Abstract:
The Florida Taxonomy of Cognitive Behavior (FTCB), created by Webb (1968) and based upon Bloom et al. (1956). Taxollomy of Educational Objectives in the Cognitive Domain, was used to measure the level of cognition of professors evoked using various classroom behaviors. Students were randomly selected from a lower level agricultural engineering course to engage in a think-aloud protocol to determine their cognitive level of thought during class, given the professor's classroom behaviors. The professor's cognitive level of classroom discourse and students' cognitive level of thoughts during class were assessed and compared.
The professor taught 47% of the time at the knowledge level of cognition, while the most common type of thought displayed by students in class was "random or nonsense thoughts" (27%). The least frequently utilized cognitive levels by professors were application (5.2%), analysis (9.5%), synthesis (.5%). and evaluation (2.2%), and by students were analysis (4.2%), synthesis (3.4%), and evaluation (<1%).
Agricultural educators need to challenge students to develop cognitive abilities and critical thinking at higher levels via the instruction they provide. Thinking at higher levels of cognition is an indispensable skill in the learning process and in everyday life.
Keywords:
higher-order thinking, college course, case study
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