Blooms Taxonomy Verbs: Boost Critical Thinking Skills

Blooms Taxonomy verbs are a set of action words used to describe the cognitive processes involved in learning and critical thinking. Developed by Benjamin Bloom and his colleagues in the 1950s, the taxonomy provides a framework for educators to design learning objectives and assessments that promote higher-order thinking skills. The verbs are categorized into six levels of cognitive complexity, ranging from simple recall to complex evaluation and creation. In this article, we will explore the Blooms Taxonomy verbs and their role in boosting critical thinking skills.

Understanding the Blooms Taxonomy Verbs

The Blooms Taxonomy verbs are divided into six categories: Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating. Each category represents a progressively higher level of cognitive complexity, requiring students to engage in more complex and critical thinking processes. The verbs are used to write learning objectives, design assessments, and develop instructional strategies that promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Remembering Verbs

The Remembering category involves recalling previously learned information. Verbs such as list, define, describe, and identify are used to assess students’ ability to recall facts, concepts, and procedures. For example, a learning objective might be: “Students will be able to list the main characters in a novel.” While this category is essential for building a foundation of knowledge, it is the lowest level of cognitive complexity and does not require critical thinking skills.

Understanding Verbs

The Understanding category involves interpreting and explaining learned information. Verbs such as explain, summarize, interpret, and compare are used to assess students’ ability to understand and communicate complex ideas. For example, a learning objective might be: “Students will be able to explain the main themes in a novel.” This category requires students to think critically about the information they have learned and to make connections between ideas.

Applying Verbs

The Applying category involves using learned information to solve problems or complete tasks. Verbs such as apply, use, solve, and complete are used to assess students’ ability to apply theoretical concepts to practical situations. For example, a learning objective might be: “Students will be able to apply mathematical concepts to solve real-world problems.” This category requires students to think critically about how to use learned information to achieve a specific goal.

Analyzing Verbs

The Analyzing category involves breaking down complex information into component parts and identifying relationships between them. Verbs such as analyze, break down, identify, and compare are used to assess students’ ability to think critically about complex information. For example, a learning objective might be: “Students will be able to analyze the themes and motifs in a novel.” This category requires students to think critically about the components of complex information and to identify patterns and relationships.

Evaluating Verbs

The Evaluating category involves making judgments about the value or quality of information. Verbs such as evaluate, judge, assess, and justifying are used to assess students’ ability to think critically about the validity and relevance of information. For example, a learning objective might be: “Students will be able to evaluate the credibility of sources in a research paper.” This category requires students to think critically about the information they have learned and to make informed judgments about its value and quality.

Creating Verbs

The Creating category involves generating new ideas or products. Verbs such as create, design, develop, and compose are used to assess students’ ability to think critically and creatively. For example, a learning objective might be: “Students will be able to create a original story using literary devices and techniques.” This category requires students to think critically and creatively about complex information and to generate new ideas and products.

Boosting Critical Thinking Skills with Blooms Taxonomy Verbs

Critical thinking skills are essential for success in academic, professional, and personal contexts. By incorporating Blooms Taxonomy verbs into instructional strategies, educators can promote critical thinking skills in their students. Here are some ways to boost critical thinking skills with Blooms Taxonomy verbs:

• Encourage analysis and evaluation: Use verbs such as analyze and evaluate to encourage students to think critically about complex information.
• Promote creativity and creation: Use verbs such as create and design to encourage students to generate new ideas and products.
• Develop problem-solving skills: Use verbs such as apply and solve to encourage students to think critically about how to use learned information to achieve a specific goal.
• Encourage critical reading and thinking: Use verbs such as interpret and compare to encourage students to think critically about the information they read.

Real-World Applications of Blooms Taxonomy Verbs

Blooms Taxonomy verbs have numerous real-world applications, including:

1. Education: Blooms Taxonomy verbs are widely used in educational settings to design learning objectives, assessments, and instructional strategies.
2. Business: Blooms Taxonomy verbs can be used in business contexts to promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills in employees.
3. Healthcare: Blooms Taxonomy verbs can be used in healthcare contexts to promote critical thinking and decision-making skills in healthcare professionals.
4. Science and research: Blooms Taxonomy verbs can be used in scientific and research contexts to promote critical thinking and analytical skills in researchers.