By: Dr. Reyaz Ahmad
The growing capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) are having an impact on the quickly changing sector of education. This shift raises the important question of whether Bloom’s Taxonomy, a long-tested paradigm, is still relevant in today’s AI-driven world. Bloom’s hierarchy of learning objectives, which begins with remembering and ends with producing, has guided educators for a long time. However, the architecture may no longer be able to meet the expectations of modern education because many of these tasks can now be readily accomplished with the help of programs like ChatGPT.
The way we think, teach, and learn is being altered by artificial intelligence. The question of whether Bloom’s Taxonomy still has a place in higher education or if it has outlived its usefulness naturally emerges as colleges adjust to this change.
What Is Bloom’s Taxonomy?
Developed in the 1950s by Benjamin Bloom and later revised, Bloom’s Taxonomy is a framework that classifies learning into six cognitive levels:
- Remember
- Understand
- Apply
- Analyze
- Evaluate
- Create
Educators use it to structure curriculum, assessments, and learning outcomes. The idea is that students move from basic knowledge to deeper, more complex thinking.
The Problem in an AI-Driven World
AI tools like ChatGPT, Wolfram Alpha, and Copilot can now generate code, analyze texts, solve equations, and even create essays. This blurs the lines between the levels Bloom identified.
For example:
- A student can apply a math concept or create a poem with AI assistance without fully understanding the underlying logic or making an independent judgment.
- Remembering facts or understanding a concept is now often outsourced to search engines or AI summaries.
So, what happens when machines can do most of the “lower” and even some of the “higher” order thinking?
Do We Still Need Bloom’s Taxonomy?
Yes—but not in its traditional, hierarchical form.
Bloom’s taxonomy was built in a world where knowledge was scarce and human processing was slow. In today’s information-saturated, AI-assisted environment, what matters more is how learners interact with knowledge, not just what they learn or how well they recall it.
Real-World Example:
A student studying marketing uses AI to generate a campaign. They plug in data, get output, and present it. On the surface, they’ve “created” something. But without evaluating AI biases, analyzing data accuracy, or reflecting on audience impact, the student misses critical thinking steps.
In this case, AI accelerates the doing but can mask the absence of understanding and judgment.
Rethinking Learning Goals
Instead of discarding Bloom’s Taxonomy, we should adapt it:
- Integrate AI literacy into each cognitive level
o Remember: What are the limitations of AI memory?
o Analyze: What bias might be in this AI-generated analysis?
- Focus on meta-cognition and ethical thinking
Knowing how to think about thinking, how to verify information, and how to use AI responsibly becomes as crucial as producing answers.
- Emphasize interdisciplinary and project-based learning
Learning by doing—through real-world problems—lets students use AI as a tool while applying judgment, collaboration, and creativity.
Alternative Frameworks to Consider
- Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning
Includes integration, human dimension, and caring—elements that are harder for AI to replicate.
- 21st-Century Skills Models
Focus on critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity (the “4 Cs”) as core competencies in an AI world.
- Design Thinking Approaches
Empathize → Define → Ideate → Prototype → Test—this non-linear model fosters innovation beyond Bloom’s vertical hierarchy.
Conclusion
Bloom’s Taxonomy is not obsolete, but it’s not enough on its own anymore. In the age of AI, education must evolve from producing answers to cultivating questions. That means rethinking how we structure learning—not just to outpace machines, but to stay meaningfully human in how we learn, think, and create.
The writer is Faculty of Mathematics, Department of General Education SUC, Sharjah, UAE. Email: reyaz56@gmail.com