History of Bloom's Taxonomy
From a small meeting at the 1948 APA convention to a globally adopted educational framework: explore the key milestones that shaped how we think about learning.
Original Bloom's Taxonomy (1956)
The foundational framework for classifying educational learning objectives into levels of complexity and specificity, ranging from basic recall to complex judgment.
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Select a level from the pyramid
to see its details here
Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (2001)
A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: by Lorin W. Anderson & David R. Krathwohl
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to see its details here
Key Changes from the Original (1956)
Terminology
Before: Nouns (e.g., Knowledge, Comprehension)
After: Verbs (e.g., Remember, Understand)
Structure
Before: One-dimensional hierarchy
After: Two-dimensional matrix (Knowledge à Cognitive Process)
Synthesis & Evaluation
Before: Evaluation is the highest level; Synthesis is fifth
After: Create is the highest level; Evaluate is fifth
Foundation
Before: Based on behavioral psychology
After: Based on cognitive psychology
Knowledge
Before: Knowledge was a separate cognitive level
After: Remember replaces Knowledge; Knowledge is a separate dimension
Assessment Focus
Before: Emphasis on testing and measurement
After: Emphasis on learning, teaching, AND assessing
Old vs. New: A Side-by-Side Comparison
Explore how the 1956 original taxonomy was revised in 2001: from terminology shifts to structural reorganization of the highest cognitive levels.
Bloom & colleagues
Anderson & Krathwohl
Key Changes at a Glance
A summary of the most significant differences between the two versions
| Aspect | Original (1956) | Revised (2001) |
|---|---|---|
| Terminology | Nouns (e.g., Knowledge, Comprehension) | Verbs (e.g., Remember, Understand) |
| Structure | One-dimensional hierarchy | Two-dimensional matrix (Knowledge à Cognitive Process) |
| Synthesis & Evaluation | Evaluation is the highest level; Synthesis is fifth | Create is the highest level; Evaluate is fifth |
| Foundation | Based on behavioral psychology | Based on cognitive psychology |
| Knowledge | Knowledge was a separate cognitive level | Remember replaces Knowledge; Knowledge is a separate dimension |
| Assessment Focus | Emphasis on testing and measurement | Emphasis on learning, teaching, AND assessing |
Interactive Simulation
Test your understanding by identifying which level of Bloom's Taxonomy each activity represents.
The Knowledge Dimension
A key addition in the 2001 revision, the Knowledge Dimension categorizes what learners know into four interconnected types: from basic factual knowledge to metacognitive awareness.
Factual Knowledge
The basic elements that students must know to be acquainted with a discipline or solve problems in it.
- Knowledge of terminology (e.g., vocabulary, symbols)
- Knowledge of specific facts and elements (e.g., dates, events, persons)
Conceptual Knowledge
The interrelationships among the basic elements within a larger structure that enable them to function together.
- Knowledge of classifications and categories
- Knowledge of principles and generalizations
- Knowledge of theories, models, and structures
Procedural Knowledge
How to do something; methods of inquiry, and criteria for using skills, algorithms, techniques, and methods.
- Knowledge of subject-specific skills and algorithms
- Knowledge of subject-specific techniques and methods
- Knowledge of criteria for determining when to use appropriate procedures
Metacognitive Knowledge
Knowledge of cognition in general as well as awareness and knowledge of one's own cognition.
- Strategic knowledge (learning strategies, planning)
- Knowledge about cognitive tasks (appropriate task types, demands)
- Self-knowledge (awareness of strengths, weaknesses, preferences)
Key Action Verbs Reference
Use these verbs when writing learning objectives and assessment questions. Each level of Bloom's Taxonomy is associated with specific action verbs that describe the expected cognitive process.