Bloom’s Taxonomy is everywhere in teacher training and instructional design, but most of us use it like a generic checklist. We wanted something better: a version that actually sounds like our discipline, reflects our students, and makes learning objectives and assessments line up without guesswork.

In addition to listening to this podcast episode, get a FREE Google Doc guide (and Canva Template) to build your own (Click Here!).

We start by going back to the basics and doing a quick audit of our current course materials. Which levels of thinking show up in our quizzes, discussions, labs, projects, and tests, and where are the gaps? From there, we define the teaching context we want the taxonomy to serve, whether that’s a first-year course, a graduate seminar, an online class, or a practicum. We also talk about how institutional priorities like critical thinking, civic engagement, research, technology, or active learning can shape what we build.

Next, we name a learning progression that fits the field and makes sense to students, then translate each Bloom level into course-specific questions, verbs, and clear student evidence. That step turns Bloom’s from a poster into a practical blueprint for rubrics, feedback, and scaffolding higher order thinking. We close by aligning the customized taxonomy with course outcomes, mapping real assessments to each level, adding examples for our future selves, and testing the framework on at least one assignment so we can revise with confidence.

If you found this helpful, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, share the episode with a teacher friend, and leave a review so more educators can find the show.