Bloom’s Taxonomy

The Building Blocks of Knowledge Extending Students Thinking

Setting Goals

Benjamin Bloom and his colleagues (1956) collaborated on the development of a popular framework to improve an instructor’s ability to teach thinking, regardless of the discipline (Lyons, Kysilka, & Pawlas, 1999; McKeachie, 2002).

According to Bloom (1956) knowledge, Comprehension, and application skills represent the lower –order of thinking. The higher-order of skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation required more effort.

Bloom’s Taxonomy (Benjamin Bloom, 1956)

Hig

hest

Lev

el o

f cog

nitio

n Lo

wes

t L

evel

Knowledge

Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

Evaluation

Revision of Bloom Taxonomy

Anserson, Krathwohl, and colleagues (2001) revised the Bloom taxonomy to a new sequence of “Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create” (McKeachie, 2002, p. 285).

Revision of Bloom Taxonomy

Hig

her-

Ord

er S

kill

Low

er-O

rder

Ski

ll

Remember

Understand

Apply

Analyze

Evaluate

Create

Change in Terms

The names of six major categories were changed from noun to verb forms. As the taxonomy reflects different forms of thinking and thinking is an active

process verbs were more accurate. The subcategories of the six major categories were also replaced by verbs Some subcategories were reorganised. The knowledge category was renamed. Knowledge is a product of thinking

and was inappropriate to describe a category of thinking and was replaced with the word remembering instead.

Comprehension became understanding and synthesis was renamed creating in order to better reflect the nature of the thinking described by each category.

(http://rite.ed.qut.edu.au/oz-teachernet/training/bloom.html (accessed July 2003) ; Pohl, 2000, p. 8)

Change in Emphasis

More authentic tool for curriculum planning, instructional delivery and assessment.

Aimed at a broader audience. Easily applied to all levels of schooling. The revision emphasises explanation and

description of subcategories.

(http://rite.ed.qut.edu.au/oz-teachernet/training/bloom.html (accessed July 2003; Pohl, 2000, p. 10).

Level 1:Knowledge / Remember

Learning the information

Remembering knowledge

In this low level of Bloom’s Taxonomy the student should be able to recall, recognize, recite, list, label, name, repeat, state, define, and retaining facts - these items can be memorized without understanding

Level 1: Knowledge / Remember

Remember an idea or a fact in nearly the same form as it was taught. The sample verbs that would be used in this level are:

Tell, choose, find, group, label, arrange, select, match, locate offer list, name, cite, offer, omit, pick, quote, repeat, reset, say, show, spell, touch, underline, point to, identify, recall, state

Level 2: Comprehension / Understand

Understanding the information

In this low level of Bloom’s Taxonomy the student should be able to demonstrate, explain, describe, interpret, summarize, restate, identify, tell, and elaborate the material -

Level 2: Comprehension / Understand

Communicate an idea or event in new and different form. The sample verbs that would be used in this level are:Reword, convert, expand, transform, explain,

interpret, outline, discuss, arrange, sort, classify

Level 3: Application / Apply

Uses the information

Using theoretical ideas in real situation

In this level of Bloom’s Taxonomy the student should be able to construct, interview, apply, list, use, operate, practice, illustrate, and solve simple problems – it means students must apply facts, rules, and principle to construct results

Level 3: Application / Apply

Use knowledge from a variety of areas to find solutions – apply ideas. The sample verbs that would be used in this level are:Relate, utilize, solve, try, exert, take up, employ,

use, develop, apply, illustrate, sketch, demonstrate

Level 4: Analysis / AnalyzeExamining specific parts

of the information

In this level of Bloom’s Taxonomy the student should be able to classify, categorize, compare, analyze – distinguish question, differentiate, calculate, solve, separate, detect, and relate - breaking down the problem into its components – it means critical thinking or problem solving

Level 4: Analysis / Analyze

Break problem down into component. The sample verbs that would be used in this level are:Analyze, break down, look into, uncover, examine,

inspect, audit, appraise, categorize, contrast, criticize, distinguish, differentiate, compare

Level 5: Synthesis / Evaluate

Doing something new and different with information

In this higher order of skill level of Bloom’s Taxonomy the student should be able to hypothesize, abstract, create, and design – arrange, assemble and create setup – in other word putting together component of knowledge to create! This may lead the students for the multiple solutions or correct answers and allow for creativities.

Level 5: Synthesis / Evaluate

Be creative. The sample verbs that would be used in this level are:Compose, create, combine, build, make, reorder,

develop, produce, construct, generate, constitute, organize, originate, formulate, propose, plan, design, invent

Level 6: Evaluation / Create

Judging information –

Making decision about issues

In this highest order of skill level of Bloom’s Taxonomy the student should be able to assess, rate, compare value, critique, appraise, judge, and estimate – making a judgment about a solution, work, etc.

For example: “if our population continues to grow, what will the United States be like in …”

Level 6: Evaluation / Create

The sample verbs that would be used in this level are:appraise, argue, assess, compare, evaluate,

predict, support, recommend

Strategies Tips for Improvement

Incorporate your course content with opportunity to apply creative thinking

Establish a learning environment that promote thinking skills. For example before you answer the question, encourage and challenge thinking and discussion.

Facilitate instructions and direction that help students discover the solution

Here are some tips for improving the thinking quality that will promote better students performance

Use more than one approaches to an issue Incorporate information from several

sources Establish meaningful correlations between

theoretical concept and practical situations Consider those students that need more

thinking time Asking questions with positive attitudes.

Note: you may have some student that have slow start for example register late, missed the first class or 2 classes - this will be challenge for instructor to get these students to make up for the missing learning activities…

Provide accurate feedback and promote good quality thinking without discouraging. In other word, gently direct them for better thinking. Feedback is the most effective way to motivate thinking. For example, “good job”, “excellent” for those students that did well on assignment - and - for other students that performed less than your expectation, a motivation the word such as “I would like to talk to you after class regarding this assignment”, “Meet me in break time to discuss.. The assignment” – the purpose of this approach is to develop a plan that deal with disappointing score and motivate them to do better

Feedback: The wording, tone, and body language can encourage and motivate students for improvement

What do you mean by saying ____? Can you give me an example? How does this relate to the problem? Why did you base your answer on this instead

of ____? Can you be more specific? Could you explain your answer further?

References

McKeachie,W. J. (2002). McKeachie’s Teaching Tips. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Lyons, R. E., Kysilka,M. L., & Pawlas, G. E. (1999). The Adjunct Professor’s Guide to Success. Needham, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Wankat, P. C. (2002). The Effective Efficient, Professor. Boston, MA: A Pearson Education Company.

Royse, D. (2001). Teaching Tips for College and University Instructor. Needham, MA: A Pearson Education Company.