Bloom’s taxonomy (cognitive domain) in higher education settings: Reflection brief

The role of taxonomy of objectives is considered to be one of the most imperative elements in curriculum designing and drafting of learning outcomes and objectives. Several educationists and academicians have regarded this model in facilitating learning achievement from lower level knowledge acquisition to higher order thinking. However, a few others have critiqued this phenomenon by reconnoitering its implications on segmentation of knowledge application into a hierarchical model, that may restrict learners, specifically in higher education settings to limit their acquisition of a concept. Moreover, students’ learning and motivation are hampered while undergoing such an intensive, structured assessment of those learning outcomes. This reflection brief will appraise and reflect in favour of the various critiques established around the phenomenon of progressive Bloom’s taxonomy and will briefly discuss the idea of reversing the level of taxonomy in higher education settings to sustain student learning motivation.