Cognitive Skills Reflection and Distribution in EFL Program Testing

Abstract

The present study aims at figuring out the extent to which the low-order cognitive skills (LOCS) and high-order cognitive skills (HOCS) are reflected and systematically distributed in the first and eighth levels exam question papers. The study adopts the assumption that, critical thinking skills and creative thinking skills are adequately reflected and distributed in the exam question papers based on Bloom's Taxonomy of the Learning Behavior. The tool used for data collection is a check list containing cognitive domain order which is based on Bloom's Taxonomy. The goal is to ascertain whether questions at level 1 and level 8 offered in English language program in the College of Science and Arts in Mahayel Asir are adequately adjusted to the taxonomy. The descriptive and analytical method is applied to analyze the data. The researchers reviewed relevant literature and assessed similar results. The findings of the study revealed that lower-order cognitive skills for level 1 (88.23%) are used in the question papers more than higher-order cognitive skills (11.77%). On the other extreme, lower-order cognitive skills in level 8 (93.86%) are mostly used in the question papers more than higher- order cognitive skills (6.14%). There are adequate distribution and reflection of cognitive skills in level1 exam questions. This is not the case as in level 8 where the focus was wholly based on the lower-order at the cost of the higher-order cognitive skills.