Key Features of Bloom's Taxonomy:
There are six different levels of thinking skills that make up Bloom's Taxonomy. The thinking skills range from the lower order thinking skills to the higher order thinking skills. Within each level there are a number of subcategories that range in difficulty from simple to complex in order to make sure that all types of learners can achieve the various levels of Bloom's taxonomy.
First Level - Knowledge/Remembering:
Knowledge was the original name for the lowest level of Bloom's taxonomy and more recently it has been revised to be named as remembering. Within this level the information that needs to be remembered ranges from simple to complex. For example the most simple component of this level is observing and recalling information that has previously been presented. The most complex part of this level asks students to use question cues to show their knowledge of the presented information. Examples of the question cues include starters such as list, define, examine, describe and quote. A student knows that they have achieved this level when they are able to define terms and recall the correct information accurately.
Second Level - Comprehension/Understanding:
Having the ability to comprehend the information or show an understanding of what was presented is needed in the second level of Bloom's Taxonomy. The most simple part of this level requires students to understand the information and grasp the meaning of the material. They can show this verbally, visually or however way is easiest for them to show their understanding. The most complex part of this level requires students to predict consequences using their understanding of the information. This is a good way to take the information they have comprehended and to generate their own thinking surrounding it. Some examples of question starters to show understanding and comprehension are summarise, interpret, differentiate, associate, describe and discuss. A student knows they have achieved at this level when they are able to answer problems surrounding the information and can provide examples of what the information told them.
Third Level - Application/Applying:
When a student takes the information they have understood and uses it in a different situation they are showing application of the information. In its simplest form the students use the information in a different situation. Examples of this may be drawing a picture using the information they have remembered and understood in a story. In its most complex form the third level of Bloom's taxonomy requires students to solve problems using appropriately chosen skills and knowledge. Examples of this include applying new rules, laws and methods in new situations. Questions cues used in the application level include demonstrate, calculate, solve, examine, modify and experiment. When the students can accurately and appropriately choose the right methods and then use them to solve the problems, then a student has achieved the third level of Blooms taxonomy.
Fourth Level - Analysis/Analysing:
Within the fourth level of Bloom's taxonomy students need to be able to break the information into parts and understand the organisation of the information in order to clarify the information. At the simplest subcategory students need to see patterns in the information they are taking in. This then progresses to seeing how the information is organised, identifying the components and finally at the most complex subcategory students need to clarify what each component means. Questions cues that would aid in analysing the information are separate, order, connect, classify, arrange, compare and infer. Students will know that they have achieved at this level when they can explain why the solution process that they selected to solve their problem works using information from each component used to solve the problem.
Fifth Level - Synthesis/Evaluating:
Being able to put various parts of information together to form a new idea is what is involved in the fifth level of Bloom's taxonomy. To do this knowledge from other learning areas and is needed to draw together a set of predicted conclusions. At the simplest subcategory level students need to be able to use old ideas to create new ones. This can be done through generalisation from given facts. At the most complex subcategory level students need to use information from several other areas in order to draw their own conclusions about the information therefore synthesising their own conclusion to the problem. Students will know that they have achieved this level when they can come to a new conclusion in new ways using the information.
Sixth Level - Evaluation/Creating:
Evaluating or creating is the highest level of order of thinking for Bloom's Taxonomy. The learner needs to hold the ability to judge the value of the information for the purpose and to support this judgement using justification from various types of evidence. They also need to be able to create a variety of ways in which the problem can be solved and then choose the most appropriate method using an evaluation of why that method is best. At the simplest level students need to be able to compare and contrast between the ideas and judge which one is best using reasoning. This progresses to assessing and valuing theories, making choices based on evidence and at the most complex level, recognising subjectivity. Questioning cues that can support learning in this level include assess, decide, measure, grade, judge, convince, support and summarise. A student will know that they have achieved this level of Bloom's taxonomy when they can create a variety of ways to solve a problem and then select the best method using justification, evidence and an established criteria.
They key features of Bloom's taxonomy show the sequential level in which students use information to come to their own justified conclusions about a problem. Because there are many subcategories in each level ranging from simple to complex, there are ways in which each learner can achieve all levels of Bloom's taxonomy which is the aim for all teachers. The levels can be applied to almost all learning areas that require thinking skills.
There are six different levels of thinking skills that make up Bloom's Taxonomy. The thinking skills range from the lower order thinking skills to the higher order thinking skills. Within each level there are a number of subcategories that range in difficulty from simple to complex in order to make sure that all types of learners can achieve the various levels of Bloom's taxonomy.
First Level - Knowledge/Remembering:
Knowledge was the original name for the lowest level of Bloom's taxonomy and more recently it has been revised to be named as remembering. Within this level the information that needs to be remembered ranges from simple to complex. For example the most simple component of this level is observing and recalling information that has previously been presented. The most complex part of this level asks students to use question cues to show their knowledge of the presented information. Examples of the question cues include starters such as list, define, examine, describe and quote. A student knows that they have achieved this level when they are able to define terms and recall the correct information accurately.
Second Level - Comprehension/Understanding:
Having the ability to comprehend the information or show an understanding of what was presented is needed in the second level of Bloom's Taxonomy. The most simple part of this level requires students to understand the information and grasp the meaning of the material. They can show this verbally, visually or however way is easiest for them to show their understanding. The most complex part of this level requires students to predict consequences using their understanding of the information. This is a good way to take the information they have comprehended and to generate their own thinking surrounding it. Some examples of question starters to show understanding and comprehension are summarise, interpret, differentiate, associate, describe and discuss. A student knows they have achieved at this level when they are able to answer problems surrounding the information and can provide examples of what the information told them.
Third Level - Application/Applying:
When a student takes the information they have understood and uses it in a different situation they are showing application of the information. In its simplest form the students use the information in a different situation. Examples of this may be drawing a picture using the information they have remembered and understood in a story. In its most complex form the third level of Bloom's taxonomy requires students to solve problems using appropriately chosen skills and knowledge. Examples of this include applying new rules, laws and methods in new situations. Questions cues used in the application level include demonstrate, calculate, solve, examine, modify and experiment. When the students can accurately and appropriately choose the right methods and then use them to solve the problems, then a student has achieved the third level of Blooms taxonomy.
Fourth Level - Analysis/Analysing:
Within the fourth level of Bloom's taxonomy students need to be able to break the information into parts and understand the organisation of the information in order to clarify the information. At the simplest subcategory students need to see patterns in the information they are taking in. This then progresses to seeing how the information is organised, identifying the components and finally at the most complex subcategory students need to clarify what each component means. Questions cues that would aid in analysing the information are separate, order, connect, classify, arrange, compare and infer. Students will know that they have achieved at this level when they can explain why the solution process that they selected to solve their problem works using information from each component used to solve the problem.
Fifth Level - Synthesis/Evaluating:
Being able to put various parts of information together to form a new idea is what is involved in the fifth level of Bloom's taxonomy. To do this knowledge from other learning areas and is needed to draw together a set of predicted conclusions. At the simplest subcategory level students need to be able to use old ideas to create new ones. This can be done through generalisation from given facts. At the most complex subcategory level students need to use information from several other areas in order to draw their own conclusions about the information therefore synthesising their own conclusion to the problem. Students will know that they have achieved this level when they can come to a new conclusion in new ways using the information.
Sixth Level - Evaluation/Creating:
Evaluating or creating is the highest level of order of thinking for Bloom's Taxonomy. The learner needs to hold the ability to judge the value of the information for the purpose and to support this judgement using justification from various types of evidence. They also need to be able to create a variety of ways in which the problem can be solved and then choose the most appropriate method using an evaluation of why that method is best. At the simplest level students need to be able to compare and contrast between the ideas and judge which one is best using reasoning. This progresses to assessing and valuing theories, making choices based on evidence and at the most complex level, recognising subjectivity. Questioning cues that can support learning in this level include assess, decide, measure, grade, judge, convince, support and summarise. A student will know that they have achieved this level of Bloom's taxonomy when they can create a variety of ways to solve a problem and then select the best method using justification, evidence and an established criteria.
They key features of Bloom's taxonomy show the sequential level in which students use information to come to their own justified conclusions about a problem. Because there are many subcategories in each level ranging from simple to complex, there are ways in which each learner can achieve all levels of Bloom's taxonomy which is the aim for all teachers. The levels can be applied to almost all learning areas that require thinking skills.