Teaching

with
Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy
Taxonomy = Classification

Classification of thinking

Six cognitive levels

of complexity
 Why use Bloom’s taxonomy?
 Write and revise learning  Incorporate knowledge to
objectives be learned (knowledge
 Plan curriculum
dimension) and cognitive
process to learn
 Identifies simple to most
difficult skills  Facilitate questioning (oral
language = important role
 Effectively align objectives to within framework)
assessment techniques and
standards
 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
 Cognitive Affective Psychomotor
Domain Domain Domain
Analyzing Characterizing by Articulating
value or value Imitating
Applying
concept
Creating Manipulating
Organizing &
Evaluating conceptualizing Performing
Remembering Receiving Precisioning
Understanding Responding
Valuing
 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
 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)
 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
 Remembering
The learner is able to recall, restate and remember
learned information
– Describing – Retrieving
– Finding – Naming
– Identifying – Locating
– Listing – Recognizing

Can students recall information?

 Understanding
Student grasps meaning of information
by interpreting and translating
what has been learned
– Classifying – Inferring
– Comparing – Interpreting
– Exemplifying – Paraphrasing
– Explaining – 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 – Using
– Carrying out c = – Executing

Can students use the information in

another familiar situation?
 Analysing
Student breaks learned information into
its parts to best understand that information

– Attributing – Integrating
– Comparing – Organizing
– Deconstructing – Outlining
– Finding – 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 – Hypothesising
– Critiquing – Judging
– Detecting – Monitoring
– Experimenting – 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 – Making
– Designing – Planning
– Devising – Producing
– Inventing

Can students generate new products,

ideas, or ways of viewing things?
 Questioning . . .
 Lower level questions—remembering, understanding &
lower level applying levels
 Lower level questions
– Evaluate students’ preparation and comprehension
– Diagnose students’ strengths and weaknesses
– Review and/or summarizing content
 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
 “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...?
 “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…
 “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…
 “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...?
 “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?
 “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...
 Summary
Bloom’s 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
 References
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 children’s special abilities: Strategies for primary classrooms.
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/dalton.htm

Ferguson, C. (2002). Using the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy to plan and deliver team-taught, integrated,
thematic units. Theory into Practice, 41(4), 239-244.

Forehand, M. (2008). Bloom’s 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). Bloom’s revised taxonomy.

http://www.kurwongbss.qld.edu.au/thinking/Bloom/bloomspres.ppt.

University of Illinois, Center for Teaching Excellence (2006). Bloom’s taxonomy.

www.oir.uiuc.edu/Did/docs/QUESTION/quest1.htm