Blooms Taxonomy What the taxonomy is In the 1950s, the psychologist Benjamin Bloom, with a group of educators, came

up with a sixlevel framework for classifying cognitive processing. The levels are, from least to most complex: Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation The levels are meant to describe the type of mental activity needed for various learning and academic tasks. At the lowest order of complexity is knowledge, where an assembly of facts or ideas may be known in the sense of named, identified or listed. At this level, the reporting of facts does not undergo any further mental processing. The second level, comprehension, is where some reformulation of the facts or data takes place, in that the learner shows understanding beyond simple labeling. In the comprehension stage, a person may classify items of similar features, or reword a theory using original words. At the third level, an application of the idea or datum takes place, where some practical use is made of the knowledge. This may involve the application of a formula to the solution of a problem, or the use of a theory in proposing an approach or plan for dealing with a situation. The fourth stage in the hierarchy is analysis. Using the analytical approach to knowledge, the learner dissects or organises an idea or theory by recognising all its component parts, clarifying the relationships among the parts and determining how they interact. At the fifth level, the learners cognitive task is synthesis, whereby new knowledge is produced from the combination or integration of that which was previously understood. Synthesis requires a degree of creativity, and is considered to be a higher order thinking skill. The final level is evaluation. At this level, the learner judges the value or utility of the knowledge, or performs some assessment of the knowledge with reference to how it suits a particular purpose. An important feature of this taxonomy is its relative utility. Many things in school may need to be known, without needing analysis, just as specific areas of study require greater levels of discernment for their eventual mastery. An easy example is the knowledge of English grammar needed to speak and write respectable English. The knowledge of the rules of the grammar is of little value without the ability to apply the rules to usage. But the analysis of the rules, for the average user of any language, may be of limited value (other than interest), unless that average user has the intention to become a linguist or to study syntax. Synthesising new rules for a second language is not advisable, as the likelihood of adoption by the general population of ones own peculiar grammar is not strong. Likewise, an evaluation of grammar rules is not of much practical use to the average user of the language, other than as a mental exercise. Similarly, it is not helpful to think of the hierarchy as rigidly static levels. For example, a learner works at the level of knowledge when memorizing vocabulary or recalling historical dates. That same knowledge can then be processed at a higher level of complexity when, for example, it becomes necessary to make a better word choice, or analyse dates to determine causes and effects.

How the taxonomy can help The provision of these levels of mental processing is of interest to cognitive psychologists and educators. To the student, it is their direct application to the wording of test questions and assignments that is of greatest value. Put most simply, the word used in the question indicates the level of complexity required in the answer.