Bloom's Verbs: Creating Measurable Assessments

The realm of educational assessment has undergone a significant transformation over the years, with a heightened emphasis on creating measurable and meaningful evaluations. At the forefront of this movement is the incorporation of Bloom’s Verbs, a taxonomy of educational objectives that has been widely adopted across various disciplines. This framework, developed by Benjamin Bloom and his colleagues, provides a structured approach to crafting assessments that target specific cognitive skills, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of student learning.

Understanding Bloom’s Taxonomy

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a hierarchical framework that categorizes educational objectives into six distinct levels: Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating. Each level represents a progressively higher order of cognitive complexity, allowing educators to design assessments that target specific skills and knowledge. By using Bloom’s Verbs, instructors can create assessments that not only measure student knowledge but also evaluate their ability to think critically, solve problems, and demonstrate creativity.

The Six Levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy

1. Remembering: This level focuses on recalling previously learned information, such as facts, definitions, and procedures. Verbs like “list,” “define,” and “recall” are commonly used to assess memory and retention.
2. Understanding: At this level, students are expected to demonstrate comprehension of learned material, including the ability to interpret, describe, and summarize information. Verbs like “explain,” “describe,” and “summarize” are used to assess understanding.
3. Applying: This level requires students to use learned information to solve problems, complete tasks, or demonstrate a skill. Verbs like “apply,” “use,” and “demonstrate” are used to assess the application of knowledge.
4. Analyzing: At this level, students are expected to break down complex information into component parts, identify patterns and relationships, and draw conclusions. Verbs like “analyze,” “compare,” and “contrast” are used to assess analytical thinking.
5. Evaluating: This level requires students to make judgments about the value, quality, or effectiveness of information, ideas, or methods. Verbs like “evaluate,” “assess,” and “justifying” are used to assess critical thinking and decision-making skills.
6. Creating: The highest level of Bloom’s Taxonomy, creating requires students to generate new ideas, products, or solutions. Verbs like “design,” “develop,” and “create” are used to assess creativity, innovation, and originality.

Crafting Measurable Assessments with Bloom’s Verbs

To create effective assessments, educators can use Bloom’s Verbs as a guide to craft questions, prompts, and tasks that target specific cognitive skills. For example:

• Remembering: “List the key characteristics of a mitotic cell division.” (Assesses memory and recall)
• Understanding: “Explain the concept of photosynthesis and its importance in plant growth.” (Assesses comprehension and interpretation)
• Applying: “Use the principles of Newton’s laws to solve a problem involving motion and force.” (Assesses application and problem-solving)
• Analyzing: “Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of different renewable energy sources.” (Assesses analysis and critical thinking)
• Evaluating: “Assess the effectiveness of a newly implemented policy in reducing carbon emissions.” (Assesses evaluation and decision-making)
• Creating: “Design a sustainable community that incorporates green architecture, renewable energy, and eco-friendly transportation systems.” (Assesses creativity and innovation)

Best Practices for Using Bloom’s Verbs

1. Use a variety of verbs: Incorporate a range of Bloom’s Verbs in assessments to target different cognitive skills and promote deeper learning.
2. Be specific and clear: Use precise language and avoid ambiguity when crafting assessment questions and prompts.
3. Align assessments with learning objectives: Ensure that assessments are designed to measure specific learning objectives and outcomes.
4. Provide feedback and guidance: Offer constructive feedback and guidance to students to help them understand and improve their performance.
5. Continuously evaluate and refine: Regularly evaluate and refine assessments to ensure they remain effective and relevant.

Frequently Asked Questions

By embracing Bloom’s Taxonomy and incorporating its verbs into assessment design, educators can create a more nuanced and effective evaluation of student learning, promoting a deeper understanding of subject matter and preparing students for success in an increasingly complex and dynamic world.