A useful tool for creating course objectives which develop alternative levels of learning is provided by Benjamin Bloom. His taxonomy is helpful in assessing what we want our students to learn.

The following Link provides a useful tool for employing Bloom's Taxonomy to assist you in developing better Course Learning Objectives:

http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/bloom.html

Objectives may be written at all the levels of competency by using the following common verbs:

• The Knowledge Level
  • Common verbs: list, define, enumerate, describe, identify, show, state. examine, name... etc.
• The Comprehension Level
  • Common verbs: summarize, describe, evaluate, interpret, compare, contrast, predict, distinguish, estimate, differentiate, discuss, conclude
• The Application Level
  • Common verbs: apply, demonstrate, discover, explore, examine, compute, show, solve, modify, relate, convert, classify, experiment
• The Analysis Level
  • Common verbs: analyze, separate, order, explain, connect, classify, compare, select, explain, infer
• The Synthesis Level
  • Common verbs: integrate, rearrange, reorganize, substitute, plan, create, design, compose, formulate, prepare, generate, generalize, produce, originate
• The Evaluation Level
  • Common verbs: assess, conclude, order, test, measure, evaluate, advocate, suggest, propose, convince, judge, clarify, discriminate, support, compare, summarize

Concepts adapted from:

Bloom, B., ed. (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: D. McKay.

Learning Skills Program. (3, September 2005) Counseling Services-University of Victoria. http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/bloom.html