The paper titled "An Analysis of The TRIO Reading 2 Questions Based on Bloom’s Taxonomy" by Wafa Ismail Saud focuses on evaluating the types and levels of questions in the TRIO Reading 2 textbook, used at King Khalid University. The primary research question addresses how well these questions align with the cognitive levels defined by Bloom’s Taxonomy, which ranges from lower-order thinking skills like knowledge and comprehension to higher-order skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
The study aims to identify the distribution of questions across these cognitive levels to determine whether the textbook effectively balances lower and higher-order thinking skills. The research utilizes a descriptive content analysis methodology, categorizing the textbook's 335 questions according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. This approach allows the researcher to quantitatively assess how well the textbook fosters different levels of cognitive engagement.
Key findings reveal that the questions in the textbook span all six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, with the majority focusing on comprehension (28.4%), followed by knowledge (20.6%), synthesis (20%), and evaluation (17.6%). The least frequent categories were analysis (9.6%) and application (3.9%). The study also highlights that 48.96% of the questions target lower-order cognitive skills, while 51.04% address higher-order skills, indicating a near-even distribution but with a slight emphasis on higher-order thinking.
The study concludes that the TRIO Reading 2 textbook is well-suited to developing both lower and higher-order cognitive skills, which are essential for effective learning. The paper suggests that the textbook can serve as a valuable resource for enhancing students' cognitive abilities, recommending that educators and policymakers consider these findings when designing and selecting educational materials. The results underscore the importance of balanced question types in promoting comprehensive learning outcomes, suggesting that future research could further evaluate other textbooks in the TRIO series.