Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference of Teaching and Learning (ICTL 2011)
INTI International University, Malaysia
ANALYTICAL AND EVALUATIVE STUDY OF
ENGLISH QUESTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
ASSOCIATE DEGREE EXAMINATION IN AL-BALQA
APPLIED UNIVERSITY FROM 2070 TO 2010
Mohammad Akram Alzu'bi
Al-Balqa Applied University, Jordan (zubi1978@yahoo.com)
ABSTRACT
This study aimed at analyzing, evaluating, and classifying the examination questions of the Community College
Associate Degree Examination based on Bloom’s cognitive levels. It would reveal the questions representation
of Bloom's cognitive levels by classifying them according to the required levels. The sample of the study
consists of English questions from the Community College Associate Degree Examination from 2007 to 2010.
The researcher developed an instrument of analysis based on Bloom's levels of cognitive domain. After making
sure of the validity and reliability of the instrument, the questions are analyzed and the data obtained put in to
tables of frequencies. This paper proposed a number of recommendations and suggestions for future research.
KEY WORDS
Assessment; Community College Associate Degree Examination; Bloom's Taxonomy; lower-order cognitive
skills (LOCS); higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS); evaluation; candidate; Bloom's taxonomy.
THE INTRODUCTION
The mid-tertiary education (community college) examination is considered as one of the most
important examinations for many students in Jordan. It is very significant for students,
instructors, parents and society because; it prepares students with the knowledge,
information, competencies and basic skills required for the exercise of tasks and
responsibilities of the job in a specific field of specialization to meet society’s needs. The
successful candidate also can move from the associate degree to the university programmes.
The exam is usually held in January and July of in any exam paper he/she has failed or in all
papers, in two consecutive years and according to the course curriculum in use.
The successful student is entitled to resit the exam once for all papers. The subjects to be
examined are generally distributed over four sessions with four papers: the first is for
university a requirement, the second is for the support programme requirements, whereas the
third and fourth are for the specialization requirements (Al-Balqa' Applied University (BAU)
2011). Since English is the dominant language and international language of communication,
science, information technology, business, aviation, and entertainment, English 101 is one of
the university requirements.
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Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference of Teaching and Learning (ICTL 2011)
INTI International University, Malaysia
Because the questions is considered as one of the curriculum elements and a tool for
evaluation, A lot of studies urge to be aware of technical of the questions that leads to
improve students' thinking skills. Sigel (1985) emphasized that the question that improve
thinking required different levels of difficulty rather than cognition. Also, achievement exams
linked with the goals of the course, varying, measure all cognitive levels, and suitable for all
students' levels. It's important to limit the goals in order to evaluate the students' achievement.
So, the instructors and teacher should recognize the goals to achieve them through
recognizing the characteristics of the learners, their needs, and attitudes. However, there are
several methods to evaluate and analyze exam questions. For example Bloom's classification
of Cognitive skills (Bloom's taxonomy) which is the most common one. It includes six levels
of cognition that ordered namely knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis,
and evaluation.
Bloom's taxonomy was created by Benjamin Bloom during the 1950s and is a way to
categorize the levels of reasoning skills required in classroom situations. There are six levels
in the taxonomy, each requiring a higher level of abstraction from the students. As a teacher,
you should attempt to move students up the taxonomy as they progress in their knowledge.
Tests that are written solely to assess knowledge are unfortunately very common. However,
to create thinkers as opposed to students who simply recall information, we must incorporate
the higher levels into lesson plans and tests.
The reason that some teachers fail to move students up the levels of Bloom's taxonomy are
many. For example, a teacher might have low expectations concerning the students' abilities.
This is unfortunate and becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Another reason might be that it is
difficult and time consuming for the teacher. It is much easier to grade assignments based on
the lower levels than on the higher levels. In fact, as you move up Bloom's taxonomy, you
will find that rubrics become more important to ensure fair, accurate, and quick grading.
In his experience as a language instructor, the researcher has noticed that there are few
experts and researchers who study, analyze and evaluate the Community College Associate
Degree Examination and the English paper in particularly. There are no studies that
investigate the degree of suitability of Bloom's levels distribution on English paper questions
according to accurate and controlled standards. He noticed a complain on the difficulty of
examination, not verified, and it maybe focus on lower levels.
As a result, the present study attempts to analyze and evaluate The Community College
Associate Degree Examination of English Paper in Al-Balqa Applied University using
Bloom's classification of cognitive skills.
Operational Definitions
The researcher adopted the following terms:
The mid-tertiary education (community college) examination is considered a nationwide
achievement-measuring tool applied to all students in all community colleges specializations
and aims at Controlling the inputs and outputs of the teaching learning and training processes,
and guaranteeing mastery of the required competencies, information and skills needed for job
practice. The exam results are used as the only reliable accreditation standard for the bridging
process with university programmes. Finally, it provides credibility to the associate degree
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Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference of Teaching and Learning (ICTL 2011)
INTI International University, Malaysia
and professional support to its holders. It is supervised by Al-Balqa Applied University
represented by the Department of Evaluation and General Examinations annually, supervised
by the university’s examinations higher committee(Al-Balqa Applied University, 2011).
Candidates for the exam are students enrolled in the two or three-year community colleges
programmes approved by the board of higher education.
Their colleges nominate them for the exam after completing their college graduation
requirements.Bloom's taxonomy: is a classification system of educational objectives based on
the level of student understanding necessary for achievement or mastery. It contains six
levels, with the principle that competence at a higher level implies a reasonable degree of
competence at the lower levels.
The purposes of this study are to:
1) To recognize and analyze the cognitive levels of English questions asked in the
Community College Associate Degree Examination based on Bloom’s Taxonomy.
2) To recognize the percentage of the questions included in every level of cognitive
levels.
Questions
I. What are the cognitive levels that Community College Associate Degree Examination
has measured in English course?
2. What are the percentages of the English questions included in Community College
Associate Degree Examination according to Bloom's taxonomy?
METHOD AND PROCEDURES
The sample of the study consists of English questions used in the Community College
Associate Degree Examination in Al-Balqa Applied University from 2007 to 2010 that were
prepared by Al-Balqa’ Applied University, represented by the Department of Evaluation and
General Examinations, undertakes the execution process of the examination annually,
supervised by the University’s Examinations Higher Committee.
Instruments of the study
For the purpose of the study, one instrument has been used which was analytical card
includes Bloom's levels in cognitive domain for English questions. The researcher used
analytical descriptive approach because it’s suitable for the study, so it is based on
quantitative scales to judge on what needed to be analysed.
Expected results
This study discover an increase in knowledge-based (lower order cognitive) questions and no
substantial rise in higher order cognitive questions. Nearly 90% of the questions in all phases
fell into Bloom’s two lowest categories, knowledge and comprehension.
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Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference of Teaching and Learning (ICTL 2011)
INTI International University, Malaysia
The researcher used the following procedures:
1. Designing a card to analyze the English questions.
2. Making content validity of the instrument by giving it to a group of experts.
3. Analyzing the questions according to its levels by using the designed card.
4. Asking a group of analyzers to make sure of the reliability of analysis that specialized in
English and education.
5. Making statistical treatment to the result of analysis to answer the questions of the study.
6. Showing the results and proposing suggestions.
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