The Application of Blooms Taxonomy to Test Design

1
The Application of Blooms Taxonomy to Test Design

• Presenter Alicia Collado, Argentina.
• FLTA Program
• Simpson College, IA.

2
The Problem

• Students of Spanish 102 obtained low scores in
  the written exam.
• However, most of them had an outstanding
  performance in the oral exam and in the
  production parts of the written exam.
• Students commented on the difficulties they had
  with the layout and the organization of the
  written test.

3
How the problem was solved

• The teacher in charge and I decided to take a
  make-up test.
• We decided to reorganize the written exam and
  modify the layout.
• We applied the revised version of Blooms
  Taxonomy to design the make-up test.

4
The Organization of the New Make-up Test

• It was based on the six cognitive levels
  developed in Blooms Taxonomy (1956).

5
Section I Knowledge

• Look at the drawings and label the actions
  depicted in Spanish (5 x 1 point 5 points)
• ________ ____________________________
• ________________________
  ___

______________________________________
6
Section II Understand

• Listen to the narration of your Instructors
  vacation and answer the comprehension questions
  that follow in English (5 x 1 5 points).
•  
• a) What two celebrations are mentioned?
•  
• b) What did they do in Texas?
• c) Mention one thing that was eaten at the
  restaurant.
• d) How did they feel when it was time to come
  back?

7
Section III Apply

• 1. Complete the following passages with the
  appropriate preterite forms of the verbs in
  parentheses using the specified subject. (17 x 1
  17 points )
•  
• (Eva)
• El año pasado Eva se _________________(casa
  r) y __________________(ir) a vivir a México con
  su esposo. Después de tres meses
  ____________________________ (empezar) a estudiar
  para enfermera en la Universidad. Este verano
  ____________________________ (viajar) a Californa
  dónde ____________________________ (reunirse) con
  sus parientes. Durante sus vacaciones
  ____________________________ (ver) a muchos
  amigos y lo ____________________________
  (divertirse) mucho.

8
Section IV Analyze

• Complete the passage with the correct verb forms
  from the verb bank (5 x 2 10)
• hacer pasarlo tener
  traer venir
•  
• Durante la Navidad
• La familia de Ramón _________________________u
  na reunión familiar muy bonita para la Navidad.
  Todos sus hijos ________________________________
  de Dallas y Denver y _____________________________
  ___ regalos para todos. Su mamá
  ________________________________ una gran cena
  para la Nochebuena con sopa de pescado y un
  pastel de Navidad. Todos _______________________
  __ bien.

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Section V Evaluate

• Answer the following questions in complete
  sentences, according to your own experience (each
  question 3 points 1 for appropriateness, 2 for
  grammar / syntax x 10 30 points)
•  
• Adónde y con quién prefieres ir de vacaciones?
• Adónde fuiste durante tus últimas (last)
  vacaciones?
• A quién le mandaste una tarjeta postal? (Use
  double object pronoun in your answer)
• Adónde te gustaría viajar el próximo verano?

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Section VI Create

• Write one paragraph about last summer using the
  preterite tense. Make sure to address the
  following points (10 points for content 10
  points for grammar / syntax 20 points).
•  
• Where did you live and with whom.
• Did you travel? If so, where?
• Did you work? Where?
• What did you do in your free time? (list at least
  two activities)
• What did you enjoy the most about last summer?

11
Results

• Students could express what they had learned in
  a different way.
• Students preferred this exam layout rather than
  the previous one.
• Students performed better and were able to obtain
  better grades.

12
Credits

• Slide 4. Retrieved Dec 2008.
• http//www.flickr.com/photos/wfryer/361710524/
• Slides 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Corni-Benson, Marzia.
  Simpson College, Fall 2008.
• Bloom B. S. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives,
  Handbook I The Cognitive Domain. New York David
  McKay Co Inc, 1956.