An Evaluation of TEFL Postgraduates’ Testing Classroom Activities and Assignments Based on Bloom's Revised Taxonomy

Abstract

In this study, we attempted to examine the quality of Iranian MA and PhD testing classes to find out how they prepare potential teachers and test makers for the journey of testing in their professional career and whether the exercises and assignments can prepare them to apply higher order thinking in their test construction process.Ten university professors holding PhD in TEFL, along with their students, participated in this study. After recording the assignments and activities, the data were listened, re-listened, and transcribed. The results showed that lower order thinking skills (69.445%) were used more than medium (30.555%) thinking skills in MA testing classroom activities, but higher order thinking skills (0%) were never used. On the other hand, medium order thinking skills (58.335%) were used more than higher order thinking skills (41.665%) in PhD testing classroom activities, and lower order thinking skills were never used. Moreover, activities and assignments given to postgraduate students first led to lower order thinking skills, next led to medium order thinking skills, and finally led to higher order thinking skills. There was a systemic pattern in the distribution of the order of thinking skills of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy in postgraduate activities and assignments. The findings of this study offer several pedagogical implications for students, instructors, and test designers in TEFL.