Bloom's Taxonomy Overview

The original Taxonomy of Educational Objectives is commonly referred to as Bloom's Taxonomy, named after Benjamin Bloom who devised a system of categorizing and classifying student learning objectives (SLOs). Bloom's work was originally published in 1956. Bloom's framework divided educational objectives into three "domains": cognitive, affective and psychomotor or skills-based objectives. Each domain contained six major levels of learning, and learning at the higher levels is dependent on attaining skills at the lower levels of learning. The initial intent was for education to focus on all three of these domains for a more complex and holistic form of education.

Creating

Evaluating

Analyzing

Applying

Understanding

Remembering

Remembering

Recall specific facts.

Key words:

Actions:

  • Describing
  • Finding
  • Identifying
  • Listing
  • Locating
  • Naming
  • Recognizing
  • Retrieving

Outcomes:

  • Definition
  • Fact
  • Label
  • List
  • Quiz
  • Reproduction
  • Test
  • Workbook
  • Worksheet

Assessment types

Multiple choice

Matching

Short Answer

Understanding

Grasp meaning of instructional materials.

Key words:

Actions:

  • Classifying
  • Comparing
  • Exemplifying
  • Explaining
  • Inferring
  • Interpreting
  • Paraphrasing
  • Summarizing

Outcomes:

  • Collection
  • Examples
  • Explanation
  • Label
  • List
  • Outline
  • Quiz
  • Show and tell
  • Summary

Assessment types

Multiple choice

Matching

Short Answer

Essay

Discussion Board

Applying

Use information in a new situation.

Key words:

Actions:

  • Carrying out
  • Executing
  • Implementing
  • Using

Outcomes:

  • Demonstration
  • Diary
  • Illustrations
  • Interview
  • Journal
  • Performance
  • Presentation
  • Sculpture
  • Simulation

Assessment types

Multiple choice

Matching

Short Answer

Essay

Discussion Board

Analyzing

Take apart the known and identify relationships.

Key words:

Actions:

  • Attributing
  • Deconstructing
  • Integrating
  • Organizing
  • Outlining
  • Structuring

Outcomes:

  • Abstract
  • Chart
  • Checklist
  • Database
  • Graph
  • Mobile
  • Report
  • Spread sheet
  • Survey

Assessment types

Multiple choice

Short Answer

Essay

Discussion Board

Evaluating

Examine information and make judgments.

Key words:

Actions:

  • Constructing
  • Designing
  • Devising
  • Inventing
  • Making
  • Planning
  • Producing

Outcomes:

  • Advertisement
  • Film
  • Media product
  • New game
  • Painting
  • Plan
  • Project
  • Song
  • Story

Assessment types

Short Answer

Essay

Discussion Board

Creating

Use information to create something new.

Key words:

Actions:

  • Attributing
  • Checking
  • Deconstructing
  • Integrating
  • Organizing
  • Outlining
  • Structuring

Outcomes:

  • Abstract
  • Chart
  • Checklist
  • Database
  • Graph
  • Mobile
  • Report
  • Spread sheet
  • Survey

Assessment types

Multiple choice

Short Answer

Essay

Discussion Board

References