Analysis of Turkish high-school physics-examination questions according to Bloom’s taxonomy

According to the findings from this research, it can be understood that teachers involved in this study use questions at application level to determine students’ achievements mostly. On the other hand, OSS exam comprising application and analysing cognitive level questions mostly (Table III, Tablo IV, Figure 3 and Azar, 2005).

Examination questions at application and lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy were prepared to measure students’ understanding of concepts, and applying level of physical reactions into problems and teaching formula. However, whether the questions examined in this study were new for students or they had come across them before the exams is not known. Consequently, some questions accepted as the application level, could be at knowledge or comprehension level. Also, researchers concluded that the questions examined were not suitable for students to perceive the basic concepts in physics, assimilate and interpret the physical events, and connect them with daily events and needs. This situation directs students to memorise the science concepts without understanding their real meaning.

Although the majority of the high school students take lower scores from the physics exams, these results reflect the real achievement on HOCS. Because, if students answer successfully many questions at OSS exams, they can be accepted as successful students in the Turkish context. In Turkey, the majority of the questions asked in the OSS exams, which have a turning point in students’ life, require analytic thinking and cross-examination of concepts (Tezbaşaran, 1994). However, it has been reported that students who have high academic achievement in science lessons were not capable of dealing successfully with many questions at the OSS exams (Morgil & Bayan, 1996).

Based on the results of this study, the following recommendations can be made, with the aim to contribute to improving students’ thinking abilities and ultimate achievement:

• Physics teachers should take into consideration students’ cognitive (developmental) level. For to do it; they have to control their cognitive levels with short quizes which has to applicate in short durations (for exp. Every two weeks).

• Teachers should ask HOCS type questions such as: Ionisation potential refers to the energy required to remove an electron from an atom. The first ionisation potential refers to the energy required to remove the first electron, the second potential refers to the removal of the second electron, etc. Which of the following two would you expect to have a higher ionisation potential: a sulphur atom or a phosphorus atom? Explain. (Zoller, Fastow, Lubezky & Tsaparlis, 1998).

• In student-teachers’ undergraduate programs, theoretical and practical training should be provided that will make students capable of planning and executing physics lessons, as well as preparing appropriate questions for various cognitive levels.

• Teachers should prepare exam questions in collaboration with their colleagues.

• Universities having specialists in physics education should give seminars and in-service courses on preparing physics lessons and questions.

Copyright (C) 2010 HKIEd APFSLT. Volume 11, Issue 1, Article 9 (Jun., 2010). All Rights Reserved.