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Blooms Taxonomy and its Use in Classroom Assessment

ArticleSeptember 2009 with 4,572 Reads
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1st Alison Cullinane

University of Limerick

Abstract
One of the most important aims in postprimary education is the attainment of critical or higher-order thinking skills. Identifying how to encourage, teach
and then assess these skills is an important role of the teacher. One tool which has been well regarded and has had many successes in the past is
Blooms Taxonomy of educational objectives (Bloom et al., 1956). This research and resource guide will deal speci cally with the original Blooms
Taxonomy. The author is aware of the revised taxonomy published in 2001 (Anderson et al), but Blooms version continues to be the most referred to
taxonomy.

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Resource & Research Guides Vol. 1 #13 2009-10

Blooms Taxonomy and its Use in Classroom Assessment

Alison Cullinane

Introduction reference for educators globall y. Research ha

One of the most important aims in post found that the Taxonom y is used mo
primary education is the attainment of critical frequently at policy making levels an
or higher-order thinking skills. Identifying sparingly by schools and teachers in th
how to encourage, teach and then assess these classroom (Anderson and Sosniak, 1994
skills is an important role of the teacher. One Teachers have been using the Taxonomy fo
tool which has been well regarded and has decades to help aid four common areas.
had many successes in the past is Blooms
Taxonomy of educ ational objectives (Bloom (1) Specifying lesson objectives,
et al., 1956). (2) Preparing tests,
(3) Asking questions at different taxonom
This research and resource guide will deal levels.
specifically with the original Blooms (4) Increasing the cognitive levels of activity
Taxonomy. The author is aware of the revised
taxonomy published in 2001 (Anderson et al), Useful applications of the taxonomy includ
but Blooms version continues to be the most formulating questions to challenge you
referred to taxonomy. students in class tests, during class time an
for homework assignments. The taxonomy
also useful in the designing of lesson plan
and can be used to adapt a previous
What is Blooms Taxonomy? designed lesson.
Benjamin Bloom found, in a study which
involved the analysis of third level When designing class tests, you can use th
examination scripts, that 95% of questions following section as a guide and resource t
examined were from lower levels of cognitive aid the p romotion of critical thinking amon
thinking (Lord and Baviskar 2007). It was your students. It is necessary to apply and us
from this research, that in 1948, Bloom and a combination of all of the levels in th
his team of educational ps ychologists created various assignments for it to have a benefici
three different divisions of educational effect on your students. The section illustrate
objectives; Blooms Taxonomy. This research how, from each level, the verbs used to as
body found t hat most educational objectives questions can be incorporated into question
could be placed in one of the t hree domains; this will help students strive to achieve highe
Cognitive, Affective and Psychomotor. Only levels of critical thinking.
the Cognitive and Affective domains were
published by Bloom and his team. The
Psychomotor domain was later developed by
The Cognitive Domain
In literature most references to Bloom
other educational researchers such People who read this publication
as Simpson also read:
Taxonomy refer to the Cognitive domain. Th
(1972).
objectives dealt with in the Cognitive domai
place an emphasis on remembering o
Applications of Blooms Taxonomy recalling information. Cognitive objective
There are many applications of Blooms vary from simple recall of material that wa
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10/27/2017 Blooms Taxonomy and its Use in Classroom Assessment (PDF Download Available)
Taxonomy. It was initially designed to be learned to highly ori ginal and creative way
See all applied when setting examinations papers at of combining
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Sharesynthesising
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full-text PDF an
1 Reference third level but it now has been used as a basic materials.

Alison Cullinane & NCE-MSTL, 2010 1

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Resource & Research Guides Vol. 1 #13 2009-10

The taxonomy is divided into six levels: Example Question:

Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Q Name a polysaccharide.
Analysis, Synthesis and Evaluation. Bloom's ____________________________________
Taxonomy is hierarchical; m eaning that 2. Comprehension: The translation
learning at the higher levels is dependent on interpretation or extrapolation o
having attained prerequisite knowledge and
skills at the lower levels. (See Fig 1)
knowledge.
Comprehension is possibly the mo
emphasised intellectual abilit y in schools. A
comprehension levels students go past simpl
the recall of facts. Instead they will have a
understanding of the information. With th
level, the y will be able to interpret the fac
and be able to put them into their own word
For example; students will not only be able t
name the components of the cell but also b
able to understand the function of each part.

Table 2: Verbs used in question ste ms to assess at a

Comprehension level.

arrange explain interpret

classify express locate
describe identify report
discuss indicate restate
sort translate extrapolate

Fig. 1: Illustrates the Cognitive domain of Blooms

Example Question:
taxonomy. Q Explain the term niche, in relatio
_______________________________ to ecology.
____________________________________
1. Knowledge: The recall of
3. Application: The application o
information.
This is the lowest l evel of the Taxon omy. knowledge to a new situation
Questions are asked solely to test whether a Students will have to apply and use th
student has gained specific information from knowledge they have learned. They m ight b
the lesson. Definitions, naming dates, naming asked to solve a problem with the informatio
people etc are all examples of Knowledge they have gained in class, to create a viabl
type questions . It can als o include knowledge solution, or illustrate an idea or concept wit
of the main ideas being taught. the use of a diagram

Table 3: Verbs used in question ste ms to assess at

Table 1: Verbs used in question ste ms to assess at a
People who read this publication also read: level.
an Application
Knowledge level.

define name order apply practice solve

describe recite recognise choose prepare use
label recall record illustrate schedule demonstrate
t
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10/27/2017 Blooms Taxonomy and its Use in Classroom Assessment (PDF Download Available)

list relate reproduce operate sketch measure

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arrange underline

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Resource & Research Guides Vol. 1 #13 2009-10

to invent a new product or game the y ar

Example Question: being asked to synthesise new ideas.
Q Illustrate the cell as it goes Cover
through the
Page: Science Scope: Ecology. Teaching resource for the new
various stages of cell division.
Junior Cycle science specification.
_____________________________________ Table 5: Verbs used in question ste ms to assess at a
Full-text Jan 2015 Synthesis level.
4. Analysis: Break down knowledge
into parts and show relationships arrange design prepare
among the parts. assemble formulate propose
In this level, students wi ll be required to go collect manage set up
beyond knowledge and application and compose organise synthesise
actually see patterns that they can us e to create Plan write
analyse a problem. This involves dissecting construct modify conduct
ideas and material into its component parts;
therefore examining and discriminating Example Question:
between the relationships of the parts. For Q. Plan and design an ecological fieldtri
example, asking what are the dietary needs booklet for your class which you wi
of a lactose int olerant person requires the undertake at various loc ations, includin
students to anal yse the dietar y needs of that the lake, woodland and seaside.
individual and arrive at a conclusion based on ___________________________________
this analysis.
6. Evaluation: Judgements abou
Table 4: Verbs used in question ste ms to assess at the value of material and method
an Analysis level. for given purposes.
Evaluation is deemed the highest level o
analyse diagram question cognitive thinking. It is a complex proces
calculate discriminate test and is regarded to encom pass combinations o
categorise distinguish differentiate all the other objectives. Students are expecte
contrast examine compare to assess information and come to
criticise experiment inventory conclusion such as its v alue or debating th
pros and cons of the information in front o
Example Question: them. You are writing evaluation questi on
Q. Compare and contrast the various types when you use words like select, judge, debat
of lichens you have found from the recommend, etc.
individual l ocations you have studied.
Why do you think there may be a Table 6: Verbs used in question ste ms to assess at
an Evaluation level.
difference in the occurrence of the lichens
in these locations?
_____________________________________ appraise estimate select
argue evaluate support
5. Synthesis: Bring together parts
assess judge value
(elements, components) of attack predict score
knowledge to form a whole and compare rate defend
People who read this publication also read:
build relationships for new
situations. Example Question:
Students are required to use the given facts to Q. Prepare a case you would present
create new theories or make predictions at this defend your views on stem cell research i
level. Knowledge from multiple subjects can the world today.
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10/27/2017 Blooms Taxonomy and its Use in Classroom Assessment (PDF Download Available)

be combined and utilised before comin g to a

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Resource & Research Guides Vol. 1 #13 2009-10

preparing sl ides, manipulating apparatus an

field work study.
The Affective Domain References:
The Affective domain focuses on encouraging
the development of factors such as student Anderson, L. W. & Sosniak, L. A., eds. (199
feelings, motivation, attitudes, perceptions Bloom's Taxonomy: A forty year retrospective Chicag
and values towards the material they are The University of Chicago Press.
learning. This domain transcends activities Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. et al (2001)
ranging from listening to others, pa rticipating Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing:
in discussions to showing self-reliance when Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Education
Objectives, Abridged Edition ed., New York Longman
working independently (Bloom et al., 1964).
Students require a well rounded education so Alsop, S., (2000) Facts and feelings: exploring th
they are not simply gathering information but affective do main in the learning of physics, Physi
Education 35 (2) March.
are responding to what they learn, valuing it,
being able to organise the material and even Bloom, B., Englehart, M., Furst, E., Hill, W. an
characterise themselves as scientists. The Krathwohl, D. (19 56) Taxonomy of education
objectives: The classification of educational goa
Affective domain is usefu l for areas of moral Handbook I: Cognitive domain. , New York, Toronto
concern, where students have an opportunity Longmans, Green
to respond to controversial or sensitive issues
Bloom, B. S., Krathwohl, D. R. and M asia, B.
in science such as animal testing, st em cell (1964) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. T
research (embryonic), donor transplantations, classification of educational goals. Handbook
cancer research and radiation (nuclear Affective Domain Boston David McKay Company, Inc
disasters i.e. the Chernobyl disaster). The
Forehand, M, 2005. Bloom's taxonomy: Original an
Affective domain in the curriculum is revised. ', Emerging perspectives on learning, teachin
acknowledged to be an important aspect to and technology. [Online], availabl
learning. Research concerned with attitudes to http://www.coe.uga.edu/epltt/bloom.htm.

science and their effect on t he learning on Littledyke, M,. (2008) 'Science education f
science show that without a positive attitude environmental a wareness: approaches to integratin
towards sci ence, students will not want to cognitive and affective domains', E nvironmen
Education Research,14:1,1 17
learn the subject (Littledyke, 2008).
Behaviours in this d omain are classes into Lord, T and Baviskar, S. (2007) Moving fro
five separate categories; 1. Receiving, 2. information recitation to exploting Blooms Taxonom
in creating science questions Journal of Colle
Responding, 3. Valuing 4. Organisation and Science Teaching 36(5) 40-44
5. Characterisation by a value or value
complex (Bloom et al., 1964). Simpson, E. J. (1972) The classification of education
objectives: Psychomotor domain. , Urbana University
Illinois Press.
The Psychomotor Domain
Vogel, C. (2007) 'Bloom's Taxonomy levels assigned
Bloom did not focus on, or devise categories ExamView learning series test questions',
for skills in the Psychomotor domain, but
other educators have created their own
psychomotor taxonomies (Simpson, 1972).
The Psychomotor domain deals with People
phwho read this publication also read:
ysical
movement and skills that ma y be required in-
order to complete a course or subject matter.
Psychomotor objective are as important to
Ms Alison Cullinane
concentrate on as the Cognitive and Affective
Projects Officer in Teaching and Learni
bj ti ith i i d ti
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objectives with-in science education. (Biological Sciences)
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1 Reference and may include; adjusting a microscope,
E-mail: [email protected]

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Bloom's Taxonomy: A Forty-Year Retrospective

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Article Jan 1994

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