The information below provides definitions and attributes for each of the six levels of Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy, along with Active Verbs that should be used when developing learning outcomes. (Adapted from: L.W. Anderson and D.R. Krathwohl (2001), A taxonomy of learning , teaching, and assessing (Boston: Allyn and Bacon); Center for University Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, University of West Florida).
Level Definition and Attributes: Students are able to exhibit memory of previously learned materials by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts, and answers.
Active Verbs: choose, define, find, how, label, list, match, name, omit, recall, relate, select, show, spell, tell, identify, describe, copy, locate, recognize, memorize, quote, reproduce, tabulate, discover, duplicate, listen, enumerate
Example of Learning Outcomes: Physics: By the end of this course, students will be able to recite Newton’s three laws of motion.
Level Definition and Attributes: Students are able to demonstrate understanding of facts and ideas by interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing and explaining main ideas.
Active Verbs: classify, compare, contrast, extend, demonstrate, explain, illustrate, infer, interpret, outline, relate, rephrase, show, summarize, select, translate, describe, paraphrase, ask, differentiate, discuss, express, distinguish, restate, group
Example of Learning Outcomes: History: By the end of this course, students will be able to explain the causes of the French Revolution.
Level Definition and Attributes: Students are able to solve problems in new situations by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way.
Active Verbs: calculate, predict, apply, solve, illustrate, use, demonstrate, determine, model, build, construct, develop, experiment with, identify, make use of, organize, plan, select, solve, utilize
Example of Learning Outcomes: Engineering: By the end of this course, students will be able to calculate the kinetic energy of a projectile.
Level Definition and Attributes: Students are able to examine and break information into parts by identifying motives, causes and relationships. They can make inferences and find evidence to support generalization.
Active Verbs: classify, outline, break down, categorize, analyze, diagram, illustrate, assume, compare, conclusion, contrast, discover, dissect, distinguish, divide, examine, function, inference, inspect, list, motive, relationships, simplify, survey, take part in, test for
Example of Learning Outcomes: English: By the end of this course, students will be able to determine William Shakespeare’s point of view in terms of his political perspective.
Level Definition and Attributes: Students are able to present and defend opinions by making judgments about information, validity of ideas, or quality of work based on a set of criteria. They can justify a decision or course of action.
Active Verbs: design, formulate, build, invent, create, compose, generate, derive, modify, develop, agree, appraise, assess, award, choose, compare, conclude, criteria, criticize, decide, deduct, defend, determine, disprove, estimate, evaluate, explain, influence, judge, interpret, justify, mark, measure, perceive, prioritize, rate, recommend, rule on, select, support, value
Example of Learning Outcomes: Economics: By the end of the course, students will be able to apply discrete and continuous probability distributions using industry standard statistical software, in order to evaluate the probability of real world events.
Level Definition and Attributes: Students are able to compile, generate or view information, ideas or products together in a different way by combining elements in a new pattern or by proposing alternative solutions.
Active Verbs: adapt, build, change, choose, combine, compile, compose, construct, create, delete, design, develop, discuss, elaborate, estimate, formulate, happen, imagine, improve, invent, make up, maximize, modify, originate, plan, predict, propose, solve, suppose, test, hypothesize, substitute, compile, develop, rearrange, anticipate, assemble, collaborate, collect, devise, imagine, intervene
Example of Learning Outcomes: Chemistry: By the end of this course, students will be able to design and execute synthetic and analytical experimental procedures found in the scientific literature in physical and inorganic chemistry.
Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) Taxonomy
Like Bloom’s taxonomy, the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy developed by Biggs and Collis in 1992 distinguishes between increasingly complex levels of understanding that can be used to describe and assess student learning. While Bloom’s taxonomy describes what students do with information they acquire, the SOLO taxonomy describes the relationship students articulate between multiple pieces of information. Atherton (2005) provides an overview of the five levels that make up the SOLO taxonomy:
- Pre-structural: here students are simply acquiring bits of unconnected information, which have no organization and make no sense.
- Unistructural: simple and obvious connections are made, but their significance is not grasped.
- Multistructural: a number of connections may be made, but the meta-connections between them are missed, as is their significance for the whole.
- Relational level: the student is now able to appreciate the significance of the parts in relation to the whole.
- At the extended abstract level, the student is making connections not only within the given subject area, but also beyond it, able to generalize and transfer the principles and ideas underlying the specific instance.
[From Atherton, J. (2005). Learning and teaching: SOLO taxonomy.]