Five active

Category

Receiving Phenomena: Awareness, willingness

to hear, selected attention.

Responds to Phenomena: Active participation

on the part of the learners. Attend and react to a
particular phenomenon. Learning outcomes may
emphasize compliance in responding,
willingness to respond, or satisfaction in
responding (motivation).

Valuing: The worth or value a person attaches to

a particular object, phenomenon, or
behavior. This ranges from simple acceptance to
the more complex state of commitment. Valuing
is based on the internalization of a set of
specified values, while clues to these values are
expressed in the learner's overt behavior and are
often identifiable.

Example and Key Words (verbs)

Examples: Listen to others with

respect. Listen for and remember the
name of newly introduced people.
Key Words: acknowledge, asks,
attentive, courteous, dutiful, follows,
gives, listens, understands

Examples: Participates in class

discussions. Gives a presentation.
Questions new ideals, concepts,
models, etc. in order to fully
understand them. Know the safety
rules and practice them.
Key Words: answers, assists, aids,
complies, conforms, discusses, greets,
helps, labels, performs, presents, tells

Examples: Demonstrates belief in the

democratic process. Is sensitive
towards individual and cultural
differences (value diversity). Shows
the ability to solve problems. Proposes
a plan to social improvement and
follows through with commitment.
Informs management on matters that
one feels strongly about.
Key Words: appreciates, cherish,
treasure, demonstrates, initiates,
invites, joins, justifies, proposes,
respect, shares

Organization: Organizes values into priorities by

contrasting different values, resolving conflicts
between them, and creating an unique value
system. The emphasis is on comparing, relating,
and synthesizing values.

Examples: Recognizes the need for

balance between freedom and
responsible behavior. Explains the role
of systematic planning in solving
problems. Accepts professional ethical
standards. Creates a life plan in
harmony with abilities, interests, and
beliefs. Prioritizes time effectively to
meet the needs of the organization,
family, and self.
Key Words: compares, relates,
synthesizes

Internalizes Values (characterization): Has a

value system that controls their behavior. The
behavior is pervasive, consistent, predictable,
and most important characteristic of the learner.
Instructional objectives are concerned with the
student's general patterns of adjustment
(personal, social, emotional).

Examples: Shows self-reliance when

working independently. Cooperates in
group activities (displays teamwork).
Uses an objective approach in problem
solving. Displays a professional
commitment to ethical practice on a
daily basis. Revises judgments and
changes behavior in light of new
evidence. Values people for what they
are, not how they look.
Key Words: acts, discriminates,
displays, influences, modifies,
performs, qualifies, questions, revises,
serves, solves, verifies

Psycho
Category

Example and Key Words (verbs)

Perception (awareness): The ability to

use sensory cues to guide motor activity.
This ranges from sensory stimulation,
through cue selection, to translation.

Examples: Detects non-verbal

communication cues. Estimate where a ball
will land after it is thrown and then moving to
the correct location to catch the ball. Adjusts
heat of stove to correct temperature by smell
and taste of food. Adjusts the height of the

forks on a forklift by comparing where the

forks are in relation to the pallet.
Key Words: chooses, describes, detects,
differentiates, distinguishes, identifies,
isolates, relates, selects.

Set: Readiness to act. It includes mental,

physical, and emotional sets. These three
sets are dispositions that predetermine a
person's response to different situations
(sometimes called mindsets).

Examples: Knows and acts upon a

sequence of steps in a manufacturing
process. Recognize one's abilities and
limitations. Shows desire to learn a new
process (motivation). NOTE: This subdivision
of Psychomotor is closely related with the
Responding to phenomena subdivision of
the Affective domain.
Key Words: begins, displays, explains,
moves, proceeds, reacts, shows, states,
volunteers.

Guided Response: The early stages in

learning a complex skill that includes
imitation and trial and error. Adequacy of
performance is achieved by practicing.

Examples: Performs a mathematical

equation as demonstrated. Follows
instructions to build a model. Responds
hand-signals of instructor while learning to
operate a forklift.
Key Words: copies, traces, follows, react,
reproduce, responds

Mechanism (basic proficiency): This is

the intermediate stage in learning a
complex skill. Learned responses have
become habitual and the movements can
be performed with some confidence and
proficiency.

Complex Overt Response (Expert): The

skillful performance of motor acts that
involve complex movement
patterns. Proficiency is indicated by a

Examples: Use a personal computer. Repair

a leaking faucet. Drive a car.
Key Words: assembles, calibrates,
constructs, dismantles, displays, fastens,
fixes, grinds, heats, manipulates, measures,
mends, mixes, organizes, sketches.

Examples: Maneuvers a car into a tight

parallel parking spot. Operates a computer
quickly and accurately. Displays competence

quick, accurate, and highly coordinated

performance, requiring a minimum of
energy. This category includes performing
without hesitation, and automatic
performance. For example, players are
often utter sounds of satisfaction or
expletives as soon as they hit a tennis ball
or throw a football, because they can tell
by the feel of the act what the result will
produce.

Adaptation: Skills are well developed and

the individual can modify movement
patterns to fit special requirements.

while playing the piano.

Key Words: assembles, builds, calibrates,
constructs, dismantles, displays, fastens,
fixes, grinds, heats, manipulates, measures,
mends, mixes, organizes, sketches.
NOTE: The Key Words are the same as
Mechanism, but will have adverbs or
adjectives that indicate that the performance
is quicker, better, more accurate, etc.

Examples: Responds effectively to

unexpected experiences. Modifies
instruction to meet the needs of the learners.
Perform a task with a machine that it was not
originally intended to do (machine is not
damaged and there is no danger in
performing the new task).
Key Words: adapts, alters, changes,
rearranges, reorganizes, revises, varies.

Origination: Creating new movement

patterns to fit a particular situation or
specific problem. Learning outcomes
emphasize creativity based upon highly
developed skills.

Examples: Constructs a new theory.

Develops a new and comprehensive training
programming. Creates a new gymnastic
routine.
Key Words: arranges, builds, combines,
composes, constructs, creates, designs,
initiate, makes, originates.

O t h e r P s y c h o m o t o r D o m a i n Ta x o n o m i e s
As mentioned earlier, the committee did not produce a compilation for the psychomotor
domain model, but others have. The one discussed above is by Simpson (1972). There are
two other popular versions by Dave (1970) and Harrow (1972):
Dave (1975):
Category

Example and Key Words (verbs)

Imitation Observing and

patterning behavior after someone
else. Performance may be of low
quality.

Manipulation Being able to

perform certain actions by memory
or following instructions.

Examples: Copying a work of art. Performing a skill

while observing a demonstrator.
Key Words: copy, follow, mimic, repeat, replicate,
reproduce, trace

Examples: Being able to perform a skill on one's

own after taking lessons or reading about it. Follows
instructions to build a model.
Key Words: act, build, execute, perform

Precision Refining, becoming

more exact. Performing a skill
within a high degree of precision

Articulation Coordinating and

adapting a series of actions to
achieve harmony and internal
consistency.

Naturalization Mastering a high

level performance until it become
second-nature or natural, without
needing to think much about it.

Examples: Working and reworking something, so it

will be just right. Perform a skill or task without
assistance. Demonstrate a task to a beginner.
Key Words: calibrate, demonstrate, master,
perfectionism

Examples: Combining a series of skills to produce a

video that involves music, drama, color, sound, etc.
Combining a series of skills or activities to meet a
novel requirement.
Key Words: adapt, constructs, combine, creates,
customize, modifies, formulate

Examples: Maneuvers a car into a tight parallel

parking spot. Operates a computer quickly and
accurately. Displays competence while playing the
piano. Michael Jordan playing basketball or Nancy
Lopez hitting a golf ball.
Key Words: create, design, develop, invent,
manage, naturally

Harrow (1972):

Category

Example and Key Words (verbs)

Reflex Movements Reactions that

are not learned, such as a involuntary
reaction

Examples: instinctive response

Key Words: react, respond

Examples: perform a simple task

Fundamental Movements Basic
movements such as walking, or grasping.

Key Words: grasp an object, throw a ball,

walk

Examples: track a moving object, recognize a

pattern

Perceptual Abilities Response to

stimuli such as visual, auditory,
kinesthetic, or tactile discrimination.

Key Words: catch a ball, draw or write

Physical Abilities (fitness) Stamina

that must be developed for further
development such as strength and
agility.

Skilled movements Advanced

learned movements as one would find in
sports or acting.

Examples: gain strength, run a marathon

Key Words: agility, endurance, strength

Examples: Using an advanced series of

integrated movements, perform a role in a
stage play or play in a set of series in a sports
game.
Key Words: adapt, constructs, creates,
modifies

Nondiscursive communication Use

effective body language, such as
gestures and facial expressions.

Examples: Express one's self by using

movements and gestures
Key Words: arrange, compose, interpretation

Ta b l e o f T h e C o g n i t i v e D o m a i n ( o r i g i n a l )
Category

Example, Key Words (verbs), and Technologies for

Learning (activities)

Examples: Recite a policy. Quote prices from

memory to a customer. Know the safety rules.
Define a term.
Knowledge: Recall data or

Key Words: arranges, defines, describes, identifies,

information.

knows, labels, lists, matches, names, outlines,

recalls, recognizes, reproduces, selects, states
Technologies: bookmarking, flash cards, Internet
search, reading

Examples: Rewrites the principles of test writing.

Explain in one's own words the steps for performing
a complex task. Translates an equation into a
computer spreadsheet.
Comprehension: Understand the
meaning, translation, interpolation,

Key Words: comprehends, converts, diagrams,

and interpretation of instructions

defends, distinguishes, estimates, explains,

and problems. State a problem in

extends, generalizes, gives an example, infers,

one's own words.

interprets, paraphrases, predicts, rewrites,

summarizes, translates
Technologies: create an analogy, participating
incooperative learning , taking notes, story telling

Examples: Use a manual to calculate an

employee's vacation time. Apply laws of statistics to
evaluate the reliability of a written test.
Application: Use a concept in a
new situation or unprompted use of

Key Words: applies, changes, computes,

an abstraction. Applies what was

constructs, demonstrates, discovers, manipulates,

learned in the classroom into novel

modifies, operates, predicts, prepares, produces,

situations in the work place.

relates, shows, solves, uses

Technologies: collaborative learning , create a
process, material good, etc.), blog, practice

Analysis: Separates material or

Examples: Troubleshoot a piece of equipment by

using logical deduction. Recognize logical fallacies

in reasoning. Gathers information from a
department and selects the required tasks for
training.
concepts into component parts so
that its organizational structure may

Key Words: analyzes, breaks down, compares,

be understood. Distinguishes

contrasts, diagrams, deconstructs, differentiates,

between facts and inferences.

discriminates, distinguishes, identifies, illustrates,

infers, outlines, relates, selects, separates
Technologies: fishbowls, debating, questioning
what happened, run a test

Examples: Write a company operations or process

manual. Design a machine to perform a specific
task. Integrates training from several sources to
solve a problem. Revises and process to improve
Synthesis: Builds a structure or

the outcome.

pattern from diverse elements. Put

parts together to form a whole, with

Key Words: categorizes, combines, compiles,

emphasis on creating a new

composes, creates, devises, designs, explains,

meaning or structure.

generates, modifies, organizes, plans, rearranges,

reconstructs, relates, reorganizes, revises, rewrites,
summarizes, tells, writes
Technologies: essay, networking

Examples: Select the most effective solution. Hire

the most qualified candidate. Explain and justify a
new budget.
Evaluation: Make judgments about

Key Words: appraises, compares, concludes,

the value of ideas or materials.

contrasts, criticizes, critiques, defends, describes,

discriminates, evaluates, explains, interprets,
justifies, relates, summarizes, supports
Technologies: survey, blogging

Revised

Ta b l e o f t h e R e v i s e d C o g n i t i v e D o m a i n
Category

Examples, key words (verbs), and technologies for

learning (activities)

Examples: Recite a policy. Quote prices from

memory to a customer. Recite the safety rules.
Remembering: Recall or retrieve
previous learned information.

Key Words: defines, describes, identifies, knows,

labels, lists, matches, names, outlines, recalls,
recognizes, reproduces, selects, states
Technologies: book marking, flash cards, rote
learning based on repetition, reading

Examples: Rewrite the principles of test writing.

Explain in one's own words the steps for performing
a complex task. Translate an equation into a
computer spreadsheet.
Understanding: Comprehending
the meaning, translation,
interpolation, and interpretation of
instructions and problems. State a
problem in one's own words.

Key Words: comprehends, converts, defends,

distinguishes, estimates, explains, extends,
generalizes, gives an example, infers, interprets,
paraphrases, predicts, rewrites, summarizes,
translates
Technologies: create an analogy, participating
incooperative learning , taking notes, storytelling,
Internet search

Examples: Use a manual to calculate an employee's

vacation time. Apply laws of statistics to evaluate the
reliability of a written test.
Applying: Use a concept in a new
situation or unprompted use of an
abstraction. Applies what was
learned in the classroom into novel
situations in the work place.

Key Words: applies, changes, computes,

constructs, demonstrates, discovers, manipulates,
modifies, operates, predicts, prepares, produces,
relates, shows, solves, uses
Technologies: collaborative learning , create a
process, blog, practice

Analyzing: Separates material or

concepts into component parts so
that its organizational structure
may be understood. Distinguishes
between facts and inferences.

Examples: Troubleshoot a piece of equipment by

using logical deduction. Recognize logical fallacies
in reasoning. Gathers information from a department
and selects the required tasks for training.
Key Words: analyzes, breaks down, compares,
contrasts, diagrams, deconstructs, differentiates,
discriminates, distinguishes, identifies, illustrates,
infers, outlines, relates, selects, separates
Technologies: Fishbowls , debating, questioning
what happened, run a test

Examples: Select the most effective solution. Hire

the most qualified candidate. Explain and justify a
new budget.
Evaluating: Make judgments about
the value of ideas or materials.

Key Words: appraises, compares, concludes,

contrasts, criticizes, critiques, defends, describes,
discriminates, evaluates, explains, interprets,
justifies, relates, summarizes, supports
Technologies: survey, blogging

Creating: Builds a structure or

pattern from diverse elements. Put
parts together to form a whole,
with emphasis on creating a new
meaning or structure.

Examples: Write a company operations or process

manual. Design a machine to perform a specific
task. Integrates training from several sources to
solve a problem. Revises and process to improve
the outcome.
Key Words: categorizes, combines, compiles,
composes, creates, devises, designs, explains,
generates, modifies, organizes, plans, rearranges,
reconstructs, relates, reorganizes, revises, rewrites,
summarizes, tells, writes
Technologies: Create a new model, write an essay,
network with others

Cognitive Processes and Levels of Knowledge Matrix

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 onedimensional:
o Factual - The basic elements students must know to be acquainted with a
discipline or solve problems.
o Conceptual The interrelationships among the basic elements within a larger
structure that enable them to function together.
o 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:
o Metacognitive Knowledge of cognition in general, as well as awareness and
knowledge of ones 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 Cognitive Dimension

The Knowledge
Dimension

Remembe
r

Understand

Appl Analyz Evaluat Creat

y
e
e
e

Factual
Conceptual
Procedural
Metacognitive
However, others have identified five contents or artifacts (Clark, Chopeta, 2004; Clark,
Mayer, 2007):

o Facts - Specific and unique data or instance.

o 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.
o 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.
o 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.
o 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:
The Cognitive Dimension

The Knowledge
Dimension

Remembe
r

Understand

Appl Analyz Evaluat Creat

y
e
e
e

Facts
Concepts
Processes
Procedures
Principles
Metacognitive
An example matrix that has been filled in might look something like this:
The Knowledge

Rememb Under-stand Apply

Analyze

Evalua Create

Dimension
Facts

er

te
categori
ze

list

para-phrase

classify outline

rank

Concepts

recall

explains

show

contrast

criticize modify

Processes

outline

estimate

produc
diagram
e

defend design

reproduc give an
e
example

relate

identify

critique plan

state

converts

solve

differentiates

conclud
revise
e

proper
use

interpret

discov
infer
er

Procedures

Principles

Meta-cognitive

predict actualize