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Topic 2

Basic Concepts in Tests & Assessments II

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Introduction

In this topic, understanding

you will enhance your on taxonomies of

instructional objectives. You will be taught on the purposes of tests and will be equipped with four main stages in constructing an exam paper.

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Topic Objectives

By the end of this topic, you should be able to :

  • use taxonomies of instructional objectives
  • know the purposes of tests
  • be aware of the steps that should be taken to design a test paper

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Using Taxonomies of Instructional Objectives

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  • When designing test items, a test designer needs to refer to taxonomies of instructional objectives.
  • Two common taxonomies in Malaysia :
  • Bloom’s taxonomy
  • Barrett’s taxonomy
  • These taxonomies help a test designer in developing more appropriate test items

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Bloom’s Taxonomy

1956 : Bloom’s Taxonomy was introduced by Benjamin Bloom

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2001 : It was modified by Lorin Anderson and David Krathwoh

- The most significant change was the removal of ‘Synthesis’ and the addition of ‘Creation’ as the highest-level which is the most complex or demanding cognitive skill.

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Bloom (1956)

Anderson (2001)

Test Items

Knowledge

Remembering

Identify the main characters in the novel

Comprehension

Understanding

List down the family issues in the novel

Application

Applying

Relate the family issues in the novel similar to your family issues

Analysis

Analysing

What literary devices were used to convey the father’s feelings?

Synthesis

Evaluating

Based on the story, evaluate the measures taken by the eldest daughter to solve the family issues

Evaluation

Creating

Create a twisted ending

Figure 2.1 The levels in Bloom’s Taxonomy and matching test items

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Figure 2.2 Verbs in Bloom’s Taxonomy that could be used in designing test items

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  • Bloom’s Taxonomy consists of 6 levels.
  • The original sequence of cognitive skills was Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis and Evaluation
  • All the levels are hierarchical

1

4

3

The most basic skills are remembering : learners need to only recall specific facts

Lower-order thinking skills :

  • remembering
  • understanding
  • applying

Understanding : Students only need to understand or grasp

meaning of the material

2

Higher order thinking skills :

  • analysing
  • evaluating
  • creating

The students could not apply the lesson learnt if they could not remember and understand the lesson learnt.

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Barrett’s Taxonomy

  • It was introduced in 1976
  • It is normally used in developing reading comprehension questions

Figure 2.3 Barrett’s Taxonomy

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Examples of questions designed using Barrett’s Taxonomy

Level 1 : Literal Comprehension

  • Entailing (1) recognition and (2) recall of ideas and information explicitly stated in the reading selection
  • Recall of Details - Main ideas and Supporting Details

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E.g :

  1. Who are the people in the story/the text/passage?
  2. Where does the story take place?

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Examples of questions designed using Barrett’s Taxonomy

Level 2 : Reorganization

  • Dealing with the organizing of ideas and information explicitly
  • This is a more complex task in comparison to literal comprehension
  • You may paraphrase or translate the author’s statements

E.g : Rearrange these sentences in the correct order of the story

​

The daughter took all the food that they had saved to the mother’s camp

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The mother did not eat any food the daughter brought

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The five children saved food that they were given to give to their parents

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The daughter took the food to the father’s camp

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Examples of questions designed using Barrett’s Taxonomy

Level 3 : Evaluation

Table 1 :

  • You are trying to reduce your weight. Which meal should you order?

Per Serving

Calories

Protein

Fat

Fish and chips with coleslaw

1100

55

65

Cheeseburger

760

34

47

French fries

211

3

10

Nasi lemak with fried chicken

2000

100

150

Hotdog with chilli

330

14

19

Milkshake with bun

520

11

13

Nasi dagang

1800

120

100

Laksa Penang

1500

180

90

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Examples of questions designed using Barrett’s Taxonomy

Level 4 : Appreciation

  • involving all the above cognitive dimensions of reading and requiring to be aesthetically and emotionally, (affectively) sensitive to the ideas and information in the reading selection

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E.g :

What parts of the story were most interesting to you? What is the moral value of the story?

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Examples of questions designed using Barrett’s Taxonomy

Level 5 : Classification

  • Refer to Table :

Categorize the meals into traditional meal and fast food

Traditional

Fast food

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2

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Formative Activities

  • Draw

a test blueprint for the course

or subject

that

you taught in your institution.

Present the

test

blueprint.

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3

Discussion Questions

  • Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the steps taken by your institution in preparing an exam paper. Provide suggestions to improve the current steps.

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References

  1. Creating Exams.

https: /www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/assesslearning/creatingexams.ht ml

  1. Test Blueprint Guide.

https: /www.clemson.edu/otei/documents/Teaching%20Review%20Resource s/Test_Blueprint_Guide_final.pdf

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Conclusion

  • Today’s topic should enhance your understanding on taxonomies of instructional objectives
  • You have learnt on the purposes of tests
  • You have been equipped with the four main steps in designing an exam paper