Cognitive Level Analysis in a Learning Cycle

This paper provides an overview and update on my Ph.D. research work which focuses on the cognitive level analysis in a learning cycle. This is a study which tries to find what cognitive level(s) is/are required to successfully complete a learning cycle. We have segmented the learning cycle into three parts – learning objectives, learning materials, and assessment questions. We found that using only the Bloom's taxonomy keywords can cause ambiguity as some of the keywords overlaps in multiple levels. So, we propose to analyze the text of the topics given in the learning materials, based on the expository structures of the text and then categorize them. Using the signal words of the expository structures, we map them with Bloom's cognitive levels and try to infer what cognitive level(s) is/are required to solve the questions related to those topics. Also, we try to identify and classify that whether the learning objective is having all the three components which are (a) condition component – specific conditions in which the task will be performed, (b) performance component – behavior that can be measurable and (c) criteria component – achievable to what degree or extent.