Modified Bloom's Taxonomy: Perspective of a Doctor of Philosophy Scholar
Authors: Omer Wafa 
Published: February 2025

The educational landscape is constantly evolving; with it, the frameworks we use to assess and foster learning must adapt. One such framework, Bloom's Taxonomy, has been a cornerstone in education since its inception in 1956.1 It first offered a hierarchical picture of cognitive abilities, from basic recollection to intricate assessment. But in a time of multidisciplinary integration and quick technical breakthroughs, reviewing and adapting this taxonomy to fit modern educational requirements is essential. As a doctor of philosophy, I suggest a revised Bloom's Taxonomy that leads to the highest learning objective: integration into practice-based systems. As a PhD and post-doc, I regularly develop original ideas, but I think the hardest part is integrating them into practice-based systems. The healthcare system does not gain from the innovations that are developed since they are not incorporated into the system and eventually go away.
Revisiting Bloom's Taxonomy
Knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation were the six levels that made up Bloom's original taxonomy. These categories were modified to Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyse, Evaluate, and Create in 2001 by Anderson and Krathwohl. The generation of new ideas was emphasised as the highest cognitive capacity in this version, which moved the emphasis from static knowledge to dynamic processes.2 Though the updated taxonomy provides a strong foundation for cognitive growth, it falls short of addressing education's ultimate objective, which is real-world application in systems.
The Need for Practice-Based Systems
The significance of education in the linked world of today is found in both the development and acquisition of knowledge as well as in its efficient application. Integrative frameworks known as practice-based systems place a strong emphasis on converting theoretical knowledge into practical abilities for use in both professional and real-world settings.3 This method guarantees that learning is not only profound and long-lasting, but also immediately applicable and significant.
Modified Bloom's Taxonomy: A New Hierarchy
The proposed modified Bloom's Taxonomy includes the following levels, with incorporation in practice-based systems as the highest:

Remember: Recalling facts and basic concepts.
Understand: Explaining ideas or concepts.
Apply: Using information in new situations.
Analyze: Drawing connections among ideas.
Evaluate: Justifying a decision or course of action.
Create: Producing new or original work.
Incorporate: Embedding the innovation into practice-based systems. Potential verbs for this level: Embed, integrate, encompass, assimilate, blend, fuse.
From Creation to Incorporation
Although coming up with new concepts is an important first step, integration is what connects theoretical knowledge with real-world implementation.4 To ensure that the newly developed knowledge informs, enhances, and innovates real-world processes, it must be incorporated into practice-based systems. This greatest level of cognitive ability demonstrates a thorough comprehension of the topic and its ramifications, as well as the capacity to establish and maintain advancements in professional practice.5
Implications for Education and Training
The highest level of Bloom's Taxonomy's inclusion of practice-based systems has significant ramifications for training and education. It promotes a change from learning only theory to a more comprehensive strategy that emphasises real-world application and ongoing development.6 To promote a culture of creativity and lifelong learning, educational programs would concentrate not only on the creation of knowledge but also on how that information may be applied to other professional sectors.7
Current Dilemma
The most prominent challenge that is being faced in the thesis being written by PhD scholars is that the new innovative discovery never finds its way into the clinical practice or the workplace. It remains in text and the hardbound theses keep getting stacked in the storerooms of educational institutions as the scholars move on without even a pilot incorporation of their findings in the real workplace-based systems. Hence, this highest cognitive level must be made part of the objectives of the PhD scholar’s thesis so that it can make an impact through incorporation into the existing systems.
Conclusion: A crucial development for the twenty-first century is the updated Bloom's Taxonomy, which is incorporated as the apex in practice-based systems. It makes sure that students are not just informed and creative but also able to contribute significantly to their professions by bringing educational goals into line with the demands of a world that is changing quickly. As academics and educators, we must welcome this change and equip students to navigate and influence the future with competence, self-assurance, and a dedication to practical excellence.
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