Unpacking PIAAC’s cognitive skills measurements through engagement with Bloom’s taxonomy

Abstract

The Programme for International Assessment of Adult Skills (PIAAC) surveys people between the ages of 16 and 65 and includes an assessment of cognitive skills (literacy, numeracy and problem-solving in a technology-rich environment). In traditional educational psychology, Bloom’s taxonomy on cognitive domains is perceived as a core reference in the field and distinguishes between Low, Medium and Higher Order cognitive skills. However, Bloom’s work on the hierarchical nature of cognitive skills has not been referenced by the OECD in its PIAAC documentation. This paper demonstrates – through a text-based analysis of the PIAAC’s definitions of skills levels – that the OECD’s description of cognitive skills resembles keywords used by Bloom but does not explicitly define these through a hierarchical approach. Instead, high level cognitive skills are mainly characterised through the ability to apply cognitive strategies to unfamiliar contexts outside the adults’ immediate life circumstances.