What is Bloom’s taxonomy?
Bloom’s taxonomy is a hierarchical framework that classifies learning objectives from simple recall up to higher-order thinking that creates something new. Educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom and colleagues published Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Cognitive Domain in 1956, and Lorin Anderson, David Krathwohl and colleagues published a revision in 2001.
- Meaning
- Classifies learning objectives by level of thinking
- Original
- Bloom et al. (1956), cognitive domain
- Revision
- Anderson & Krathwohl (2001)
- Uses
- Writing objectives, designing assessments, analyzing curricula
Original vs revised
| Original (1956, nouns) | Revised (2001, verbs) | Example verbs |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge | Remember | List, define, recall |
| Comprehension | Understand | Explain, summarize, exemplify |
| Application | Apply | Use, execute, solve |
| Analysis | Analyze | Compare, differentiate, organize |
| Evaluation | Evaluate | Judge, critique, justify |
| Synthesis | Create | Design, produce, plan |
The revision renamed levels with verbs and moved Synthesis, now Create, above Evaluate to the highest level.
The knowledge dimension
Does "analyze" mean the same thing whatever you are analyzing? The revision added a knowledge dimension alongside the six cognitive processes: factual, conceptual, procedural and metacognitive knowledge. Each objective can then be placed on a two-dimensional table showing which kind of knowledge is used with which cognitive process, making it easier to check that teaching and assessment line up.
Using it in teaching
- Write objectives with observable verbs: "Explain photosynthesis in your own words" rather than "Understand photosynthesis."
- Balance assessments so they include analyze, evaluate and create items, not only recall.
- Check alignment between objectives, activities and assessments.
Limitations
Critics note that the levels overlap rather than form a strict hierarchy, and that the taxonomy can imply higher levels are always more valuable. Bloom’s team also classified an affective domain separately. See cognitive load theory, constructivist learning theory and metacognition.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Bloom’s taxonomy?
- A framework that classifies learning objectives by level of thinking, from recall to creation.
- What are the six revised levels?
- Remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate and create.
- How does the revision differ from the original?
- It uses verbs, places create at the top, and adds a knowledge dimension.
References
- Bloom, B. S. (Ed.). (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. David McKay.
- Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Longman.