Bloom’s Taxonomy (BT)

Description

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a classification of educational objectives used for developing higher level thinking skills. It is a process-oriented model that allows teachers to present ideas and concepts at many different levels to meet the needs of a variety of learners.

Procedure

When developing learning tasks and activities around Bloom’s Taxonomy, it is important to include at least one activity from each of the six levels of the taxonomy.

Knowledge

· requires learning information

· consists of memorizing or identifying facts

· provides the basis for greater understanding

Questions that ask students to define, describe, label, locate, recite, select, memorize, recognize, name, state, identify, or repeat utilize the knowledge level of Bloom’s taxonomy.

Comprehension

· requires understanding information

· focuses on the meaning and intent of the material

Whenever students are asked to restate, paraphrase, rewrite, convert, give examples, illustrate, summarize, explain, locate, express, they are employing comprehension level skills.

Application

· requires using information.

· gives student practice in the transfer of their learning to other situations

Some action verbs associated with the application level are apply, modify, dramatize, translate, demonstrate, and construct.

Analysis

· requires examining specific parts of information to “see” the underlying ideas

· utilized before decisions are reached and problems are attacked

Analyse, classify, distinguish, subdivide, separate, differentiate, examine, calculate, compare/contrast are verbs that could be used to express the analysis level of Bloom’s taxonomy.

Synthesis

· requires doing something new and different with information

· involves the ability to put parts and elements together in a new form

Students who combine, compose, design, organize, invent, develop, plan, or create are using synthesis level skills.

Evaluation

· requires judging information using some criteria or standard

Asking students to evaluate, recommend, summarize, debate, criticize, or judge challenges them to incorporate the evaluation level in their thinking process.

After the preparation of an activity is complete, teachers should look closely at the tasks assigned by reviewing the verbs (what the students are asked to do) to ensure that each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy has been addressed.

Link to Outcomes

Students recognise when and what information is needed, locate and obtain it from a range of sources and evaluate share and use it with others.

Dynamic Strategies

Conduct/Organisation

Thinking Skills

Helps students develop higher level thinking skills

Increases the permanent acquisition of learning

Bloom’s Taxonomy (BT)

Knowledge

Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

Evaluation