During my first year of teaching, I faced a daunting task as the quarterly exams approached. I had to construct test materials that accurately reflected what I had taught over the past few weeks. This meant carefully aligning each question with the learning objectives I had set for my students. That’s when I turned to the Table of Specification (T.O.S.), and more importantly, Bloom’s Taxonomy. If you’re wondering what a Table of Specifications (T.O.S.) is, think of it as a blueprint for test-making. It’s a chart that matches the test questions with the topics covered in class, this ensures that assessments are fair and aligned with learning goals. This prevents tests from focusing too much on one area while neglecting others. Bloom’s Taxonomy helped me break down these objectives into manageable parts, focusing on verbs that capture different levels of thinking—whether it’s remembering facts, applying concepts, or analyzing information. This approach has made a significant difference in how I teach and how my students learn.

This method helped me see how essential it is to have clear and purposeful objectives. They guided my lesson planning, shaped activities, and helped me track my students’ progress. Learning targets weren’t vague ideas floating in a nebulous space; they grounded the teaching process.

reflective approach to Bloom’s taxonomy

During college, I viewed Bloom’s Taxonomy as one of those classroom tools that professors insisted on using. I kept my objectives basic back then—focusing on definitions and recall tasks—without realizing their wider implications. The more I became familiar with it during my teaching experience, the more it started to shift how I designed lessons.

It didn’t feel like busywork anymore. I began to notice how this framework helped students move beyond surface-level knowledge. One specific case comes to mind. I used to write objectives like “Mauunawaan ng mga mag-aaral ang mga pangunahing pangyayari sa Cold War.” It sounded acceptable on the surface. But as I internalized Bloom’s structure, I started crafting clearer goals like “Susuriin ng mga mag-aaral ang mga sanhi at bunga ng mga pangunahing kaganapan sa Cold War at ang epekto nito sa modernong lipunan.” This refinement led students to think in more structured ways—evaluating historical events and making connections to current realities. Learning moved beyond memorization, and I noticed students beginning to articulate their thoughts more critically.

looking forward….

If I return to the classroom or step into a corporate training role, I plan to keep using Bloom’s Taxonomy. It remains relevant because of how it supports clarity and depth. Writing objectives through its framework challenges me to think with foresight and precision. Whether I’m creating content for learners in school or professionals in the workplace, I can structure lessons that guide them through various levels of thought.

In a corporate context, it helps in constructing training that avoids the trap of vague instructions. For example, instead of asking participants to simply understand a company process, I would prompt them to analyze it, measure its outcomes, and propose changes. That kind of shift encourages real application rather than passive learning.

Bloom’s Taxonomy has continued to ground my work, even as my teaching roles evolve. It’s not outdated—it’s stayed resurgent in every context where clear thinking matters. It gives me a way to stay anchored in what works, especially in a world full of distractions and derivative content. With it, I can build lessons that informs and lead to actual thinking and doing.

references:

Devlin Peck. (2021). How to Write Learning Objectives with Bloom’s Taxonomy [Video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXGOjzcQdhQ

Shaw, A., (2017 October 12). 3 tips for writing measurable objectives. How to write well-defined
learning objectives. Wiley University Services. Available at https://ctl.wiley.com/3-tips
writing-measurable-objectives/