Learning Objectives That Work: Writing with Bloom’s Taxonomy

Whether you’re designing your first online course or your fiftieth, your learning objectives are the compass that guides everything. They tell the learner what they’ll achieve, help you choose the right content and assessments, and serve as a benchmark for success.

But here’s the catch: vague objectives lead to vague outcomes. That’s where Bloom’s Taxonomy comes in—a powerful framework that helps you write clear, actionable, and measurable learning objectives.

In this article, we’ll explore:

• What makes a good learning objective
• How Bloom’s Taxonomy works
• Real examples across levels of learning
• A step-by-step guide to writing your own objectives

What Are Learning Objectives (And Why Do They Matter)?

A learning objective describes what the learner should be able to do after completing a lesson, module, or course.

Not what they’ll "know" or "understand"—but what they’ll do.

A strong objective:

• Focuses on learner action
• Uses observable, measurable verbs
• Aligns with assessment and activities
• Matches the cognitive level needed for the task

Good learning objectives = better instructional design, better learning, and better results.

Introducing Bloom’s Taxonomy

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a hierarchical model used to classify educational learning objectives into levels of complexity and specificity.

The 6 Levels (Revised Version)

Level	Cognitive Skill	Keywords
1. Remember	Recall facts and concepts	List, Define, Identify, Recognize
2. Understand	Explain ideas or concepts	Summarize, Describe, Interpret
3. Apply	Use information in new ways	Use, Implement, Demonstrate
4. Analyze	Draw connections	Compare, Contrast, Differentiate
5. Evaluate	Justify decisions	Critique, Assess, Argue, Recommend
6. Create	Produce original work	Design, Construct, Develop, Compose

Each level builds on the previous one. As an instructional designer, your job is to decide what level your learners need to reach, then write your objectives accordingly.

How to Write Learning Objectives Using Bloom’s Taxonomy

Here’s a simple 3-part formula for writing strong objectives:

[Learner] will be able to [verb] [object/context/condition].

✅ Example (Weak vs Strong)

❌ Weak:
Understand basic project management tools

✅ Strong:
Identify and describe five project management tools used in agile teams

Bloom’s Verbs by Level (Cheat Sheet)

Level	Good Verbs to Use
Remember	List, Name, Identify, Recognize
Understand	Summarize, Explain, Describe, Classify
Apply	Use, Solve, Demonstrate, Execute
Analyze	Differentiate, Compare, Organize, Distinguish
Evaluate	Judge, Recommend, Critique, Defend
Create	Design, Compose, Construct, Develop

❗ Tip: Avoid vague verbs like know, learn, understand—you can’t measure them directly.

Real-World Examples by Bloom’s Level

Learning Goal	Objective Using Bloom’s Taxonomy	Level
Learn basic HTML	Identify and describe five common HTML tags	Remember
Explain design thinking	Summarize the five stages of the design thinking process	Understand
Apply CSS to a webpage	Use CSS to change the layout and color of a webpage section	Apply
Evaluate two LMS platforms	Compare and contrast Moodle and TalentLMS for online course delivery	Analyze
Write feedback for a peer’s lesson plan	Critique a peer’s lesson plan using instructional design principles	Evaluate
Build a prototype training module	Design and develop a 5-minute eLearning prototype using Rise	Create

Tools & Tips for Writing Better Objectives

• Use tools like Bloom’s Taxonomy Wheel or Verb Lists
• Start objectives early in your design process—they guide your content choices
• Align every quiz, activity, and media element back to an objective
• Keep objectives visible in your course—learners benefit from knowing why they’re doing something

Pro Designer Insights

“A well-crafted learning objective doesn’t just guide design—it drives purpose. When the learner knows what they’re working toward, engagement and retention skyrocket.”
— Your future self as an expert instructional designer

Final Takeaway

If your course has clear, actionable, measurable objectives, you’re halfway to success.

Bloom’s Taxonomy isn’t just an academic theory. It’s your roadmap to building courses that are focused, accessible, and valuable for your learners.

Start simple. Pick the level your learners need to reach. Choose the right verb. Build everything around that.