Bloom's Taxonomy in Pakistani School Education: A Pathway to Enhance Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)

Abstract

Bloom's Taxonomy, a pedagogical framework for classifying cognitive learning objectives, plays a pivotal role in shaping educational practices globally. However, its effective application in Pakistan's educational system remains a challenge, particularly in the context of integrating Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) alongside Lower Order Thinking Skills (LOTS). This review assesses the current status of Bloom's Taxonomy in Pakistani schools, highlights systemic barriers to its implementation, and explores the significance of policy reforms to foster HOTS in both public and private sectors. The review argues that while there are pockets of progress, the prevalence of rote memorization in classrooms prevents the realization of the full potential of Bloom’s framework. It proposes specific reforms aimed at fostering a deeper, more comprehensive learning approach through the integration of HOTS.