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Bloom’s Taxonomy of
Educational Objectives
Structure of Presentation
• History of Bloom’s Taxonomy
• Historical developments of Bloom’s Taxonomy
• 3 Domains
– Cognitive Domain
– Affective Domain
– Psychomotor Domain
• Uses/ Benefits for Teachers
• How to use Bloom’s Taxonomy in Classroom
History of Bloom’s Taxonomy
• Bloom's Taxonomy, (Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning
Domains/Bloom's 'Taxonomy Of Educational Objectives) Part
I -1956 by Dr Benjamin S Bloom
• Expanded by Bloom and other contributors (Anderson and
Krathwhol 2001
• Benjamin S Bloom (1913-99) attained degrees at Pennsylvania
State University in 1935
• joined the Department of Education at the University of
Chicago in 1940 and attained a PhD in Education in 1942,
specialised in examining
• Met his mentor Ralph Tyler – Start developing his ideas for
developing a system (taxonomy) of specifications to enable
educational training and learning objectives to be planned and
measured properly - improving the effectiveness of developing
'mastery' instead of simply transferring facts for mindless
recall
• Bloom continued to develop the Learning Taxonomy model
through the 1960's, and was appointed Charles H Swift
Distinguished Service Professor at Chicago in 1970
• He served as adviser on education to several overseas
governments including of Israel and India.
• Focused initially on Cognitive Domain - first published part of
Bloom's Taxonomy, featured in the publication: 'Taxonomy Of
Educational Objectives: Handbook 1, The Cognitive Domain'
(Bloom, Engelhart, Furst, Hill, Krathwohl, 1956)
• Taxonomy Of Educational Objectives: Handbook II, The
Affective Domain (Bloom, Masia, Krathwohl) - deals second
domain, Affective Domain in 1964.
• Various people suggested detail for the third 'Psychomotor
Domain', which explains why this domain detail varies in
different representations of the complete Bloom Taxonomy.
• The three most popularly referenced versions of the
Psychomotor Domain seem to be those of RH
Dave (1967/70), EJ Simpson (1966/72), and AJ
Harrow (1972).
• 'Bloom's Taxonomy' describes the three-domain structure,
within which the detail may vary, especially for the third
domain.
Why Use Bloom’s Taxonomy?
• Objectives (learning goals) are important to establish in a
pedagogical interchange so that teachers and students alike
understand the purpose of that interchange.
• Organizing objectives helps to clarify objectives for
themselves and for students.
• Having an organized set of objectives helps teachers to:
– “plan and deliver appropriate instruction”;
– “design valid assessment tasks and strategies”; and
– “ensure that instruction and assessment are aligned with the
objectives.”
What is a Taxonomy?
• Taxonomy means 'a set of classification principles', or
'structure', and Domain simply means 'category‘
• Bloom's Taxonomy underlines the classical 'Knowledge,
Attitude, Skills' structure of learning method and evaluation,
and aside from the even simpler Kirkpatrick learning
evaluation model, Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Domains
remains the most widely used system of its kind in education
and corporate training as it is such a simple, clear and effective
model, both for explanation and application of learning
objectives, teaching and training methods, and measurement of
learning outcomes.
• Bloom's Taxonomy provides an excellent structure for
planning, designing, assessing and evaluating training and
learning effectiveness.
• The model also serves as a sort of checklist, by which you can
ensure that training is planned to deliver all the necessary
development for students, trainees or learners, and a template
by which you can assess the validity and coverage of any
existing training, be it a course, a curriculum, or an entire
training and development programme for a large organisation.
Overview of Bloom’s Taxonomy
Cognitive Affective Psychomotor
knowledge attitude skills
1. Recall data 1. Receive (awareness) 1. Imitation (copy)
2. Understand 2. Respond (react) 2. Manipulation (follow instructions)
3. Apply (use)
3. Value (understand and
act)
3. Develop Precision
4. Analyse
(structure/elements)
4. Organise personal value
system
4. Articulation (combine, integrate
related skills)
5. Synthesize (create/build)
5. Internalize value system
(adopt behaviour)
5. Naturalization (automate,
become expert)
6. Evaluate (assess, judge in
relational terms)
Cognitive Domain
• The cognitive domain is focused on intellectual skills such as
critical thinking, problem solving, and creating a knowledge
base
• It was the first domain created by the original group of
Bloom’s researchers
• The cognitive hierarchy spans from simple memorization
designed to build the knowledge of learners, to creating
something new based on previously-learned information
• In this domain, learners are expected to progress linearly
through the hierarchy, beginning at "remember" and ending at
"create."
• The cognitive domain involves knowledge and the
development of intellectual skills.
• Refers to a conceptualization of knowledge dimensions including factual,
conceptual, procedural and meta-cognitive knowledge.
• The domain of all the interactions in which one can enter without loss of
identity ( Maturana & Varela, 1980 , p. 119)
• One of the three domains of learning identified in Bloom’s taxonomy that
focuses on how human beings acquire knowledge. This domain includes
learning information, developing thinking, and knowledge-based skills, as
well as memory and analytic processes
Cognitive domain
level
category or
'level'
behaviour
descriptions
examples of activity to be
trained, or demonstration
and evidence to be
measured
'key words' (verbs which
describe the activity to be
trained or measured at each
level)
1 Knowledge
recall or recognise
information
multiple-choice test,
recount facts or statistics,
recall a process, rules,
definitions; quote law or
procedure
arrange, define, describe, label,
list, memorise, recognise,
relate, reproduce, select, state
2
Comprehensi
on
understand meaning, re-
state data in one's own
words, interpret,
extrapolate, translate
explain or interpret
meaning from a given
scenario or statement,
suggest treatment, reaction
or solution to given
problem, create examples
or metaphors
explain, reiterate, reword,
critique, classify, summarise,
illustrate, translate, review,
report, discuss, re-write,
estimate, interpret, theorise,
paraphrase, reference, example
3 Application
use or apply
knowledge, put theory
into practice, use
knowledge in response
to real circumstances
put a theory into practical
effect, demonstrate, solve a
problem, manage an
activity
use, apply, discover, manage,
execute, solve, produce,
implement, construct, change,
prepare, conduct, perform,
react, respond, role-play
Cognitive domain
4 Analysis
interpret elements,
organizational
principles, structure,
construction, internal
relationships; quality,
reliability of individual
components
identify constituent parts
and functions of a process
or concept, or de-construct
a methodology or process,
making qualitative
assessment of elements,
relationships, values and
effects; measure
requirements or needs
analyse, break down,
catalogue, compare, quantify,
measure, test, examine,
experiment, relate, graph,
diagram, plot, extrapolate,
value, divide
5
Synthesis
(create/build)
develop new unique
structures, systems,
models, approaches,
ideas; creative
thinking, operations
develop plans or
procedures, design
solutions, integrate
methods, resources, ideas,
parts; create teams or new
approaches, write
protocols or contingencies
develop, plan, build, create,
design, organise, revise,
formulate, propose, establish,
assemble, integrate, re-arrange,
modify
Cognitive domain
level
category or
'level'
behaviour
descriptions
examples of activity to be
trained, or
demonstration and
evidence to be measured
'key words' (verbs which
describe the activity to be
trained or measured at each
level)
6 Evaluation
assess effectiveness of
whole concepts, in
relation to values,
outputs, efficacy,
viability; critical
thinking, strategic
comparison and
review; judgement
relating to external
criteria
review strategic options or
plans in terms of efficacy,
return on investment or
cost-effectiveness,
practicability; assess
sustainability; perform
a SWOT analysis in
relation to alternatives;
produce a financial
justification for a
proposition or venture,
calculate the effects of a
plan or strategy; perform a
detailed and costed risk
analysis with
recommendations and
justifications
review, justify, assess, present a
case for, defend, report on,
investigate, direct, appraise,
argue, project-manage
• Knowledge
– Knowledge of specifics
• Knowledge of terminology
• Knowledge of specific facts
– Knowledge of ways and means of dealing with specifics
• Knowledge of conventions
• Knowledge of trends and sequences
• Knowledge of classifications and categories
• Knowledge of criteria
• Knowledge of methodology
– Knowledge of universals and abstractions in a field
• Knowledge of principles and generalizations
• Knowledge of theories and structures
• Comprehension
– Translation
– Interpretation
– Extrapolation
• Application
• Analysis
– Analysis of elements
– Analysis of relationships
– Analysis of organizational principles
• Synthesis
– Production of a unique communication
– Production of a plan, or proposed set of operations
– Derivation of a set of abstract relations
• Evaluation
– Evaluation in terms of internal evidence
– Judgments in terms of external criteria
Level
Description
Action Verbs Describing
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge Remember or recall information
such as facts, terminology,
problem-solving strategies, rules
Define, Name, Describe,
Outline, Identify, Recall, Label,
Recite, List, Select, Match,
State
Comprehensio
n
Some degree of understanding
is required in order to change
the form of communication,
translate, restate what has been
read or heard, see connections
or relationships among parts of
a communication
(interpretation), draw
conclusions, see consequences
from information (inference)
Convert, Extend, Defend,
Generalize, Discriminate, Infer,
Distinguish, Paraphrase,
Estimate, Predict, Explain,
Summarize
Level
Description
Action Verbs Describing
Learning Outcomes
Application Use previously acquired
information in a setting other
than the one in which it was
learned. Because problems at
this level are presented in a
different and applied way, one
cannot rely on content or context
to solve the problem.
Change, Organize, Compute,
Prepare, Demonstrate, Relate,
Develop, Solve, Modify,
Transfer, Operate, Use
Analysis Identification of logical errors
(e.g., point out contradictions,
erroneous inference) or
differentiate among facts,
opinions, assumptions,
hypotheses, conclusions. One
is expected to draw relations
among ideas and to compare
and contrast.
Break down, Infer, Deduce,
Outline, Diagram, Point out,
Differentiate, Relate,
Distinguish, Separate out,
Illustrate, Subdivide
Level
Description
Action Verbs Describing
Learning Outcomes
Synthesis Requires production of
something unique or original. At
this level, one is expected to
solve unfamiliar problems in
unique way, or combine parts to
form a unique or novel solution.
Categorize, Devise, Compile,
Formulate, Compose, Predict,
Create, Produce, Design
Evaluation Requires the formation of
judgments and decisions about
the value of methods, ideas,
people, products. Must be able
to state the bases for judgments
(e.g., external criteria or
principles used to reach
conclusions.)
Appraise, Judge, Compare,
Justify, Contrast, Support,
Criticize, Validate, Defend
Bloom’s Level Key Verbs (keywords) Example Learning Objective
Create
design, formulate, build, invent, create,
compose, generate, derive, modify,
develop.
By the end of this lesson, the student will
be able to design an original homework
problem dealing with the principle of
conservation of energy.
Evaluate
choose, support, relate, determine,
defend, judge, grade, compare, contrast,
argue, justify, support, convince, select,
evaluate.
By the end of this lesson, the student will
be able to determine whether using
conservation of energy or conservation of
momentum would be more appropriate for
solving a dynamics problem.
Analyze
classify, break down, categorize,
analyze, diagram, illustrate, criticize,
simplify, associate.
By the end of this lesson, the student will
be able to differentiate between potential
and kinetic energy.
Apply
calculate, predict, apply, solve,
illustrate, use, demonstrate, determine,
model, perform, present.
By the end of this lesson, the student will
be able to calculate the kinetic energy of a
projectile.
Understand
describe, explain, paraphrase, restate,
give original examples of, summarize,
contrast, interpret, discuss.
By the end of this lesson, the student will
be able to describe Newton’s three laws of
motion to in her/his own words
Remember
list, recite, outline, define, name, match,
quote, recall, identify, label, recognize.
By the end of this lesson, the student will
be able to recite Newton’s three laws of
motion.
The Revised Taxonomy (2001)
• The authors of the revised taxonomy underscore this dynamism, using verbs and gerunds to
label their categories and subcategories (rather than the nouns of the original taxonomy).
These “action words” describe the cognitive processes by which thinkers encounter and work
with knowledge:
• Remember
– Recognizing
– Recalling
• Understand
– Interpreting
– Exemplifying
– Classifying
– Summarizing
– Inferring
– Comparing
– Explaining
• Apply
– Executing
– Implementing
The Revised Taxonomy (2001) cont.
• Analyze
– Differentiating
– Organizing
– Attributing
• Evaluate
– Checking
– Critiquing
• Create
– Generating
– Planning
– Producing
In the revised taxonomy, knowledge is at the basis of these six cognitive processes, but its authors
created a separate taxonomy of the types of knowledge used in cognition:
• Factual Knowledge
– Knowledge of terminology
– Knowledge of specific details and elements
• Conceptual Knowledge
– Knowledge of classifications and categories
– Knowledge of principles and generalizations
– Knowledge of theories, models, and structures
• Procedural Knowledge
– Knowledge of subject-specific skills and algorithms
– Knowledge of subject-specific techniques and methods
– Knowledge of criteria for determining when to use appropriate procedures
• Metacognitive Knowledge
– Strategic Knowledge
– Knowledge about cognitive tasks, including appropriate contextual and conditional
knowledge
– Self-knowledge
Bloom’s Taxonomy 1956 Anderson and Krathwohl’s Revised Taxonomy 2001
1.Knowledge: Remembering or retrieving
previously learned material.
1. Remembering: Recognizing or recalling knowledge
from memory. Remembering is when memory is used to
produce or retrieve definitions, facts, or lists, or to recite
previously learned information.
2. Comprehension: The ability to grasp or
construct meaning from material.
2. Understanding: Constructing meaning from different
types of functions be they written or graphic messages or
activities like interpreting, exemplifying, classifying,
summarizing, inferring, comparing, or explaining.
3. Application: The ability to use learned
material, or to implement material in new
and concrete situations.
3. Applying: Carrying out or using a procedure through
executing, or implementing. Applying relates to or refers
to situations where learned material is used through
products like models, presentations, interviews or
simulations.
Bloom’s Taxonomy 1956 Anderson and Krathwohl’s Revised Taxonomy 2001
4. Analysis: The ability to
break down or distinguish
the parts of material into its
components so that its
organizational structure may
be better understood.
4. Analyzing: Breaking materials or concepts into parts, determining
how the parts relate to one another or how they interrelate, or how the
parts relate to an overall structure or purpose. Mental actions
included in this function are differentiating, organizing, and attributing,
as well as being able to distinguish between the components or parts.
When one is analyzing, he/she can illustrate this mental function by
creating spreadsheets, surveys, charts, or diagrams, or graphic
representations.
5. Synthesis: (Now Creating
#6) The ability to put parts
together to form a coherent
or unique new whole.
5. Evaluating: Making judgments based on criteria and standards
through checking and critiquing. Critiques, recommendations, and
reports are some of the products that can be created to demonstrate
the processes of evaluation. In the newer taxonomy, evaluating comes
before creating as it is often a necessary part of the precursory
behavior before one creates something.
6. Evaluation: (Now #5) The
ability to judge, check, and
even critique the value of
material for a given purpose.
6. Creating: Putting elements together to form a coherent or
functional whole; reorganizing elements into a new pattern or
structure through generating, planning, or producing. Creating
requires users to put parts together in a new way, or synthesize parts
into something new and different creating a new form or
product. This process is the most difficult mental function in the new
taxonomy.
Revised vs Original Taxonomy
• 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:
• Factual - The basic elements students must know to be
acquainted with a discipline or solve problems.
• Conceptual – The interrelationships among the basic elements
within a larger structure that enable them to function together.
• 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:
• Metacognitive – Knowledge of cognition in general, as well
as awareness and knowledge of one’s 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 Knowledge
Dimension
Remember Under-stand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create
Factual
Conceptual
Procedural
Metacognitive
• However, others have identified five contents or artifacts (Clark, Chopeta, 2004; Clark, Mayer,
2007):
• Facts - Specific and unique data or instance.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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:
Affective Domain
• Feeling, emotions - attitude - 'feel'
• Bloom's Taxonomy second domain, the Affective Domain,
was detailed by Bloom, Krathwhol and Masia in 1964
(Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Volume II, The
Affective Domain. Bloom, Krathwohl and Masia.)
• Bloom's theory advocates this structure and sequence for
developing attitude - also now commonly expressed in the
modern field of personal development as 'beliefs‘
• Again, as with the other domains, the Affective Domain detail
provides a framework for teaching, training, assessing and
evaluating the effectiveness of training and lesson design and
delivery, and also the retention by and affect upon the learner
or trainee.
Affective Domain (R2VOC)
level
category or
'level'
behaviour
descriptions
examples of experience,
or demonstration and
evidence to be measured
'key words' (verbs which
describe the activity to be
trained or measured at each
level)
1 Receive
open to experience,
willing to hear
listen to teacher or trainer,
take interest in session or
learning experience, take
notes, turn up, make time
for learning experience,
participate passively
ask, listen, focus, attend, take
part, discuss, acknowledge,
hear, be open to, retain, follow,
concentrate, read, do, feel
2 Respond
react and participate
actively
participate actively in
group discussion, active
participation in activity,
interest in outcomes,
enthusiasm for action,
question and probe ideas,
suggest interpretation
react, respond, seek
clarification, interpret, clarify,
provide other references and
examples, contribute, question,
present, cite, become animated
or excited, help team, write,
perform
3 Value
attach values and
express personal
opinions
decide worth and
relevance of ideas,
experiences; accept or
commit to particular
stance or action
argue, challenge, debate,
refute, confront, justify,
persuade, criticise,
Affective Domain
Level
category or
'level'
behaviour
descriptions
examples of experience,
or demonstration and
evidence to be measured
'key words' (verbs which
describe the activity to be
trained or measured at each
level)
4
Organise or
Conceptuali
ze values
reconcile internal
conflicts; develop
value system
qualify and quantify
personal views, state
personal position and
reasons, state beliefs
build, develop, formulate,
defend, modify, relate,
prioritise, reconcile, contrast,
arrange, compare
5
Characterise
values
adopt belief system
and philosophy
self-reliant; behave
consistently with personal
value set
act, display, influence, solve,
practice,
Psychomotor Domain
Physical - skills - 'do'
• established to address skills development relating to manual
tasks and physical movement
• 'motor' skills extend beyond the originally traditionally
imagined manual and physical skills, so always consider using
this domain
Psychomotor domain (dave)
Level
Category or
'level'
Behaviour
descriptions
examples of activity or
demonstration and
evidence to be measured
'key words' (verbs which
describe the activity to be
trained or measured at each
level)
1 Imitation
copy action of
another; observe and
replicate
watch teacher or trainer
and repeat action, process
or activity
copy, follow, replicate, repeat,
adhere
2
Manipulatio
n
reproduce activity
from instruction or
memory
carry out task from
written or verbal
instruction
re-create, build, perform,
execute, implement
3 Precision
execute skill reliably,
independent of help
perform a task or activity
with expertise and to high
quality without assistance
or instruction; able to
demonstrate an activity to
other learners
demonstrate, complete, show,
perfect, calibrate, control,
Psychomotor domain (dave)
Level
category or
'level'
behaviour
descriptions
examples of activity or
demonstration and
evidence to be measured
'key words' (verbs which
describe the activity to be
trained or measured at each
level)
4 Articulation
adapt and integrate
expertise to satisfy a
non-standard objective
relate and combine
associated activities to
develop methods to meet
varying, novel
requirements
construct, solve, combine,
coordinate, integrate, adapt,
develop, formulate, modify,
master
5
Naturalizati
on
automated,
unconscious mastery
of activity and related
skills at strategic level
define aim, approach and
strategy for use of
activities to meet
strategic need
design, specify, manage,
invent, project-manage
• Reflex
– Sample learning outcome: Instinctively respond to a physical stimulus.
– Sample assessment/activity: A game of dodgeball.
– Rationale: Learners must react (dodge) the balls that are being thrown at them, allowing
them to develop their reflexive skills.
• Basic fundamental movements
– Sample learning outcome: Perform a simple action (including running and throwing).
– Sample assessment/activity: A game of dodgeball.
– Rationale: Learners must run and throw to actively engage the opposing team, allowing
them to develop these skills.
• Perceptual abilities
– Sample learning outcome: Use more than one ability to integrate different sensory
perceptions.
– Sample assessment/activity: A game of catch or soccer (or other game involving
movement and passing).
– Rationale: Learners must integrate running, visual information about the position of the
ball, and predictive information about the future position of the ball.
• Physical abilities
– Sample learning outcome: Sustain an activity for a set period of time.
– Sample assessment/activity: Run for 25 minutes steadily.
– Rationale: This activity is a measure of the learner’s stamina and physical fitness.
• Skilled movements
– Sample learning outcome: Adapt one’s behaviour and movement to better achieve
goals.
– Sample assessment/activity: A soccer or other strategic game (football, hockey).
– Rationale: This activity allows teams to change their strategy and individuals to change
their physical behaviour depending on the response of the other team.
• Non-discursive communication
– Sample learning outcome: Express oneself through purposeful movement and activity.
– Sample assessment/activity: A soccer or other strategic game (football, hockey)
– Rationale: These games all involve teamwork, strategy, and integrative and purposeful
movement. Successful teams must integrate all of their senses, communicate through
movement, and use a variety of adaptive strategies.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayefSTAnCR8
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=OOy3m02u
EaE
• https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-
resources/teaching-tips/planning-courses-and-
assignments/blooms-taxonomy
• https://educarepk.com/psychomotor-domain-simpsons-
taxonomy.html/amp
• https://courses.washington.edu/pharm439/Bloomstax.htm