Revisiting Bloom’s Taxonomy

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy was widely used (and often misused) in classrooms. It was misused when educators assumed that if they taught the highest levels on the taxonomy, then all of the needs of the gifted would be addressed. It was also misused when educators assumed that they could jump right to the highest levels (i.e., Synthesis, Evaluation), negating the importance of the lower levels (i.e. Knowledge, Comprehension). For example, an educator might ask a student to read a book and evaluate the character's actions, but not ask the student to support his or her conclusions with evidence from the book.

  

Bloom’s Taxonomy was eventually updated/revised, in 2001.Whether you apply the original version or the revised version, Bloom’s Taxonomy is still a good tool when used appropriately because it encourages higher level thinking skills. Some websites that are helpful when trying to understand and use Bloom’s Taxonomy include:

• The Differentiator—Here is a wonderful online tool that you can use to create objectives for differentiated instruction.
• Bloom's Taxonomy Mathematics Chart—This website applies Bloom’s Taxonomy to Math.