Bloom's Taxonomy
Benjamin Bloom (1913-1999) was an educational psychologist who was interested in improving student learning. In the late 1940s, Bloom and other educators worked on a way to classify educational goals and objectives, which resulted in three learning categories or "domains" and the taxonomy of categories of thinking:
- Cognitive domain (knowledge): verbal or visual intellectual capabilities
- Affective domain (attitudes): feelings, values, beliefs
- Psychomotor domain (skills): physical skill capabilities
Each of the three domains requires learners to use different sets of mental processing to achieve stated outcomes within a learning situation. Thus, instructional goals and objectives should be designed to support the different ways learners process information in these domains.
Each of the three domains requires learners to use different sets of mental processing to achieve stated outcomes
Original and Revised Taxonomies
The "original" Bloom's taxonomy is still widely used as an educational planning tool by all levels of educators. In 2001, a former student of Bloom published a new version the taxonomy to better fit educational practices of the 21st century. At that time, the six categories were changed to use verbs instead of nouns because verbs describe actions and thinking is an active process. Both models are portrayed as hierarchical frameworks where each level is subsumed by the higher, more complex level—students who function at one level have also mastered the level(s) below it. Using the revised taxonomy, for example, a student who has reached the highest level, "Creating," has also learned the material at each of the five lower levels. Thus, a student has achieved a high level of thinking skill.
Bloom’s Taxonomy 1956
Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy 2001
Creating
Evaluating
Analyzing
Applying
Understanding
Remembering
Why Use Bloom’s Taxonomy?
Bloom’s Taxonomy can be useful for course design because the levels can help you move students through the process of learning, from the most fundamental remembering and understanding to the more complex evaluating and creating (Forehand, 2010).
The taxonomy can assist you as you develop assessments by helping you match course learning objectives to any given level of mastery. When teaching lower-division, introductory courses, you might measure mastery of objectives at the lower levels, and when teaching more advanced, upper division courses, you would likely be assessing students’ abilities at the higher levels of the taxonomy.
Using Bloom's Taxonomy to plan instruction
Instructional objectives are more effective if they include specific verbs that can tell students what they are expected to do. The verbs listed in the table below are linked with each level of thinking.
To develop effective and meaningful instruction further, design activities and assessments that challenge students to move from the most basic skills (remembering) to more complex learning which leads to higher order thinking (creating).
The table below demonstrates the connections between the levels of thinking, verbs you might use in a learning objective, sample questions or prompts to generate thinking at that level, and
| Level of Thinking (Highest to Lowest) |
Verbs | Sample Question / Statement Stems | Activities, Products, Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Creating Making Something New |
change |
|
|
|
Evaluating Making Judgments Based on Criteria |
argue |
|
|
|
Analyzing Distinguishing Different Parts of a Whole |
advertise analyze appraise attribute categorize compare contrast differentiate distinguish examine identify infer investigate organize outline separate sequence test |
|
|
|
Applying Using Information in New Situations |
classify construct complete demonstrate dramatize examine execute illustrate implement practice show solve use |
|
|
|
Understanding Explaining Information and Concepts |
calculate compare define describe discuss distinguish expand explain identify interpret locate outline predict report restate translate |
|
|
|
Remembering Recalling or Recognizing Information |
describe duplicate find list locate name recall recognize reproduce state tell underline write |
|
|
Summary
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy is one of many tools that faculty can use to create effective and meaningful instruction. Use it to plan new or revise existing curricula; test the relevance of course goals and objectives; design instruction, assignments, and activities; and develop authentic assessments.
References
Argiro, M., Forehand, M., Osteen, J., & Taylor, W. (2005). Bloom’s bakery: An illustration of Bloom’s taxonomy. https://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
Dalton, J. & Smith, D. (1987). Extending children’s special abilities: Strategies for primary classrooms. Melbourne, Australia: Ministry of Education.
Forehand, M. (2010). Bloom’s taxonomy. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology (pp. 41-47). Retrieved from https://textbookequity.org/Textbooks/Orey_Emergin_Perspectives_Learning.pdf
Smaldino, S. E., Lowther, D. L., & Russell, J. D. (2008). Instructional technology and media for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
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Suggested citation
Northern Illinois University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. (2020). Bloom's taxonomy. In Instructional guide for university faculty and teaching assistants. Retrieved from https://www.niu.edu/citl/resources/guides/instructional-guide