Cognitive levels of learning objectives

A taxonomy for specifying what learners should be able to do through cognitive activities and observable action statements.

Framework · Education

Core concepts

• Learning objectives: outcomes expressed as observable performance
• Cognitive activities: distinctions such as knowledge, understanding, application and analysis
• Assessment alignment: evidence of performance matching the objective

Application

When lesson goals are vague, specify learner performance and assessment tasks together.

Limitations and jurisdiction

The original and revised taxonomies use different terminology. Do not rank every task on a single hierarchy or determine difficulty from a verb alone.

Editorial perspectives

• Foundations: check knowledge and understanding needed for subsequent performance.
• Transfer: check application and analysis in new situations.

Sources

Cornell Center for Teaching Innovation · Teaching material covering the 1956 original and 2001 revision

Context: International reference; verify the application environment

Source checked: 2026-10-07

Independent editorial summary and source link; the original text is not republished.

Related personas

Translation status

Editorial English translation of the Korean edition. No professional translation or occupational expert review has been completed. Translation does not change the source jurisdiction.

Translation prepared: 2026-10-09 · Source fingerprint: kb-1ea678e5e49b0573

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