Abstract:

The importance of laboratory instruction for science students is widely recognized. Though assessment is a way of improving the quality of student learning, evaluation of laboratory learning remains unresolved. Specific exams for assessing laboratory instruction are frequently used. However, another approach is the use of questions designed to assess different aspects of the learning outcomes acquired through laboratory experiments and included in the general exams. Multiple choice questions (MCQ) are widely used to diagnose areas of conceptual difficulty and as an assessment instrument. Though some authors indicate that MCQ evaluate in a high percentage rote memory this depends largely on the formulation of the questions. In fact, MCQ can potentially be used to evaluate all levels of cognitive skills included in Bloom’s taxonomy with the only exception of the ability to synthesize. The Blooming Biology Tool (BBT) can be advantageously used to categorize MCQ in order to place particular emphasis on evaluating additional skills to memory capacity. MCQ designed to assess different aspects of the learning outcomes acquired through theory classes and through laboratory experiments have been used in the exams of undergraduate Biology students enrolled in a Plant Physiology course. We performed an analysis of the questions used during the 2000-2012 period to evaluate one of the topics (respiration in plants). The questions were classified following the BBT as Lower Order Cognitive Skills (LOCS), which includes memorization and a minimum level of understanding, and Higher Order Cognitive Skills (HOCS), which includes critical thinking, and with application skills as an intermediate between LOCS and HOCS. The results obtained from this study demonstrate that MCQ are not necessarily prone to evaluate LOCS and can be effectively used to assess knowledge obtained through any of the learning activities of the course, including laboratory instruction, thus helping to avoid the dichotomy theory/practice usually found among students.

Keywords:

Assessment, biology, blooming biology tool (BBT), Bloom’s taxonomy, evaluation of laboratory instruction, higher- and lower-order cognitive skills (LOCS and HOCS), plant physiology, tertiary education, undergraduate students.