Introduction: What is Bloom’s Taxonomy and Why It Matters
Bloom’s Taxonomy is a hierarchical framework used to classify educational learning objectives based on cognitive complexity. Developed in 1956 by educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom and revised in 2001 by Anderson and Krathwohl, this framework helps educators design effective learning experiences, assessments, and curriculum. Bloom’s Taxonomy enables instructors to scaffold learning from basic knowledge recall to complex creation, ensuring students develop higher-order thinking skills crucial for academic and real-world success.
The Evolution of Bloom’s Taxonomy
| Original Taxonomy (1956) | Revised Taxonomy (2001) |
|---|---|
| Knowledge | Remembering |
| Comprehension | Understanding |
| Application | Applying |
| Analysis | Analyzing |
| Synthesis | Evaluating |
| Evaluation | Creating |
Key changes in the 2001 revision:
- Changed nouns to verbs to emphasize active learning
- Rearranged the highest two levels (Creating above Evaluating)
- Added a knowledge dimension (factual, conceptual, procedural, metacognitive)
- Enhanced focus on transferable skills and cognitive processes
The Six Cognitive Levels Explained
1. Remembering
Definition: Retrieving relevant knowledge from long-term memory
- Skills Demonstrated: Recall, recognition, identification, retrieval
- Student Behaviors: Define, list, memorize, repeat, state, name, identify
- Question Stems:
- “What is…?”
- “When did…happen?”
- “Who was…?”
- “How would you define…?”
- “Can you recall…?”
Example Activities:
- Flashcards for terminology
- Timeline construction
- Labeling diagrams
- Multiple-choice knowledge tests
- Recitation of formulas or procedures
2. Understanding
Definition: Constructing meaning from instructional messages, including oral, written, and graphic communication
- Skills Demonstrated: Interpretation, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, explaining
- Student Behaviors: Describe, explain, paraphrase, restate, give examples, summarize
- Question Stems:
- “How would you explain…?”
- “What is the main idea of…?”
- “Can you clarify…?”
- “How would you describe…?”
- “What can you say about…?”
Example Activities:
- Summarizing texts in own words
- Explaining concepts to peers
- Comparing and contrasting ideas
- Creating concept maps
- Translating technical language to plain language
3. Applying
Definition: Carrying out or using a procedure in a given situation; executing knowledge in practice
- Skills Demonstrated: Execution, implementation, using, applying, showing, solving
- Student Behaviors: Apply, demonstrate, calculate, complete, illustrate, show, solve, use
- Question Stems:
- “How would you use…?”
- “What examples can you find to…?”
- “How would you solve ___ using what you’ve learned?”
- “How would you organize ___ to show…?”
- “How would you apply what you learned to develop…?”
Example Activities:
- Problem-solving exercises
- Role-playing scenarios
- Lab experiments
- Creating spreadsheets
- Applying formulas to new problems
- Demonstrating procedures
4. Analyzing
Definition: Breaking material into constituent parts and determining how parts relate to one another and to an overall structure
- Skills Demonstrated: Differentiating, organizing, attributing, comparing, deconstructing, focusing, selecting
- Student Behaviors: Analyze, categorize, compare, contrast, differentiate, examine, test, experiment
- Question Stems:
- “What are the parts or features of…?”
- “How does ___ relate to…?”
- “What is the function of…?”
- “What’s the relationship between ___ and ___?”
- “What evidence can you find…?”
Example Activities:
- SWOT analysis
- Identifying patterns or trends
- Distinguishing fact from opinion
- Analyzing author’s purpose
- Examining cause and effect relationships
- Deconstructing arguments
5. Evaluating
Definition: Making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and critiquing
- Skills Demonstrated: Checking, critiquing, judging, testing, detecting, monitoring, reviewing
- Student Behaviors: Appraise, argue, defend, judge, critique, evaluate, prioritize, support
- Question Stems:
- “What is your opinion of…?”
- “How would you prove or disprove…?”
- “What data was used to make the conclusion…?”
- “What choice would you have made…?”
- “How would you prioritize…?”
Example Activities:
- Peer reviews with criteria
- Writing critiques or reviews
- Defending positions in debates
- Evaluating experimental designs
- Assessing validity of sources
- Making recommendations
6. Creating
Definition: Putting elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure
- Skills Demonstrated: Generating, planning, producing, designing, constructing, inventing
- Student Behaviors: Create, design, develop, formulate, author, construct, compose
- Question Stems:
- “What alternative would you suggest for…?”
- “How would you design a new…?”
- “What might happen if you combined…?”
- “How would you test…?”
- “Can you create new and unusual uses for…?”
Example Activities:
- Designing experiments
- Composing music or writing stories
- Developing business plans
- Creating original models or prototypes
- Inventing new products or procedures
- Constructing multimedia presentations
The Knowledge Dimensions
The revised taxonomy added a second dimension focused on types of knowledge being learned:
1. Factual Knowledge
- Definition: Basic elements students must know to be acquainted with a discipline
- Components: Terminology, specific details and elements
- Examples: Vocabulary definitions, historical dates, scientific symbols, component parts
2. Conceptual Knowledge
- Definition: Interrelationships among the basic elements within a larger structure
- Components: Classifications, categories, principles, generalizations, theories, models, structures
- Examples: Periodic table organization, literary genres, theoretical frameworks, scientific models
3. Procedural Knowledge
- Definition: How to do something; methods of inquiry, techniques, and criteria for using skills
- Components: Subject-specific skills, techniques, methods, criteria for determining when to use procedures
- Examples: Research methods, mathematical algorithms, experimental techniques, citation formats
4. Metacognitive Knowledge
- Definition: Knowledge of cognition in general as well as awareness of one’s own cognition
- Components: Strategic knowledge, knowledge about cognitive tasks, self-knowledge
- Examples: Study strategies, self-assessment techniques, awareness of learning preferences
The Taxonomy Table
The Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy creates a matrix with cognitive processes on one axis and knowledge types on the other:
| Â | Remembering | Understanding | Applying | Analyzing | Evaluating | Creating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Factual | List parts of cell | Summarize chapter | Use terminology correctly | Analyze data tables | Evaluate accuracy of facts | Create factual quiz |
| Conceptual | Recall theories | Explain concepts | Apply concepts to new situations | Compare competing theories | Critique paradigms | Design new model |
| Procedural | Recall steps | Explain procedure | Follow algorithm | Differentiate approaches | Judge efficiency of methods | Develop new procedure |
| Metacognitive | Identify strategies | Interpret thinking | Use learning strategies | Examine own biases | Evaluate thinking strategies | Create learning plan |
Crafting Learning Objectives with Bloom’s Taxonomy
Formula for Learning Objectives
“By the end of this lesson, students will be able to [VERB] [KNOWLEDGE] [CONTEXT/CONDITION].”
Examples Across Levels
| Level | Example Learning Objective |
|---|---|
| Remembering | By the end of this lesson, students will be able to identify the major bones of the human skeletal system. |
| Understanding | By the end of this module, students will be able to explain how the three branches of government function as checks and balances. |
| Applying | By the end of this unit, students will be able to apply the pythagorean theorem to solve real-world problems. |
| Analyzing | By the end of this course, students will be able to analyze primary source documents to identify historical biases. |
| Evaluating | By the end of this project, students will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of different marketing strategies based on ROI data. |
| Creating | By the end of this semester, students will be able to design and conduct an original scientific experiment that tests their hypothesis. |
Assessment Strategies by Taxonomy Level
| Level | Assessment Formats | Technology Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Remembering | Multiple choice, matching, flashcards, quizzes | Quizlet, Kahoot, Google Forms |
| Understanding | Summaries, descriptions, explanations, discussions | Discussion boards, concept mapping tools |
| Applying | Problem sets, demonstrations, simulations, case studies | Simulations, spreadsheets, coding platforms |
| Analyzing | Case studies, critiques, comparisons, debates | Data analysis tools, debate platforms |
| Evaluating | Reviews, critiques, judgments, recommendations, validations | Rubric tools, polling/voting platforms |
| Creating | Projects, designs, compositions, inventions, multimedia presentations | Creation tools, presentation software |
Question Stems for Discussion and Assessment
Remembering Questions
- Who, what, when, where, why?
- How would you define…?
- Can you recall…?
- How would you recognize…?
- What would you choose…?
- How would you explain…?
Understanding Questions
- How would you compare/contrast…?
- How would you rephrase…?
- What facts or ideas show…?
- What is the main idea of…?
- Which statements support…?
- Can you explain what is happening…?
Applying Questions
- How would you use…?
- What examples can you find to…?
- How would you solve ___ using what you’ve learned?
- How would you organize ___ to show…?
- How would you apply what you learned to develop…?
- What approach would you use to…?
Analyzing Questions
- What inference can you make…?
- What conclusions can you draw…?
- How would you categorize…?
- What evidence can you find…?
- What is the relationship between…?
- How would you classify…?
Evaluating Questions
- Do you agree with the actions/outcomes…?
- What is your opinion of…?
- How would you prioritize…?
- What criteria would you use to assess…?
- What choice would you have made…?
- What would you select…?
Creating Questions
- What changes would you make to solve…?
- How would you improve…?
- What would happen if…?
- Can you elaborate on the reason…?
- Can you propose an alternative…?
- How would you design…?
Active Verbs by Taxonomy Level
Remembering Verbs
Define, describe, identify, label, list, match, name, outline, recall, recognize, reproduce, select, state
Understanding Verbs
Classify, clarify, compare, contrast, convert, defend, discuss, distinguish, estimate, explain, express, extend, generalize, interpret, paraphrase, predict, report, restate, review, summarize, translate
Applying Verbs
Apply, calculate, change, choose, complete, compute, construct, demonstrate, develop, discover, dramatize, employ, examine, experiment, illustrate, implement, manipulate, modify, operate, practice, predict, prepare, produce, relate, schedule, show, solve, use
Analyzing Verbs
Analyze, appraise, break down, calculate, categorize, classify, compare, contrast, criticize, diagram, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, identify, illustrate, infer, model, outline, point out, question, relate, select, separate, subdivide, test
Evaluating Verbs
Appraise, argue, assess, choose, compare, conclude, critique, decide, defend, determine, discriminate, evaluate, explain, interpret, judge, justify, measure, rank, rate, recommend, select, support, value, verify
Creating Verbs
Arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, generate, hypothesize, invent, manage, organize, plan, prepare, propose, rearrange, reconstruct, relate, reorganize, revise, rewrite, set up, synthesize, tell, write
Common Challenges and Solutions
| Challenge | Solution |
|---|---|
| Students stuck at lower levels | Explicitly model higher-order thinking; scaffold questions from lower to higher |
| Assessment misaligned with objectives | Use taxonomy table to map objectives to appropriate assessment methods |
| Difficulty writing objectives | Use provided verb lists; check if objectives match intended cognitive level |
| Students struggle with higher levels | Break down complex tasks; provide worked examples; use think-alouds |
| Overemphasis on lower levels | Allocate more time and weight to higher-level activities and assessments |
| Subject seems limited to knowledge recall | Identify authentic applications and analysis opportunities in your field |
Practical Applications in Different Settings
K-12 Education
- Use taxonomy to ensure curriculum covers all thinking levels
- Create assessment matrices that balance cognitive levels
- Design project-based learning that targets creation
- Scaffold questioning during discussions
Higher Education
- Align course objectives with program learning outcomes across taxonomy levels
- Design capstone experiences that emphasize creating/evaluating
- Use taxonomy to communicate expectations for graduate-level thinking
- Structure research experiences across all levels
Corporate Training
- Ensure training moves beyond remembering to application
- Design assessments that match job performance requirements
- Create scenario-based learning for analysis and evaluation
- Structure mentoring to develop metacognitive knowledge
Self-Directed Learning
- Use taxonomy to identify gaps in personal learning
- Create learning plans that address multiple knowledge types
- Structure projects to push beyond comfort zone to higher levels
- Develop reflection practices around metacognitive knowledge
Resources for Implementing Bloom’s Taxonomy
Books and Articles
- “A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing” by Anderson & Krathwohl
- “Bloom’s Taxonomy: A Practical Approach for Deeper Learning”
- “Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Write Effective Learning Objectives”
Digital Tools
- Bloom’s Taxonomy Digital Planning Tools
- Interactive Bloom’s Taxonomy Question Generators
- Bloom’s Taxonomy Apps for Lesson Planning
- Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Wheels
Remember that Bloom’s Taxonomy is not strictly hierarchical—effective learning often moves up and down the levels as needed. The framework serves as a guide to ensure educational experiences develop the full range of thinking skills necessary for deep understanding and transfer of learning.