Introduction to Bloom's Taxonomy

Present

2001

1960s-1990s

1956

Origins

History of Bloom's Taxonomy

Click each section to learn more.

Cognitive Domain Hierarchy

• Helps teachers align curriculum & assessments
• Encourages critical thinking
• Assists in choosing effective teaching methods
• Makes learning more meaningful

Purpose

Bloom's Taxonomy

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Continues to influence teaching and learning

Revised taxonomy introduced

Taxonomy widely adopted in education

Original taxonomy created

The psychomotor domain involves physical skills and motor activity, such as

• performing a dance routine
• playing a musical instrument
• conducting a scientific experiment
• adapting physical skills to new situations

The affective domain deals with emotions, attitudes, and values, such as

• listening attentively
• participating in discussions
• valuing diversity
• organizing personal values
• demonstrating consistent behavior based on values

The cognitive domain involves mental skills and knowledge acquisition, such as

• memorizing facts
• understanding concepts
• applying knowledge to new situations
• analyzing information
• evaluating arguments
• creating new ideas

• Design a new product or invention.
• Write a story or poem.
• Develop a business plan.
• Create a multimedia presentation.

Examples:

• This level involves putting elements together to form a coherent or functional whole. This includes generating, planning, and producing. Creation requires students to use their creativity and innovation to develop new ideas or products.
• Activities at this level encourage students to design new products, write stories or poems, develop business plans, and create multimedia presentations.
• By achieving creation, students can demonstrate their ability to synthesize information and produce original work.

Produce New or Original Work

Create

• Summarize the main points of a lecture.
• Explain the process of photosynthesis.
• Compare and contrast two different economic theories.
• Classify animals into their respective categories.

Examples:

• This level involves comprehending the meaning of information. This includes interpreting, summarizing, inferring, and explaining ideas and concepts. Understanding goes beyond mere memorization and requires students to grasp the underlying meaning of the material.
• Activities at this level help students make sense of the information they have learned. They might be asked to paraphrase a concept in their own words, compare and contrast different ideas, or classify items into categories.
• By achieving understanding, students can explain concepts and ideas in their own words, which is crucial for applying knowledge in new situations.

Explain Ideas or Concepts

Understand

• List the planets in the solar system.
• Recall the dates of significant historical events.
• Identify the parts of a plant.
• Describe the main characters in a novel.

Examples:

• This level is the foundation of Bloom's Taxonomy. It involves the retrieval of relevant knowledge from long-term memory. This is the most basic level of learning, where students are expected to recall facts, terms, basic concepts, and answers.
• Activities at this level focus on recognizing and recalling information. This can include listing, describing, identifying, and naming. It's essential for building a base of knowledge that students can draw upon as they progress to higher levels of thinking.
• By mastering this level, students can confidently recall information that is crucial for understanding more complex concepts and performing higher-order tasks.

Recall Facts and Basic Concepts

Remember

• Analyze the themes of a novel.
• Break down the parts of a complex process.
• Examine the causes and effects of a historical event.
• Organize data into a chart or graph.

Examples:

• This level involves breaking down information into parts and examining relationships. This includes differentiating, organizing, and attributing. Analysis requires students to understand the structure of information and how its parts relate to one another.
• Activities at this level help students dissect information to understand its components. They might be asked to analyze the themes of a novel, break down the steps of a complex process, or examine the causes and effects of a historical event.
• By achieving analysis, students can critically examine information, identify patterns, and understand the underlying structure of concepts.

Draw Connections Among Ideas

Analyze

• Critique a piece of art or literature.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of a solution to a problem.
• Assess the validity of an argument.
• Judge the quality of a project or performance.

Examples:

• This level involves making judgements based on criteria and standards. This includes checking, critiquing, and assessing. Evaluation requires students to form opinions and make decisions based on evidence and reasoning.
• Activities at this level encourage students to assess the validity of arguments, critique works of art or literature, and evaluate the effectiveness of solutions to problems.
• By mastering evaluation, students can make informed judgements and provide reasoned arguments to support their decisions.

Justify a Stand or Decision

Evaluate

• Use a mathematical formula to solve a problem.
• Apply grammar rules to write a sentence.
• Conduct an experiment using the scientific method.
• Use historical facts to analyze a current event.

Examples:

• This level involves using learned information in new and concrete situations. This includes executing and implementing procedures or concepts. Application requires students to use their knowledge to solve problems or complete tasks in different contexts.
• Activities at this level encourage students to apply their knowledge practically. They might be asked to use a mathematical formula or solve a problem, apply grammar rules to write a sentence, or conduct an experiment using the scientific method.
• By mastering application, students can transfer their learning to real-world situations, demonstrating their ability to use knowledge effectively.

Use Information in New Situations

Apply