Final answer:
Students reach the evaluation level in Bloom's Taxonomy during the postformal stage of cognitive development, where they judge value based on defined criteria, balance logic with emotion, and understand context-dependent principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The level of learning in the cognitive domain where students judge the value of materials or actions based on defined criteria and utilize elements from all other levels is commonly referred to as 'Evaluation' in Bloom's Taxonomy, which corresponds with the postformal stage of cognitive development as defined by some developmental psychologists. In this stage, thinking becomes more integrated and nuanced, balancing both logic and emotion, and understanding is developed that is context-dependent.
In this advanced stage of critical thinking and cognitive development, learners are not just passively absorbing information but actively appraising and synthesizing diverse sources of knowledge. They use their critical thinking and analytical abilities to evaluate theories and real-world situations based on context and principles. This is part of the philosophical approach to learning, where theoretical understanding is challenged and reevaluated in the light of new evidence and perspectives.