Teaching with

the Revised
BloomsTaxonomy
Janet Giesen
Faculty Development and
Instructional Design Center

Taxonomy = Classification
Classification of thinking
Six cognitive levels
of complexity

Why use Blooms taxonomy?

Write and revise
learning objectives
Plan curriculum
Identifies simple to
most difficult skills
Effectively align
objectives to
assessment
techniques and
standards

Incorporate
knowledge to be
learned (knowledge
dimension) and
cognitive process to
learn
Facilitate questioning
(oral language =
important role within
framework)

Original

Revised

Evaluation

Creating

Synthesis

Evaluating

Analysis

Analyzing

Application

Applying

Comprehension

Understanding

Knowledge

Remembering

Noun

Verb

Original

Revised

Evaluation

Creating

Synthesis

Evaluating

Analysis

Analyzing

Application

Applying

Comprehension

Understanding

Knowledge

Remembering

Noun

Verb

Original

Revised

Evaluation

Creating

Synthesis

Evaluating

Analysis

Analyzing

Application

Applying

Comprehension

Understanding

Knowledge

Remembering

Noun

Verb

Creating
Evaluating
Analyzing
Applying
Understanding
Remembering

Creating
Evaluating
Analyzing
Applying
Understanding
Remembering

Cognitive
Domain
Analyzing
Applying
Creating

Affective
Domain
Characterizing
by value or value
concept

Evaluating

Organizing &
conceptualizing

Remembering

Receiving

Understanding

Responding
Valuing

Psychomotor
Domain
Articulating
Imitating
Manipulating
Performing
Precisioning

Cognitive
Domain
Analyzing
Applying
Creating

Affective
Domain
Characterizing
by value or value
concept

Evaluating

Organizing &
conceptualizing

Remembering

Receiving

Understanding

Responding
Valuing

Psychomotor
Domain
Articulating
Imitating
Manipulating
Performing
Precisioning

Change in Terms
Categories noun to verb
Taxonomy reflects different forms of thinking
(thinking is an active process) verbs describe
actions, nouns do not

Reorganized categories
Knowledge = product/outcome of thinking
(inappropriate to describe a category of
thinking) now remembering
Comprehension now understanding
Synthesis now creating to better reflect nature
of thinking described by each category
Handout #

Changes in Structure
Products of thinking part of taxonomy
Forms of knowledge = factual, conceptual,
procedural, metacognitive (thinking about
thinking)
Synthesis (creating) and evaluation
(evaluating) interchanged
Creative thinking more complex form of
thinking than critical thinking (evaluating)
Handout #

Changes in Emphasis
USE: More authentic tool for curriculum
planning, instructional delivery and
assessment
Aimed at broader audience
Easily applied to all levels of education
Revision emphasizes explanation and
description of subcategories

Handout #

Remembering
The learner is able to recall, restate and
remember learned information
Describing
Finding
Identifying
Listing

Retrieving
Naming
Locating
Recognizing

Can students recall information?

Understanding
Student grasps meaning of information
by interpreting and translating
what has been learned
Classifying
Comparing
Exemplifying
Explaining

Inferring
Interpreting
Paraphrasing
Summarizing

Can students explain ideas or concepts?

Applying
Student makes use of information in a context
different from the one in which it was learned
Implementing
Carrying out

Using
Executing

Can students use the information in

another familiar situation?

Analyzing
Student breaks learned information into
its parts to best understand that information
Attributing
Comparing
Deconstructing
Finding

Integrating
Organizing
Outlining
Structuring

Can students break information into parts to

explore understandings and relationships?

Evaluating
Student makes decisions based on in-depth
reflection, criticism and assessment
Checking
Critiquing
Detecting
Experimenting

Hypothesising
Judging
Monitoring
Testing

Can students justify a decision or

a course of action?

Creating
Student creates new ideas and information
using what previously has been learned
Constructing
Designing
Devising
Inventing

Making
Planning
Producing

Can students generate new products,

ideas, or ways of viewing things?

Questioning . . .
Lower level questionsremembering,
understanding & lower level applying levels
Lower level questions
Evaluate students preparation and
comprehension
Diagnose students strengths and weaknesses
Review and/or summarizing content

Handout #

University of Illinois (2006)

Questioning . . .
Higher level questions require complex
application, analysis, evaluation or creation
skills
Higher level questions
Encourage students to think more deeply and
critically
Facilitate problem solving
Encourage discussions
Stimulate students to seek information on their
own
Handout #

University of Illinois (2006)

Remembering stems
What happened after...?
How many...?
What is...?
Who was it that...?
Name ...
Find the definition of
Describe what happened after
Who spoke to...?
Which is true or false...?
(Pohl, 2000)

Understanding stems
Explain why
Write in your own words
How would you explain?
Write a brief outline...
What do you think could have happened next...?
Who do you think...?
What was the main idea...?
Clarify
Illustrate
(Pohl, 2000)

Applying stems
Explain another instance where
Group by characteristics such as
Which factors would you change if?
What questions would you ask of?
From the information given, develop a set of
instructions about

(Pohl, 2000)

Analyzing stems
Which events could not have happened?
If. ..happened, what might the ending have been?
How is...similar to...?
What do you see as other possible outcomes?
Why did...changes occur?
Explain what must have happened when...
What are some or the problems of...?
Distinguish between...
What were some of the motives behind..?
What was the turning point?
What was the problem with...?
(Pohl, 2000)

Evaluating stems
Judge the value of... What do you think about...?
Defend your position about...
Do you think...is a good or bad thing?
How would you have handled...?
What changes to would you recommend?
Do you believe...? How would you feel if...?
How effective are...?
What are the consequences...?
What influence will....have on our lives?
What are the pros and cons of....?
Why is....of value?
What are the alternatives?
Who will gain & who will loose?

(Pohl, 2000)

Creating stems
Design a...to...
Devise a possible solution to...
If you had access to all resources, how would you
deal with...?
Devise your own way to...
What would happen if ...?
How many ways can you...?
Create new and unusual uses for...
Develop a proposal which would...
(Pohl, 2000)

Summary
Blooms revised taxonomy
Systematic process of thinking & learning
Assists assessment efforts with easy-to-use
format
Visual representation of alignment between goals
& objectives with standards, activities, &
outcomes
Helps form challenging questions to help
students gain knowledge & critical thinking skills
Assists in development of goals, objectives, &
lesson plans

Lets Practice!
Worksheets

Thank You!
Discussion and
Questions

References and Resources

Cruz, E. (2003). Bloom's revised taxonomy. In B. Hoffman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Educational
Technology. http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/bloomrev/start.htm
Dalton, J. & Smith, D. (1986) Extending childrens special abilities: Strategies for primary classrooms.
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/dalton.htm
Ferguson, C. (2002). Using the revised Blooms Taxonomy to plan and deliver team-taught, integrated,
thematic units. Theory into Practice, 41(4), 239-244.
Forehand, M. (2008). Blooms Taxonomy: From emerging perspectives on learning, teaching and
technology. http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
Mager, R. E. (1997). Making instruction work or skillbloomers: A step-by-step guide to designing and
developing instruction that works, (2nd ed.). Atlanta, GA: The Center for Effective Performance,
Inc.
Mager, R. E. (1997). Preparing instructional objectives: A critical tool in the development of effective
instruction, (3rd ed.). Atlanta, GA: The Center for Effective Performance, Inc.
Pohl, Michael. (2000). Learning to think, thinking to learn: Models and strategies to develop a
classroom culture of thinking. Cheltenham, Vic.: Hawker Brownlow.
Tarlinton (2003). Blooms revised taxonomy.
http://www.kurwongbss.qld.edu.au/thinking/Bloom/bloomspres.ppt.
University of Illinois, Center for Teaching Excellence (2006). Blooms taxonomy.
www.oir.uiuc.edu/Did/docs/QUESTION/quest1.htm

Blooms Taxonomy

Creating

Evaluation
Analysising
Applying
Understanding
Knowledge/Remembering

Knowledge /
Remembering
Blooms Taxonomy

Knowledge/Remembering is defined as the remembering of previously learned

material.

This may involve the recall of a wide range of material, from specific facts to complete
theories, but all that is required is the bringing to mind of the appropriate information.

Learning outcomes: Knowledge represents the lowest level of learning outcomes in

the cognitive domain.

Examples of learning objectives at this level are:

o
o
o
o
o

know common terms

know specific facts
know methods and procedures
know basic concepts
know principles

University of Cape Town http://web.uct.ac.za/projects/cbe/mcqman/mcqappc.html

Knowledge /
Remembering
Blooms Taxonomy

Exam Question Cues:

o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

List
Define
Tell
Describe
Identify
Show
Label
Collect
Examine
Tabulate
Quote
Name
Who
When
Where

University of Cape Town http://web.uct.ac.za/projects/cbe/mcqman/mcqappc.html

Understanding
Blooms Taxonomy

Understanding is defined as the ability to grasp the meaning of material.

This may be shown by translating material from one form to another (words to
numbers), by interpreting material (explaining or summarizing), and by estimating
future trends (predicting consequences or effects).

These learning outcomes go one step beyond the simple remembering of material,
and represent the lowest level of understanding.

Examples of learning objectives at this level are:

o
o
o
o
o
o

understand facts and principles

interpret verbal material
interpret charts and graphs
translate verbal material to mathematical formulae
estimate the future consequences implied in data
justify methods and procedures

University of Cape Town http://web.uct.ac.za/projects/cbe/mcqman/mcqappc.html

Understanding
Exam Question Cues:

Blooms Taxonomy

Summarize
Describe
Interpret
Contrast
Predict
Associate
Distinguish
Estimate
Differentiate
Discuss
o Extend
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

University of Cape Town http://web.uct.ac.za/projects/cbe/mcqman/mcqappc.html

Applying
Blooms Taxonomy

Applying refers to the ability to use learned material in new and concrete situations.

This may include the application of such things as rules, methods, concepts,
principles, laws, and theories.

Learning outcomes in this area require a higher level of understanding than those
under comprehension.

Examples of learning objectives at this level are:

o apply concepts and principles to new situations
o apply laws and theories to practical situations
o solve mathematical problems
o construct graphs and charts
o demonstrate the correct usage of a method or procedure

University of Cape Town http://web.uct.ac.za/projects/cbe/mcqman/mcqappc.html

Applying
Exam Question Cues:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Blooms Taxonomy

Apply
Demonstrate
Calculate
Complete
Illustrate
Show
Solve
Examine
Modify
Relate
Change
Classify
Experiment
Discover

University of Cape Town http://web.uct.ac.za/projects/cbe/mcqman/mcqappc.html

Analysing
Key scienfitic instuments that we (comp scis) use

Blooms Taxonomy

Analysing refers to the ability to break down material into its component parts
so that its organizational structure may be understood. It is one of the key
scienfitic instuments that we use in computer science.

This may include the identification of parts, analysis of the relationship between
parts, and recognition of the organizational principles involved.

Learning outcomes here represent a higher intellectual level than

comprehension and application because they require an understanding of both
the content and the structural form of the material.

Examples of learning objectives at this level are:

o
o
o
o
o
o

recognize unstated assumptions

recognises logical fallacies in reasoning
distinguish between facts and inferences
evaluate the relevancy of data
analyse the organizational structure of a work (art, music,
writing)
can the student distinguish between the different parts?
University of Cape Town http://web.uct.ac.za/projects/cbe/mcqman/mcqappc.html

Analysis
Exam Question Cues:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Blooms Taxonomy

Analyse
Separate
Order
Explain
Connect
Classify
Arrange
Divide
Compare
Select
Explain
Infer

University of Cape Town http://web.uct.ac.za/projects/cbe/mcqman/mcqappc.html

Evaluating
Blooms Taxonomy

Evaluating is concerned with the ability to judge the value of material

(statement, novel, poem, research report) for a given purpose.

The judgments are to be based on definite criteria. These may be internal

criteria (organization) or external criteria (relevance to the purpose) and the
student may determine the criteria or be given them.

Learning outcomes in this area contain elements of all the other categories,
plus conscious value judgments based on clearly defined criteria.

Examples of learning objectives at this level are:

o judge the logical consistency of written material,
o judge the adequacy with which conclusions are supported by data
o judge the value of a work (art, music, writing) by the use of internal criteria
o judge the value of a work (art, music, writing) by use of external standards of
excellence

University of Cape Town http://web.uct.ac.za/projects/cbe/mcqman/mcqappc.html

Evaluating
Evaluating
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Blooms Taxonomy

Assess
Decide
Rank
Grade
Test
Measure
Recommend
Convince
Select
Judge
Explain
Discriminate
Support
Conclude
Compare
Summarize

University of Cape Town http://web.uct.ac.za/projects/cbe/mcqman/mcqappc.html

Creating
Blooms Taxonomy

Creating refers to the ability to put parts together to form a new whole.

This may involve the production of a unique communication (theme or speech), a

plan of operations (research proposal), or a set of abstract relations (scheme for
classifying information).

Learning outcomes in this area are highest in the cognitive hierarchy because they
stress creative behaviours, with major emphasis on the formulation of new patterns or
structure.

Examples of learning objectives at this level are:

o write a well organized theme
o gives a well organized speech writes a creative short story (or poem or music)
o propose a plan for an experiment
o integrate learning from different areas into a plan for
solving a problem
o formulates a new scheme for classifying
objects (or events, or ideas)
o can the student justify a stand or decision?
University of Cape Town http://web.uct.ac.za/projects/cbe/mcqman/mcqappc.html

Creating
Exam Question Cues:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Blooms Taxonomy

Combine
Integrate
Modify,
Rearrange
Substitute
Plan
Create
Design
Invent,
What if?
Compose
Formulate
Prepare
Generalize
Rewrite

University of Cape Town http://web.uct.ac.za/projects/cbe/mcqman/mcqappc.html

by John M. Kennedy T.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Bloom%27s_Rose.png

Class excercise:
Exploring Batteries with Blooms Taxonomy

Knowledge/Remembering
o

Understanding
o

Determine ways the battery has changed the following markets: toys, small appliances, and health aids.

Evaluating
o

Draw a rough diagram illustrating how to properly insert a battery into a torch, a tape recorder or alarm clock.

Analysing
o

Describe the composition of a battery. Draw and label the parts of a battery. Describe how a battery works.

Applying
o

List as many uses for household batteries as you can think of. Name as many different sized batteries as you
can. Write down all the places where you can buy batteries.

What criteria would you set up to evaluate a particular brand of battery? How would you use these criteria to
select your next battery?

Creating
o

Invent a new toy that operates on batteries. Draw your design and indicate how and where the batteries are
to be installed.

Based on: Forte, Imogene and S. Schurr. (1997). The All-New Science Mind Stretchers: Interdisciplinary Units
to Teach Science Concepts and Strengthen Thinking Skills. Cheltenham, Vic.: Hawker Brownlow.

Excercise for next week

Apply and discuss
Blooms Taxonomy in
relation to your
educational journey
(1st 4th Year)
500-1000 words

Creating
Evaluating
Analysing
Applying
Understanding
Knowledge/Remembering

Name & Student # on all

pages