The Analysis of Chemistry Teachers Exam Questions in Regards to the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy and Their Comparison with OSYM Questions


Yıldırım T.

PAMUKKALE UNIVERSITESI EGITIM FAKULTESI DERGISI-PAMUKKALE UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, no.50, pp.449-467, 2020 (ESCI) identifier

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the exam questions prepared by chemistry teachers in accordance with the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy and to compare the cognitive levels assessed by the questions of the chemistry teachers in the study with the cognitive levels assessed by university entrance exam questions. The study is conducted using document analysis, which one of the qualitative research methods. The data consist of the exam questions (787 in total) prepared by chemistry teachers working in 5 different high schools in the center of Artvin province during the 2018-2019 educational year and chemistry questions in university entrance examination tests (207) within the course of 6 year period (2014-2019). The findings of the study suggest that in terms of cognitive processes dimension, nearly all of the questions of the chemistry teachers (%98) are in the lower cognitive process level and the students are asked from remembering, understanding and applying levels. In terms of knowledge dimension, it is found that that chemistry teachers mostly ask questions at the level of conceptual knowledge. When a comparison is made between the questions of university entrance exam questions and the questions asked by the chemistry teachers, we can see that university entrance exam questions mostly concentrate on conceptual knowledge questions whereas the questions of the chemistry teachers mostly concentrate on factual questions. Procedural knowledge questions are found to be at the same level in both groups. Metacognitive ability questions are never asked by both chemistry teachers and by the Student Selection and Placement Center. In regards to the cognitive processes dimension, it can be concluded the chemistry teachers ask more questions based on remembrance in written exams whereas in university entrance examinations, questions in understanding, applying and analysis levels are used more frequently.