What is Bloom’s Taxonomy?

Bloom’s Taxonomy is one of the best-known theories in education, used to create and
classify learning objectives according the level of complexity. 

The taxonomy comprises three domains of learning: cognitive, affective and psycho-
motor. Skills are ordered in a hierarchy, where each level takes over from the one before.

In principle, the taxonomy promotes higher forms of thinking and supports learning
outcomes that focus on depth of learning rather than tasks.   

Where did it come from?

In 1956, educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom chaired a committee of educators,
which devised the taxonomy with the intention of creating a framework for categorising
educational goals. 

In this taxonomy, there is a greater emphasis on the verbs attached to these cognitive
processes.     

How has it influenced pedagogy?

Bloom’s Taxonomy shifts the focus away from content and instruction, and emphasises
cognitive processes and higher-order thinking skills.

These ideas and principles can be used in a variety of ways in schools, such as:

Curriculum mapping and planning course goals 

It can provide a useful checklist for ensuring that pupils develop a variety of skills and
that the course content allows for a full learning experience.

Setting learning objectives 

The taxonomy helps to plan for development and the building of skills in relation to a
particular topic or feature. This is often referred to as “spiralling”, where the hierarchy
becomes a pathway for cognitive progression.

Designing assessment 

Using Bloom's for assessment allows students to show progress in terms of cognition. In
particular, using the verbs of the revised taxonomy means teachers can design forms of
assessment that facilitate ways to clearly display their learning.
Developing questioning

Using the verbs of the revised taxonomy to construct a variety of questions can help to
build towards critical and deeper thinking, as responses are developed by working
through the skill levels.

Differentiation and personalised learning

The different levels of the cognitive taxonomy can be used to simplify tasks or increase
the challenge. Planning activities and questions using the verbs associated with each skill
level inevitably alters the complexity of cognition that the teacher is asking the pupil to
display.    

Metacognition 

The taxonomy can encourage pupils to consider how they learn and when they know they
are learning.