Will this be on the test? Characterizing the cognitive levels of undergraduate biology courses

Abstract

Undergraduates’ motivation to learn is complex, driven in part by course assessments and student expectations of those assessments. Using Bloom's Taxonomy, we characterized cognitive learning levels of biology assessments. We specifically ask (1) what cognitive skills are assessed in introductory and upper level biology courses and (2) how well aligned are introductory and upper level biology courses? Three independent raters coded over 3000 assessment items from introductory and advanced biology courses; agreement among raters was 83%. Assessments in introductory biology courses assessed primarily knowledge (57% of items) and comprehension (36% of items); upper level courses also assessed primarily knowledge and comprehension (75% and 18%, respectively), with a limited number of items assessing higher cognitive levels. These results may reinforce student‐held beliefs that biology is about memorizing facts. In the midst of transforming and reforming undergraduate biology education, revisiting how we assess students’ learning is critical for scaffolding the development of students’ cognitive abilities to gain skills of practicing scientists. Supported in part by NSF‐DUE #0833268.