myself when I reply or answer another individual. It helps me avoid the urge to hurry up and throw something out for a response, and I can thoroughly examine the topic, and reply in a clear and effective manner.