Bloom's Taxonomy is a framework that ranks learning objectives from simple recall to complex, higher-order thinking, widely used by educators to design lessons and assessments.
Originally developed in 1956 by educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom and revised in 2001, the taxonomy organizes cognitive skills into a hierarchy, from the most basic to the most complex.
Teachers use this hierarchy to write learning objectives and design questions that push students beyond memorization toward deeper understanding and independent thinking.
Last reviewed: September 2026