Promoting Higher-Order Thinking through Bloom’s Taxonomy: A Review Study

Abstract

Bloom's Taxonomy has been a fundamental framework for organizing learning goals and evaluating cognitive growth. With a specific focus on Pakistan, this review study looks at how Bloom's Taxonomy especially its updated version promotes Higher Order Thinking Skills in modern educational environments. The study examines the conceptual underpinnings of HOTS, their alignment with Bloom's Taxonomy's upper levels (analyzing, evaluating, and producing), and their importance in preparing students for the demands of the twenty-first century, drawing on both domestic and international literature. The study highlights instructors' perspectives, teaching methods, and evaluation techniques while synthesizing findings from other studies on the application of HOTS in diverse classroom environments. Additionally, it critically examines how Bloom's Taxonomy is used in Pakistani teacher education programs, curricula, and evaluation systems. The study highlights the main obstacles to promoting higher order thinking skills in Pakistan, such as a culture that prioritizes rote memorizing due to exams, a lack of teacher preparation, a lack of resources, and a poor alignment between policy and practice. The study emphasizes how important government policies and teacher professional development are in fostering higher-order cognitive abilities. It is concluded that although Bloom's Taxonomy provides a strong framework for improving critical and creative thinking, systemic changes in curriculum design, assessment procedures, and ongoing teacher training programs are necessary for its successful application in Pakistan.