B l o o m ' s Ta x o n o m y o f

Learning Domains
Bloom's Taxonomy was created in 1956 under the leadership of
educational psychologist Dr Benjamin Bloom in order to promote higher
forms of thinking in education, such as analyzing and
evaluating concepts, processes, procedures, and principles , rather than
just remembering facts (rote learning). It is most often used when
designing educational, training, and learning processes.

The Three Domains of Learning

The committee identified three domains of educational activities
or learning (Bloom, et al. 1956):
o

Cognitive: mental skills (knowledge)

Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas (attitude or self)

Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (skills)

Since the work was produced by higher education, the words tend to be
a little bigger than we normally use. Domains may be thought of as
categories. Instructional designers, trainers, and educators often refer
to these three categories as KSA
(Knowledge [cognitive], Skills [psychomotor], and Attitudes [affective]).
This taxonomy of learning behaviors may be thought of as the goals of
the learning process. That is, after a learning episode, the learner
should have acquired a new skill, knowledge, and/or attitude.
While the committee produced an elaborate compilation for the
cognitive and affective domains, they omitted the psychomotor domain.
Their explanation for this oversight was that they have little experience
in teaching manual skills within the college level. However, there have
been at least three psychomotor models created by other researchers.
Their compilation divides the three domains into subdivisions, starting
from the simplest cognitive process or behavior to the most complex.
The divisions outlined are not absolutes and there are other systems or

hierarchies that have been devised, such as the Structure of Observed

Learning Outcome (SOLO). However, Bloom's taxonomy is easily
understood and is probably the most widely applied one in use today.

Cognitive Domain
The cognitive domain involves knowledge and the development of
intellectual skills (Bloom, 1956). This includes the recall or recognition
of specific facts, procedural patterns, and concepts that serve in the
development of intellectual abilities and skills. There are six major
categories of cognitive an processes, starting from the simplest to the
most complex (see the table
below for an in-depth coverage of
each category):
o Knowledge
o Comprehension
o Application
o Analysis
o Synthesis
o Evaluation
The categories can be thought of as degrees of difficulties. That is, the
first ones must normally be mastered before the next one can take
place.

B l o o m ' s R e v i s e d Ta x o n o m y
Lorin Anderson, a former student of Bloom, and David Krathwohl
revisited the cognitive domain in the mid-nineties and made some
changes, with perhaps the three most prominent ones being (Anderson,
Krathwohl, Airasian, Cruikshank, Mayer, Pintrich, Raths, Wittrock,
2000):
o changing the names in the six categories from noun to verb
forms

o rearranging them as shown in the chart below

o creating a processes and levels of knowledge matrix
The chart shown below compares the original taxonomy with the
revised one:

This new taxonomy reflects a more active form of thinking and is

perhaps more accurate. The new version of Bloom's Taxonomy, with
examples and keywords is shown below,
while the old version may be found here

Ta b l e o f t h e R e v i s e d
Cognitive Domain
Category

Examples, key
words (verbs), and
technologies for
learning (activities)

Examples: Recite a policy. Quote prices

from memory to a customer. Recite the
safety rules.
Remembering: Recall or
retrieve previous learned
information.

Key Words: defines, describes, identifies,

knows, labels, lists, matches, names,
outlines, recalls, recognizes, reproduces,
selects, states
Technologies: book marking, flash cards,
rote learning based on repetition, reading

Understanding:
Comprehending the
meaning, translation,
interpolation, and
interpretation of instructions
and problems. State a
problem in one's own
words.

Examples: Rewrite the principles of test

writing. Explain in one's own words the
steps for performing a complex task.
Translate an equation into a computer
spreadsheet.
Key Words: comprehends, converts,
defends, distinguishes, estimates, explains,
extends, generalizes, gives an example,
infers, interprets, paraphrases, predicts,
rewrites, summarizes, translates
Technologies: create an analogy,
participating in cooperative learning , taking
notes, storytelling, Internet search

Applying: Use a concept in

a new situation or
unprompted use of an
abstraction. Applies what
was learned in the
classroom into novel
situations in the work place.

Examples: Use a manual to calculate an

employee's vacation time. Apply laws of
statistics to evaluate the reliability of a
written test.
Key Words: applies, changes, computes,
constructs, demonstrates, discovers,
manipulates, modifies, operates, predicts,
prepares, produces, relates, shows, solves,

uses
Technologies: collaborative learning ,
create a process, blog, practice

Analyzing: Separates
material or concepts into
component parts so that its
organizational structure
may be understood.
Distinguishes between facts
and inferences.

Examples: Troubleshoot a piece of

equipment by using logical deduction.
Recognize logical fallacies in
reasoning. Gathers information from a
department and selects the required tasks
for training.
Key Words: analyzes, breaks down,
compares, contrasts, diagrams,
deconstructs, differentiates, discriminates,
distinguishes, identifies, illustrates, infers,
outlines, relates, selects, separates
Technologies: Fishbowls , debating,
questioning what happened, run a test

Examples: Select the most effective

solution. Hire the most qualified candidate.
Explain and justify a new budget.
Evaluating: Make
judgments about the value
of ideas or materials.

Key Words: appraises, compares,

concludes, contrasts, criticizes, critiques,
defends, describes, discriminates,
evaluates, explains, interprets, justifies,
relates, summarizes, supports
Technologies: survey, blogging

Creating: Builds a structure

or pattern from diverse
elements. Put parts

Examples: Write a company operations or

process manual. Design a machine to
perform a specific task. Integrates training

from several sources to solve a problem.

Revises and process to improve the
outcome.

together to form a whole,

with emphasis on creating a
new meaning or structure.

Key Words: categorizes, combines,

compiles, composes, creates, devises,
designs, explains, generates, modifies,
organizes, plans, rearranges, reconstructs,
relates, reorganizes, revises, rewrites,
summarizes, tells, writes
Technologies: Create a new model, write
an essay, network with others

Cognitive Processes and Levels of

Knowledge Matrix
Bloom's Revised Taxonomy not only improved the usability of it by
using action words, but added a cognitive and knowledge matrix.
While Bloom's original cognitive taxonomy did mention three levels of
knowledge or products that could be processed, they were not
discussed very much and remained one-dimensional:
o Factual - The basic elements students must know to be
acquainted with a discipline or solve problems.
o Conceptual The interrelationships among the basic elements
within a larger structure that enable them to function together.
o Procedural - How to do something, methods of inquiry, and
criteria for using skills, algorithms, techniques, and methods.
In Krathwohl and Anderson's revised version, the authors combine the
cognitive processes with the above three levels of knowledge to form a
matrix. In addition, they added another level of knowledge metacognition:

o Metacognitive Knowledge of cognition in general, as well as

awareness and knowledge of ones own cognition.
When the cognitive and knowledge dimensions are arranged in a
matrix, as shown below, it makes a nice performance aid for creating
performance objectives:
The Cognitive Dimension
The
Knowled
Remem Underst App Anal Evalu Crea
ge
ber
and
ly
yze
ate
te
Dimensio
n
Factual
Conceptu
al
Procedur
al
Metacogn
itive
However, others have identified five contents or artifacts (Clark,
Chopeta, 2004; Clark, Mayer, 2007):
o Facts - Specific and unique data or instance.
o Concepts - A class of items, words, or ideas that are known by
a common name, includes multiple specific examples, shares
common features. There are two types of concepts: concrete
and abstract.
o Processes - A flow of events or activities that describe how
things work rather than how to do things. There are normally
two types: business processes that describe work flows and
technical processes that describe how things work in
equipment or nature. They may be thought of as the big
picture, of how something works.

o Procedures - A series of step-by-step actions and decisions

that result in the achievement of a task. There are two types of
actions: linear and branched.
o Principles - Guidelines, rules, and parameters that govern. It
includes not only what should be done, but also what should
not be done. Principles allow one to make predictions and draw
implications. Given an effect, one can infer the cause of a
phenomena. Principles are the basic building blocks of causal
models or theoretical models (theories).
Thus, the new matrix would look similar to this:
The Cognitive Dimension
The
Knowled
Remem Underst App Anal Evalu Crea
ge
ber
and
ly
yze
ate
te
Dimensio
n
Facts
Concepts
Processe
s
Procedur
es
Principles
Metacogn
itive
An example matrix that has been filled in might look something like this:
The
Knowle
Reme Under
Analyz Eval Creat
dge
Apply
mber stand
e
uate
e
Dimens
ion

Facts

list

Concep
recall
ts

paraph
categ
classify outline rank
rase
orize
explain demon contras critic modif
s
strate t
ize
y

Process outlin estima produc diagra

es
e
te
e
m

defe desig
nd
n

give
Proced reprod an
relate
ures uce
examp
le

identify

critiq
plan
ue

Principl
state
es

differen concl
revise
tiates
ude

conver
solve
ts

Metaco proper interpr discove

infer
gnitive use
et
r

predi actual
ct
ize

B l o o m ' s Ta x o n o m y : T h e O r i g i n a l C o g n i t i v e D o m a i n

Lorin Anderson, a former student of Bloom, and David Krathwohl

revisited the cognitive domain in the mid-nineties and made some
changes. This newer version isdiscussed here , while the original is
shown below.
Cognitive Domain

The cognitive domain involves knowledge and the development of

intellectual skills (Bloom, et al, 1956). This includes the recall or
recognition of specific facts, procedural patterns, and concepts that
serve in the development of intellectual abilities and skills. There are
six major categories of cognitive processes, which are listed in order
below, starting from the simplest to the most complex. The categories
can be thought of as degrees of difficulties. That is, the first ones must
normally be mastered before the next one can take place.

Ta b l e o f T h e C o g n i t i v e
Domain (original)
Category

Example, Key Words (verbs), and

Technologies for Learning (activities)
Examples: Recite a policy. Quote prices
from memory to a customer. Know the
safety rules. Define a term.

Knowledge: Recall data or

information.

Key Words: arranges, defines, describes,

identifies, knows, labels, lists, matches,
names, outlines, recalls, recognizes,
reproduces, selects, states
Technologies: bookmarking, flash cards,
Internet search, reading

Comprehension:
Understand the meaning,
translation, interpolation,
and interpretation of
instructions and problems.
State a problem in one's
own words.

Examples: Rewrites the principles of test

writing. Explain in one's own words the
steps for performing a complex task.
Translates an equation into a computer
spreadsheet.
Key Words: comprehends, converts,
diagrams, defends, distinguishes,
estimates, explains, extends, generalizes,
gives an example, infers, interprets,
paraphrases, predicts, rewrites,
summarizes, translates
Technologies: create an analogy,
participating in cooperative learning , taking
notes, story telling

Application: Use a concept

in a new situation or
unprompted use of an
abstraction. Applies what
was learned in the
classroom into novel

Examples: Use a manual to calculate an

employee's vacation time. Apply laws of
statistics to evaluate the reliability of a
written test.
Key Words: applies, changes, computes,

situations in the work place.

constructs, demonstrates, discovers,

manipulates, modifies, operates, predicts,
prepares, produces, relates, shows,
solves, uses
Technologies: collaborative learning ,
create a process, material good, etc.),
blog, practice

Analysis: Separates
material or concepts into
component parts so that its
organizational structure may
be understood.
Distinguishes between facts
and inferences.

Examples: Troubleshoot a piece of

equipment by using logical deduction.
Recognize logical fallacies in
reasoning. Gathers information from a
department and selects the required tasks
for training.
Key Words: analyzes, breaks down,
compares, contrasts, diagrams,
deconstructs, differentiates, discriminates,
distinguishes, identifies, illustrates, infers,
outlines, relates, selects, separates
Technologies: fishbowls, debating,
questioning what happened, run a test

Synthesis: Builds a
structure or pattern from
diverse elements. Put parts
together to form a whole,
with emphasis on creating a
new meaning or structure.

Examples: Write a company operations or

process manual. Design a machine to
perform a specific task. Integrates training
from several sources to solve a problem.
Revises and process to improve the
outcome.
Key Words: categorizes, combines,
compiles, composes, creates, devises,
designs, explains, generates, modifies,
organizes, plans, rearranges, reconstructs,
relates, reorganizes, revises, rewrites,
summarizes, tells, writes
Technologies: essay, networking

Examples: Select the most effective

solution. Hire the most qualified candidate.
Explain and justify a new budget.
Evaluation: Make
judgments about the value
of ideas or materials.

Key Words: appraises, compares,

concludes, contrasts, criticizes, critiques,
defends, describes, discriminates,
evaluates, explains, interprets, justifies,
relates, summarizes, supports
Technologies: survey, blogging

B l o o m ' s Ta x o n o m y : T h e
A ff e c t i v e D o m a i n
The affective domain is one of three domains in Bloom's Taxonomy,
with the other two being
thecognitive and psychomotor (Bloom, et
al., 1956). For an overview of the three
domains, see theintroduction .
The affective domain (Krathwohl, Bloom,
Masia, 1973) includes the manner in which
we deal with things emotionally, such as
feelings, values , appreciation,
enthusiasms, motivations , andattitudes .
The five major categories are listed from
the simplest behavior to the most complex:

Category

Example and
Key Words
(verbs)

Receiving Phenomena: Awareness,

willingness to hear, selected attention.

Responds to Phenomena: Active

participation on the part of the learners.
Attend and react to a particular
phenomenon. Learning outcomes may
emphasize compliance in responding,
willingness to respond, or satisfaction in
responding (motivation).

Valuing: The worth or value a person

attaches to a particular object,
phenomenon, or behavior. This ranges
from simple acceptance to the more
complex state of commitment. Valuing is
based on the internalization of a set of
specified values, while clues to these
values are expressed in the learner's
overt behavior and are often identifiable.

Examples: Listen to others

with respect. Listen for and
remember the name of newly
introduced people.
Key Words: acknowledge,
asks, attentive, courteous,
dutiful, follows, gives, listens,
understands

Examples: Participates in
class discussions. Gives a
presentation. Questions new
ideals, concepts, models, etc.
in order to fully understand
them. Know the safety rules
and practice them.
Key Words: answers, assists,
aids, complies, conforms,
discusses, greets, helps,
labels, performs, presents,
tells

Examples: Demonstrates
belief in the democratic
process. Is sensitive towards
individual and cultural
differences (value diversity).
Shows the ability to solve
problems. Proposes a plan to
social improvement and
follows through with
commitment. Informs
management on matters that
one feels strongly about.

Key Words: appreciates,

cherish, treasure,
demonstrates, initiates,
invites, joins, justifies,
proposes, respect, shares

Organization: Organizes values into

priorities by contrasting different values,
resolving conflicts between them, and
creating an unique value system. The
emphasis is on comparing, relating, and
synthesizing values.

Examples: Recognizes the

need for balance between
freedom and responsible
behavior. Explains the role of
systematic planning in solving
problems. Accepts
professional ethical standards.
Creates a life plan in harmony
with abilities, interests, and
beliefs. Prioritizes time
effectively to meet the needs
of the organization, family, and
self.
Key Words: compares,
relates, synthesizes

Internalizes Values(characterization):
Has a value system that controls their
behavior. The behavior is pervasive,
consistent, predictable, and most
important characteristic of the learner.
Instructional objectives are concerned
with the student's general patterns of
adjustment (personal, social, emotional).

Examples: Shows selfreliance when working

independently. Cooperates in
group activities (displays
teamwork). Uses an objective
approach in problem solving.
Displays a professional
commitment to ethical
practice on a daily basis.
Revises judgments and
changes behavior in light of
new evidence. Values people
for what they are, not how
they look.

Key Words: acts,

discriminates, displays,
influences, modifies, performs,
qualifies, questions, revises,
serves, solves, verifies

B l o o m ' s Ta x o n o m y : T h e
Ps y c h o m o t o r D o m a i n
The psychomotor domain (Simpson, 1972) includes physical movement,
coordination, and use of the motor-skill areas. Development of these
skills requires practice and is measured in terms of speed, precision,
distance, procedures, or techniques in execution. Thus, psychomotor
skills rage from manual tasks, such as digging a ditch or washing a car,
to more complex tasks, such as operating
a complex piece of machinery or dancing.
The seven major categories are listed
from the simplest behavior to the most
complex:

Category

Example and
Key Words
(verbs)

Perception
(awareness): The
ability to use
sensory cues to
guide motor
activity. This
ranges from
sensory

Examples: Detects
non-verbal
communication cues.
Estimate where a
ball will land after it
is thrown and then
moving to the correct
location to catch the

stimulation, through cue selection,

to translation.

ball. Adjusts heat of stove to correct

temperature by smell and taste of
food. Adjusts the height of the forks
on a forklift by comparing where the
forks are in relation to the pallet.
Key Words: chooses, describes,
detects, differentiates, distinguishes,
identifies, isolates, relates, selects.

Set: Readiness to act. It includes

mental, physical, and emotional
sets. These three sets are
dispositions that predetermine a
person's response to different
situations (sometimes called
mindsets).

Examples: Knows and acts upon a

sequence of steps in a
manufacturing process. Recognize
one's abilities and limitations. Shows
desire to learn a new process
(motivation). NOTE: This subdivision
of Psychomotor is closely related
with the Responding to phenomena
subdivision of the Affective domain.
Key Words: begins, displays,
explains, moves, proceeds, reacts,
shows, states, volunteers.

Guided Response: The early

stages in learning a complex skill
that includes imitation and trial
and error. Adequacy of
performance is achieved by
practicing.

Mechanism (basic proficiency):

This is the intermediate stage in

Examples: Performs a
mathematical equation as
demonstrated. Follows instructions
to build a model. Responds handsignals of instructor while learning to
operate a forklift.
Key Words: copies, traces, follows,
react, reproduce, responds

Examples: Use a personal

computer. Repair a leaking faucet.

Drive a car.
learning a complex skill. Learned
responses have become habitual
and the movements can be
performed with some confidence
and proficiency.

Key Words: assembles, calibrates,

constructs, dismantles, displays,
fastens, fixes, grinds, heats,
manipulates, measures, mends,
mixes, organizes, sketches.

Complex Overt Response

(Expert): The skillful performance
of motor acts that involve complex
movement patterns. Proficiency is
indicated by a quick, accurate,
and highly coordinated
performance, requiring a minimum
of energy. This category includes
performing without hesitation, and
automatic performance. For
example, players are often utter
sounds of satisfaction or
expletives as soon as they hit a
tennis ball or throw a football,
because they can tell by the feel
of the act what the result will
produce.

Examples: Maneuvers a car into a

tight parallel parking spot. Operates
a computer quickly and accurately.
Displays competence while playing
the piano.

Adaptation: Skills are well

developed and the individual can
modify movement patterns to fit
special requirements.

Examples: Responds effectively to

unexpected experiences. Modifies
instruction to meet the needs of the
learners. Perform a task with a
machine that it was not originally
intended to do (machine is not
damaged and there is no danger in
performing the new task).

Key Words: assembles, builds,

calibrates, constructs, dismantles,
displays, fastens, fixes, grinds,
heats, manipulates, measures,
mends, mixes, organizes, sketches.
NOTE: The Key Words are the same
as Mechanism, but will have adverbs
or adjectives that indicate that the
performance is quicker, better, more
accurate, etc.

Key Words: adapts, alters, changes,

rearranges, reorganizes, revises,

varies.

Origination: Creating new

movement patterns to fit a
particular situation or specific
problem. Learning outcomes
emphasize creativity based upon
highly developed skills.

Examples: Constructs a new theory.

Develops a new and comprehensive
training programming. Creates a new
gymnastic routine.
Key Words: arranges, builds,
combines, composes, constructs,
creates, designs, initiate, makes,
originates.

Other Psychomotor Domain

Ta x o n o m i e s
As mentioned earlier, the committee did not produce a compilation for
the psychomotor domain model, but others have. The one discussed
above is by Simpson (1972). There are two other popular versions by
Dave (1970) and Harrow (1972):
Dave (1975):

Category

Example and Key Words (verbs)

Imitation Observing and

patterning behavior after
someone else. Performance
may be of low quality.

Examples: Copying a work of art.

Performing a skill while observing a
demonstrator.
Key Words: copy, follow, mimic, repeat,

replicate, reproduce, trace

Manipulation Being able

to perform certain actions by
memory or following
instructions.

Examples: Being able to perform a skill

on one's own after taking lessons or
reading about it. Follows instructions to
build a model.
Key Words: act, build, execute, perform

Precision Refining,
becoming more exact.
Performing a skill within a
high degree of precision

Articulation Coordinating
and adapting a series of
actions to achieve harmony
and internal consistency.

Examples: Working and reworking

something, so it will be just right.
Perform a skill or task without assistance.
Demonstrate a task to a beginner.
Key Words: calibrate, demonstrate,
master, perfectionism

Examples: Combining a series of skills to

produce a video that involves music,
drama, color, sound, etc. Combining a
series of skills or activities to meet a novel
requirement.
Key Words: adapt, constructs, combine,
creates, customize, modifies, formulate

Naturalization Mastering
a high level performance
until it become secondnature or natural, without
needing to think much about
it.

Examples: Maneuvers a car into a tight

parallel parking spot. Operates a computer
quickly and accurately. Displays
competence while playing the piano.
Michael Jordan playing basketball or
Nancy Lopez hitting a golf ball.
Key Words: create, design, develop,

invent, manage, naturally

Harrow (1972):

Category

Reflex Movements Reactions

that are not learned, such as a
involuntary reaction

Fundamental Movements
Basic movements such as
walking, or grasping.

Perceptual Abilities
Response to stimuli such as
visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or
tactile discrimination.

Physical Abilities (fitness)

Stamina that must be developed
for further development such as
strength and agility.

Example and Key Words

(verbs)

Examples: instinctive response

Key Words: react, respond

Examples: perform a simple task

Key Words: grasp an object, throw a
ball, walk

Examples: track a moving object,

recognize a pattern
Key Words: catch a ball, draw or
write

Examples: gain strength, run a

marathon
Key Words: agility, endurance,
strength

Skilled movements Advanced

learned movements as one would
find in sports or acting.

Examples: Using an advanced

series of integrated movements,
perform a role in a stage play or play
in a set of series in a sports game.
Key Words: adapt, constructs,
creates, modifies

Nondiscursive
communication Use effective
body language, such as gestures
and facial expressions.

Examples: Express one's self by

using movements and gestures
Key Words: arrange, compose,
interpretation

Alternative to Bloom:
Structure of Observed
L e a r n i n g O u t c o m e ( S O LO )
Ta x o n o m y
While Bloom's Taxonomy has been quite useful in that it has extended
learning from simply remembering to more complex cognitive
structures, such as analyzing and evaluating, newer models have come
along. However, it has become more useful with the revised taxonomy.
One model that might prove more useful is the Structure of Observed
Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy. It is a model that describes levels
of increasing complexity in a learner's understanding of subjects (Biggs,
Collis, 1982). It aids both trainers and learners in understanding the

learning process. The model consists of five levels in the order of

understanding:
o Pre-structural - The learner doesn't understood the lesson and
uses a much too simple means of going about itthe learner is
unsure about the lesson or subject.
o Uni-structural - The learner's response only focuses on one
relevant aspectthe learner has only a basic concept about
the subject.
o Multi-structural - The learner's response focuses on several
relevant aspects but they are treated independentlythe
learner has several concepts about the subject but they are
disconnected. Assessment of this level is primarily
quantitative.
o Relational - The different aspects have become integrated into
a coherent wholethe learner has mastered the complexity of
the subject by being able to join all the parts together. This
level is what is normally meant by an adequate understanding
of a subject.
o Extended abstract - The previous integrated whole may be
conceptualized at a higher level of abstraction and generalized
to a new topic or areathe learner is now able to create new
ideas based on her mastery of the subject.

SOLO not only shows the instructors how the learners are progressing,
but also the learners themselves. It does this by putting the processes
in squares. You start in the center square (Uni-structural) and work
outwards (Multi-structural, Relational, and finally Extended Abstract).
The example below shows the concept of ADDIE and how it starts with
learning facts and ends with being able to create a learning process or
training using ADDIE:

Learning Strategies or
Instructional Strategies
Learning or instructional strategies determine the approach for
achieving the learning objectives and are included in the preinstructional activities, information presentation, learner activities,
testing, and follow-through. The strategies are usually tied to the needs
and interests of students to enhance learning and are based on many
types of learning styles (Ekwensi, Moranski, &Townsend-Sweet, 2006).
Thus the learning objectives point you towards the instructional
strategies, while the instructional strategies will point you to the
medium that will actually deliver the instruction, such as elearning, selfstudy, classroom, or OJT. However, do not fall into the trap of using
only one medium when designing your course. . . use a blended
approach .
Although some people use the terms interchangeably, objectives,
strategies, and media, all have separate meanings. For example, your

learning objective might be "Pull the correct items for a customer

order;" the instructional strategies are a demonstration, have a question
and answer period, and then receive hands-on practice by actually
performing the job, while the media might be a combination of elearning
and OJT.
The Instructional Strategy Selection Chart shown below is a general
guideline for selecting the learning strategy. It is based on Bloom's
Taxonomy (Learning Domains). The matrix generally runs from the
passive learning methods (top rows) to the more active participation
methods (bottom rows. Bloom's Taxonomy (the right three columns)
runs from top to bottom, with the lower level behaviors being on top and
the higher behaviors being on the bottom. That is, there is a direct
correlation in learning:
o Lower levels of performance can normally be taught using the
more passive learning methods.
o Higher levels of performance usually require some sort of
action or involvement by the learners.

Instructional Strategy Selection

Chart
Instructional Strategy

Cognitive Domain
(Bloom, 1956)

Affective Domain
(Krathwohl, Bloom,
& Masia, 1973)

Psychomotor
Domain
(Simpson, 1972)

1. Perception
Lecture, reading,
audio/visual,
demonstration, or guided
observations, question and
answer period

Discussions, multimedia
CBT, Socratic didactic
method, reflection.

1. Knowledge

2. Comprehension

1. Receiving
phenomena

2. Responding to
phenomena

2. Set

3. Guided
response

Activities such as surveys,

role playing, case studies,
fishbowls, etc.

3. Application

4. Mechanism

On-the-Job-Training (OJT),
practice by doing (some
direction or coaching is
required), simulated job
settings (to include CBT
simulations)

4. Analysis

3. Valuing

5. Complex
response

Use in real situations. Also

may be trained by using
several high level activities
coupled with OJT.

5. Synthesis

4. Organize values
into priorities

6. Adaptation

Normally developed on own

(informal learning) through
self-study or learning
through mistakes, but
mentoring and coaching
can speed the process.

6. Evaluation

5. Internalizing
values

7. Origination

The chart does not cover all possibilities, but most activities should fit
in. For example, self-study could fall under reading, audio visual, and/or
activities, depending upon the type of program you design.