Teachers understanding about cognitive level on science test items

Abstract

This study aims to describe science teachers understanding about cognitive level on science test items. Subjects of the study were 30 secondary school science teachers from 4 districts in Banten Province, Indonesia. Data were collected from online survey about teacher’s ability to determine cognitive levels on five science test items from TIMSS 2013. Teacher’s professional development on assessment and higher order thinking skills (HOTS) item development were asked in the survey as well. Blueprint and test booklet from X district were analysed to get information about teachers skills in developing HOTS items. The results showed that the teachers tended to assume items with lower cognitive level as a higher cognitive level items. Teachers from X district claimed that 4 items from summative test were in the level C4. Meanwhile, referred to the item analysis in item construction, it was showed that those 4 items were still classified in the level C2. From the survey results, the average duration for teacher’s professional development programs on assessment and HOTS item development is only 5-6 hours at district level (MGMP). The activities in those programs were still lack of direct practice on developing a valid and reliable assessment especially in developing HOTS items. Intensive teachers professional development programs are really needed to improve teachers skills in developing HOTS items.