Six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy for Developing Cognitive Thinking Skills

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a framework that classifies educational objectives into six hierarchical levels, which help educators plan and assess learning outcomes. Developed by educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom in the 1950s, it provides a structure for categorizing and organizing different levels of cognitive thinking skills.

The six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, from the lowest to the highest order of thinking, are: Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating.

Remembering:

The Remembering level represents the lowest level of cognitive thinking. It involves recalling or recognizing information without necessarily understanding it deeply. Activities at this level include memorizing facts, repeating information, or recalling previously learned material. Examples include listing, defining, naming, and identifying.

Understanding:

The Understanding level involves comprehending and interpreting information. Learners demonstrate their ability to explain ideas or concepts in their own words, summarize information, or provide examples to demonstrate understanding. This level goes beyond simple memorization and requires learners to grasp the meaning and significance of the content.

Applying:

At the Applying level, learners utilize the knowledge and concepts they have acquired to solve problems or complete tasks in new or familiar situations. They can demonstrate their understanding by using learned information in practical and real-world scenarios. Examples of Applying level tasks include using formulas to solve mathematical problems, conducting experiments, or applying concepts to a specific context.

Analyzing:

The Analyzing level involves breaking down information into its constituent parts to understand the relationships between them. Learners at this level can identify patterns, analyze data, and draw conclusions based on evidence. Analyzing tasks require learners to examine and evaluate information critically. Examples include categorizing, comparing and contrasting, differentiating, and identifying relationships.

Evaluating:

At the Evaluating level, learners make judgments and assessments based on criteria and standards. They can analyze information from different perspectives, make informed decisions, and justify their choices. Evaluating tasks involve critical thinking and require learners to assess the value, effectiveness, or quality of ideas, arguments, or products. Examples include appraising, critiquing, justifying, and defending.

Creating:

The Creating level represents the highest level of cognitive thinking. It involves generating new ideas, products, or concepts by combining or reorganizing existing knowledge and skills. Learners at this level demonstrate their creativity, originality, and ability to innovate. Creating tasks require learners to develop, design, invent, or produce something new. Examples include designing, constructing, composing, and producing.

In fact, Bloom’s Taxonomy is not a linear progression, and different levels can be addressed depending on the learning objectives and instructional strategies employed. Teacher can use this taxonomy to design meaningful learning experiences, develop appropriate assessment methods, and promote higher-order thinking skills among their students.