FAQS

What is Bloom's Taxonomy?  

Bloom's Taxonomy was developed by Dr. Benjamin Bloom in 1956.  It is a multi-level approach to describe levels of expertise needed to reach particular outcomes.  Understanding Bloom's Taxonomy can help you build your critical thinking skills so you can ensure you're engaging with material on a much deeper level.

The courses at Rasmussen University have been developed using Bloom's Taxonomy to ensure your learning is leveled appropriately to promote growth through the course and program.  Bloom's verbs can be found within course competencies and learning objectives within each module.

Check out the image below for information about each level.

How can I go from one level to the next?

In order to get from one level to the next, ask yourself questions from each stage to build upon your knowledge.

Remembering

This stage is the point at which you can recall appropriate, previously learned information to point to factual answers.

Questions you can ask yourself at this stage:

• What is?
• How is?
• When did ______ happen?
• Who were the main _____ ?
• Can you list 3 ________ ?

Understanding

This stage is the point at which you can start to understand the meaning of information.  You know more than just the facts and can understand relationships between sets of data.

Questions you can ask yourself at this stage:

• How would you classify the type of ___ ?
• What is the main idea?
• Which statements support ____ ?
• How would you summarize ____ ?

Applying

This stage is the point at which you can take previously learned information and use to apply to unfamiliar situations. 

Questions you can ask yourself at this stage:

• What other ways would you plan to ___ ?
• How would you apply what you’ve learned to develop ___ ?
• How would you solve ____ using what you’ve learned?

Analyzing

This stage is the point at which you would break down information into parts and examine meaning.

Questions you can ask yourself at this stage:

• What are the parts/features of ____ ?
• How is ____ related to _____ ?
• Why do you think?
• Can you make a distinction between _____ ?

Evaluating 

This is the stage that requires that you make decisions or judgments without concrete right or wrong answers. 

Questions you can ask yourself at this stage:

• Do you agree with the actions taken?
• What is your opinion and why?
• How would you prioritize the facts?

Creating

This is the most difficult stage.  It is the point at which you can use prior knowledge and skills together to create something that was not there before.

Questions you can ask yourself at this stage:

• Discuss “what if” situations
• Can you predict the outcome if ____ ?
• Suppose you could ____ ; what would you do?