Evaluating Cognitive and Knowledge Dimensions in Physics and Mathematics Exams of The Federal Board at The Secondary Level

Abstract

Evaluation of the teaching and learning process plays a pivotal role in education. Various tools are employed to assess students’ learning outcomes. However, a review of the literature reveals a lack of specific studies focusing on the application of the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (RBT) in examination and paper-setting practices within the region. In response to this gap, the present study was undertaken to analyze Physics and Mathematics question papers for Grade 10, administered by the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE), Islamabad, during the years 2015 to 2019, using the framework of RBT. Although the research population included all educational boards in Pakistan, due to resource constraints, only FBISE papers were selected as the sample. A checklist developed by L. Anderson et al. (2001), based on the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy, was used as the research instrument. The tool was validated by three subject-matter experts. The study examined both the Cognitive Process Dimension and the Knowledge Dimension of RBT. Data were analyzed using simple means and percentages and presented through tables and graphs. A comparative analysis between Physics and Mathematics papers was also conducted. The findings revealed that the FBISE question papers at the secondary level largely omitted higher-order cognitive skills such as Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating. Furthermore, the Procedural and Metacognitive categories within the Knowledge Dimension were also underrepresented. The study concluded that the question papers did not comprehensively reflect all dimensions of the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy. Therefore, it is recommended that future paper-setting practices incorporate all aspects of RBT to align assessment with the demands of 21st-century learning skills.