https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/#2001
Level | Skills | Sample Questions | Suggested Activities |
Remembering | - Memorize
- Recognize
- Identify
- Recall | - What happens if…?- How many…?- What is…?- Who…? | - Read books
- Fill in blanks
- Organize given data
- Follow instructions
- Use existing info |
Understanding | - Understand
- Explain
- Describe
- Present
- Sort, classify
- Summarize
- Compare
- Conclude
- Analyze/Synthesize | - Can you explain how…?- What do you think…?- Why did it happen?- What caused it?- How…? | - Summarize
- Make outlines
- Rewrite in your own words
- Describe a story
- Present a narrative |
Applying | - Use knowledge
- Implement
- Practice
- Solve problems
- Build on prior knowledge | - What would you do if…?- How would you do it…?- What would you do…? | - Solve problems
- Apply concepts
- Use data to make decisions
- Write reports
- Present cases |
Analyzing | - Analyze
- Distinguish
- Identify patterns
- Break down info
- Reconstruct
- Choose
- Rank
- Modify | - What needs to happen to…?- Why did…?- Why did A lead to B…? | - Create profiles
- Connect related info
- Analyze problems
- Debate pros/cons
- Interpret info |
Evaluating | - Evaluate
- Verify
- Collaborate
- Observe & guide
- Test
- Comment | - Is there another solution to…?- Can you explain why…?- Is it good or not?- How do you know? | - Debate
- Write critiques
- Generate new opinions
- Prepare arguments
- Express personal view |
Creating | - Create
- Invent
- Design
- Build
- Synthesize | - Create…- How many ways can you…?- What would happen if…?- How can we achieve…? | - Design experiences
- Develop programs
- Create plans
- Prototype
- Draw, build |
Bloom’s Taxonomy is like a ladder that helps you understand how learning works — from remembering something for the first time to using that knowledge in creative, real-life ways.
It shows 6 levels of thinking skills:
- Remember – Just trying to recall facts. ("I remember this!")
- Understand – Making sense of what you learned. ("Oh, now I get it!")
- Apply – Using what you learned in real life. ("Let me try this out!")
- Analyze – Breaking ideas apart to see how they work. ("What’s really going on here?")
- Evaluate – Judging or giving opinions with reasons. ("Which is better and why?")
- Create – Using everything you know to make something new. ("Look what I made!")
Why it matters:
When we create courses or learning activities, we want to do more than just share information — we want learners to actually think, do, and grow. That’s where Bloom’s Taxonomy helps.
It helps learning designers to:
- Set clear goals:
- Plan better activities:
- Build deep learning:
- Make progress visible:
→ What do we want learners to remember, understand, or create by the end?
→ Not just boring facts! We can design quizzes, discussions, or creative challenges at different thinking levels.
→ Learners move from memorizing to actually using and creating with what they’ve learned.
→ It’s easier to track how learners grow — from just knowing something → to analyzing it → to making something new.
Example:
Instead of just asking:
"What is mental health?" (Remember)
We can design a course where learners also:
- Understand what affects it,
- Apply coping skills,
- Analyze a tough situation,
- Create a personal self-care plan!
✅ Tally.so + RainbowVI Goals
Since you're using Tally.so (a form/survey-based tool), here’s how it aligns with the first 3 levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy:
1. Remember (Basic knowledge)
- Tally is perfect for quizzes, multiple choice, and fill-in-the-blank to help learners recall facts or definitions.
- Ex: “What is a boundary?” “Which of these is a stress response?”
2. Understand (Grasp the meaning)
- You can ask learners to explain in their own words, or match ideas, or do simple reflections.
- Ex: “What does this quote mean to you?” “Match the term with the example.”
3. Apply (Use the knowledge)
- Tally can collect real-life answers, mini-scenarios, or choose-your-path questions.
- Ex: “How would you handle this situation?” “Choose the best response to help a friend.”
🚧 Why Not Go Beyond Yet?
Levels like Analyze, Evaluate and Create usually require:
- Open-ended discussion
- Collaboration
- Multimedia inputs (videos, diagrams, projects)
- Real-time interaction
Tally is not built for complex back-and-forth, feedback, or content creation.
How to stretch Bloom’s Ladder (Even in Tally)
Higher Level | Light-Touch Ideas with Tally |
Analyze | Ask learners to compare two options, or choose the best action in a scenario — then briefly explain why |
Evaluate | Include a reflection like: “Do you agree with this quote? Why or why not?” or “What would you change in this story?” |
Create | Let learners write their own tips, design a plan, or imagine a solution. Even a short creative prompt works! |
It’s not full-blown "Create a video project," but it still taps into creative thinking, which supports confidence and engagement.