Bloom’s and assessment
In my last blog on assessment I looked at some of the key words we use in assessment and the fact that these are often Lower Order Thinking skills (LOTS) rather than the Higher Order skills (HOTS).
So I went on to the NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) web site and downloaded a paper from last years examination round. This is a level 2 chemistry paper. Have a look at the keywords (highlighted below). I have matched these to Bloom’s taxonomy
- drawing (understanding)
- naming (remembering)
- explain (understanding)
- state (remembering)
- Discuss (understanding)
- identify (remembering)
- describe (understanding)
These are lower level thinking skills. Our assessments need to look at higher order thinking skills rather than low level recall and understanding.
Can we test or examine higher level thinking skills in an examination setting?
July 11th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
If you still have to recall large amounts of knowledge then the use of higher order thinking skills is going to make it extremely demanding. I think these skills are better assessed elsewhere and in an ongoing way (rather than a one off assessment). I agree with you – exams are very limited in assessing 21st century learning.
[Reply]
July 12th, 2008 at 7:19 am
Hi Darren,
thats true if we examine in the current mode.
But knowledge and understanding are inherent and underpin higher level thinking. I suspect we have too much focus on regurgitating facts and not enough focus on implementing the knowledge.
If I was to give my students raw data on a topic they have studied, and provide them with suitable stimulus material; and then ask them to process and display the data to look for trends within it; to analyse and evaluate the trends and relate it to prior knowledge they would get higher level thinking.
We could easily structure the questions to still include recall/remembering (If required) but focus on analysis and evaluation. The evaluation and analysis of a student with good knowledge and understanding will be far superior to those with limited knowledge and understanding.
It would also be hard work to write, to sit and probably to mark, but its not impossible.
As we have previously discussed, recall is the main focus of many examinations, we are only examining lower order thinking.
I agree that continuous assessments are better but there are issues with a change in the assessment paradigm. Consistency and continuity are ones that leap to mind immediately. The logistics of moderation etc. The additive curriculum that always grows and never seems to be reduced.
But if we want a knowledge economy, if we want to encourage higher order thinking (which we must do) then our 20th Century assessment systems need revision and review.
[Reply]
August 29th, 2008 at 9:30 am
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