Learner Outcome Guidelines
Bloom's Taxonomy*
Benjamin Bloom created this taxonomy for categorizing level of
abstraction of questions that commonly occur in educational
settings. The taxonomy provides a useful structure in which to
write learning outcomes, structure teaching methodology, and ask
questions of learners.
Competence Area to Evaluate
|
Teaching Methodology and Learner Outcome
Examples
|
Knowledge
|
Teaching Methodology: Observe and recall information;
knowledge of dates, events, places; knowledge of major
ideas; mastery of subject matter
Skill Demonstration: Create opportunities that assess
knowledge. Examples include:
- List
- Define
- Tell
- Describe
- Identify
- Show
Learner Outcome Example:
"As a result of this activity the participant will
be able to list..."
|
Comprehension
|
Teaching Methodology: Understanding information; grasp
meaning; translate knowledge into new context; interpret
facts, compare, contrast; order, group, infer causes;
predict consequences
Skill Demonstration: Create opportunities that assess
comprehension. Examples include:
- Summarize
- Describe
- Interpret
- Contrast
- Predict
- Associate
Learner Outcome Example:
"As a result of this activity, the participant will
be able to summarize..."
|
Application
|
Teaching Methodology: Use information; use methods,
concepts, theories in new situations; solve problems
using required skills or knowledge
Skill Demonstration: Create opportunities that assess
application. Examples include:
- Apply
- Demonstrate
- Calculate
- Complete
- Illustrate
- Show
- Experiment
Learner Outcome Example:
"As a result of this activity, the participant will
be able to apply..."
|
Analysis
|
Teaching Methodology: See patterns; organize parts;
recognize hidden meanings; identify components
Skill Demonstration: Create opportunities that assess
analysis. Examples include:
- Analyze
- Order
- Explain
- Connect
- Classify
- Arrange
Learner Outcome Example:
"As a result of this activity, the participant will
be able to analyze..."
|
Synthesis
|
Teaching Methodology: Use old ideas to create new
ones; generalize from given facts; relate knowledge from
several areas; predict; drawn conclusions
Skill Demonstration:Create opportunities that assess
synthesis. Examples include:
- Combine
- Integrate
- Modify
- Rearrange
- Substitute
- Formulate
- Generalize
Learner Outcome Example:
"As a result of this activity, the participant will
be able to combine.."
|
Evaluation
|
Teaching Methodology: Compare and discriminate between
ideas; assess value of theories; presentations; make
choices based on reasoned argument; verify value of
evidence; recognize subjectivity
Skill Demonstration: Create opportunities that assess
evaluation. Examples include:
- Assess
- Decide
- Rank
- Grade
- Test
- Measure
- Compare
Learner Outcome Example:
"As a result of this activity, the participant will
be able to assess...'
|
*Adapted from: Bloom, B.S. (Ed.) (1956)
Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of
educational goals: Handbook I, cognitive domain. New York; Toronto: Longmans, Green.