How one professor sparks deeper learning with Mentimeter and Bloom's Taxonomy
Learning works best when it’s active, applied, engaging and self-driven.
When Dr. Vidhi Thakkar steps into her classroom at University Canada West, it’s not to lecture - it’s to let students take the driver’s seat in taking ownership of their learning. With a background in health services, policy research, and project management, Vidhi knows that learning works best when it’s active, applied, engaging and self-driven. And that’s exactly what she delivers with the help of Mentimeter.
I like the idea of the flipped classroom and putting the student in charge of their own learning, the students in my class know it's a very fun, engaging, and interactive learning experience with role playing, Mentimeter activities, and case studies.
At the heart of her approach? Bloom’s Taxonomy and Mentimeter.
Vidhi was introduced to Bloom’s Taxonomy early in her teaching career, during professional development sessions at the University of Toronto. "They had sessions on how to teach in interactive ways, and that’s where I first learned about Bloom’s Taxonomy," she explains.
As for Mentimeter? She’s been using it since her days as a teaching assistant. But it wasn’t until she was asked to create a presentation that the pieces came together. "That’s when I made the connection - Mentimeter isn’t just useful for knowledge checks, you can do so much more," Vidhi says.
"Using Mentimeter is a great way to assess how students apply, analyze, and even create based on what they’ve learned in alignment with learning objectives. It gives the instructor a pulse and compass of the students’ knowledge to see what they have learned well and what areas they need to teach in a different way."
- Vidhi Thakkar, Associate Professor
From that point on, she began intentionally designing Mentimeter questions to align with different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, helping students engage with material more deeply and helping her see where they might need support.
Mentimeter isn’t just useful for knowledge checks, you can do so much more
Vidhi integrates Mentimeter throughout her project management courses to align directly with Bloom’s six levels of learning. It’s not just about checking knowledge, each Menti activity is intentionally crafted to target a specific type of cognitive skill, from simple recall to complex creation. Here's how she brings each level to life:
This is the foundation where students recall basic facts, definitions, and core concepts. Vidhi uses straightforward Multiple Choice questions in Mentimeter to test core knowledge, for example, "What are the three components of the Iron Triangle in project management?"
These quick polls help students anchor essential ideas and terminology, and they give Vidhi instant insight into whether the class is keeping up with the foundational knowledge.
At this level, it’s about interpreting meaning and making sense of concepts. Vidhi uses Multiple Choice questions based on realistic project scenarios, asking students to identify the correct approach. These questions put students in the role of a project manager, helping them connect theory to practice and build career-relevant skills.
"You’re a project manager in an organization that uses two-to-four-week sprint cycles. This is an example of which type of project approach?"
Options like Agile, Traditional, Kanban, or Scrum push students to translate what they've learned into applied recognition. These scenario-based questions test whether students can go beyond memorization and accurately interpret real-world applications. Vidhi’s students say these exercises are especially valuable when practicing the role of a project manager, as they help them build confidence in understanding and applying core concepts.
Now it’s about using knowledge in new contexts. Vidhi sets up calculation-based questions that mirror what students would encounter on the job. For example, she gives them a formula for evaluating a project’s return on investment, along with a fresh scenario and data set.
"Based on this financial data, as a project manager, would you invest in this project? Please calculate the payback period and return on investment and decide."
Students have to apply known methods to new problems and input answers in Mentimeter to choose the correct decision path. Here is an example of a cost-variance calculation question that Vidhi has used in one of her classes:
Vidhi ramps up complexity by asking students to break down and assess multifaceted project dilemmas to address project risk.
"Your project is over budget and behind schedule. Your supplier has just informed you they’ll be delayed. What do you do?"
Mentimeter offers multiple-choice options like:
Find a new supplier
Request additional contingency funding
Update stakeholders
A combination of the above
Students are expected to weigh the pros and cons, connect different pieces of information, and make a judgment. Vidhi uses these questions to see whether students can analyze a scenario, not just react to it. Students have found these types of questions to be valuable in giving them the confidence to take key next steps as a project manager in resolving project risk.
At this level, students are expected to justify decisions, assess alternatives, and support their thinking with evidence. To develop these skills, Vidhi incorporates tools like Project Libre, where students create work breakdown structures and analyze project data to support their recommendations.
She also uses role-playing scenarios to explore real-world dilemmas, such as how to manage project risks and get a delayed project back on track. These exercises are paired with Mentimeter polls and reflection questions like, "What tools help a project manager evaluate and reduce risk regularly?" Students actively discuss answers, such as risk assessment matrices or live-risk dashboards, bringing abstract concepts to life through peer learning and applied thinking.
By combining interactive tools with realistic situations, Vidhi helps students evaluate complex project challenges in a way that feels practical and relevant, preparing them to make confident, evidence-based decisions in their future careers.
At the top of Bloom’s pyramid, students are tasked with building something new. In group projects, they use Project Libre Project Management software to design key project documents such as charters, work breakdown structures, RACI matrices, risk assessments, contingency plans, and business communications.
Examples include writing business letters to stakeholders outlining risks, requesting additional funding from sponsors, or developing full project plans together. Mentimeter supports these activities with reflective word clouds and debriefs. After role-playing exercises, Vidhi often prompts students with a question like, "What was your biggest learning from this exercise?" encouraging them to share insights in one or two words.
The class then sees a word cloud of takeaways, building shared insight and reinforcing the value of peer learning.
What Vidhi values most about Mentimeter is how versatile it is - it’s not just for live sessions, but also a great tool for self-study.
"I’ve had students tell me they collect all the Mentimeter slides and turn them into a PowerPoint to quiz themselves, sometimes even on their commute," Vidhi says. "They’ll try to answer the questions without looking at the answers first, as a way to study for exams. One student actually created a full presentation of all the Mentimeter slides and shared it with the class as a study tool for the final exam. It really helped everyone, and that student ended up doing very well in the course."
That kind of learning ownership? Exactly what Vidhi’s aiming for!
Vidhi has a few practical tips for instructors looking to get started with Bloom’s and Mentimeter:
Start with your learning objectives.
Design your Mentimeter questions backward from what you want students to achieve.
Mix it up.
Use multiple choice, word clouds, true/false - whatever fits the level you’re targeting.
Plan ahead.
"I try to include two to three questions per concept," she says. "It takes time to write the questions, but it’s worth it when you see the students really learn the concepts well through the Mentimeter questions."
Make it fun.
Add a gamified and competitive element to boost engagement. For example, offer small incentives like bonus participation marks or a prize for the fastest correct answer.
Listen to your students.
Mentimeter gives students a chance to reflect and gives instructors real-time insights into class knowledge levels.
For Vidhi, Mentimeter is more than a classroom tool - it’s a way to bring learning objectives to life and keep students actively engaged. "It really helps them absorb the knowledge," she says. Whether it’s recalling key concepts or applying complex formulas, she sees the impact when students email her after class to say how much they enjoyed the session and how it helped them take charge of their learning.
Ultimately, Vidhi believes this kind of interactive learning has long-term benefits. "At the end of the day, we want to have a positive impact on our students. They’re going to carry their knowledge and skills into their careers and have a positive impact in the organizations within which they work in the community. Therefore, we want to ensure that we center our teaching on action learning, career-readiness, and technology integration with Mentimeter and Project Libre Project management software."