Teachers’ Questioning Competencies Across Bloom’s Taxonomy at Secondary and Tertiary Levels

Abstract

The aim of the proposed study was to define the role of questioning that leads to critical thinking in the analysis of lower and high order questions, and explanation of convergent and divergent questions in Secondary and Tertiary levels.  The study had a population comprising of all the Secondary and Tertiary School teachers. Through the use of proportional allocation of population, a sample of 176 Secondary School teachers and 24 Tertiary level teachers were drawn in Peshawar, Kohat, D.I.Khan, Mansehra, Dir, Malakand and Swat through simple random sample technique (Walpole, 1968). The observation guide on Bloom taxonomy was used in order to achieve the objectives of the research. The observation sheet was then divided into categories with each question being pegged upon knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. The findings in the study demonstrated that very weak, lower order and convergent questions by teachers were practiced in secondary level, did not significantly differ in asking them in Secondary level as compared to Tertiary level. The level of synthesis and evaluation is that in the application, the questions were scarcely asked by teachers. This is suggested to indicate that higher and lower thought provoking questions can be asked. The Taxonomy of Bloom should be trained to teachers and stimulation of students might be required.