Analysis of UCE Chemistry Questions: Mauro Giacomazzi, PhD (Institutional Development Advisor Luigi Giussani Institute of Higher Education), John Mitana (Principal Luigi Giussani Institute of Higher Education)
Abstract
This study assessed the taxonomy of knowledge called for in the Uganda Certificate of Education examinations Chemistry. The study purely used qualitative approaches and the data was collected using Focus Group Discussions. The great majority of examination questions in chemistry paper1, 2 and 3 were found to require the students to mainly use their LOT skills than HOT skills. Most of the examination questions required the students to recall the memorized information and reproduce it, rather than try to apply knowledge as was the case with the practical parts of Chemistry paper 1. The average and poor student performance in Chemistry UCE examinations was attributed to poor attitude towards Chemistry; language barrier; and lack of instructional materials, poor syllabus coverage; early scheduling of examinations that reduces the time available for teaching by more than one month and so on. To overcome these, the study recommended that assessment should therefore be directed towards specific things into which learners can direct their thinking and learning rather than just engaging in memorising things. Teachers should, however, also avoid using the same questions that they asked in class during the summative assessments. The examinations should be set in such a way that the items span the whole range of the learning taxonomies that is to say; remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate and create, in case revised Bloom’s Taxonomy is followed.
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Source:
HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS FOCUS ON CHEMISTRY PAPER 1, 2 AND 3 OF 2017 UGANDA CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATIONS
