Cognitive levels of instruction and student performance in College of Agriculture courses

The purpose of this study was to describe, and investigate relationships among, the cognitive levels of course experiences and student performance in Ohio State University College of Agriculture courses. Course experiences considered included instructor discourse, tests, quizzes, and assignments. Additional variables considered included student academic ability, motivation and previous experience as well as instructor previous experience.;This was a descriptive study. The population consisted of 127 students enrolled in four selected Ohio State University College of Agriculture courses.;The cognitive levels of instructor discourse, tests, quizzes, assignments, and examinations were assessed using the Florida Taxonomy of Cognitive Behavior. The Developing Cognitive Abilities Test was used as a common instrument for assessing differences in student cognitive performance within and among courses. The Developing Cognitive Abilities Test was administered as both a pretest and a posttest in all courses. Subject matter specific pretests developed by the researchers were used to assess student cognitive performance in the subject matter areas at the beginning of each course. Course final examinations were used to measure student cognitive performance in the subject matter areas at the completion of each course.;It was found that classroom instruction (instructor discourse) occurred primarily at the knowledge and comprehension levels of cognition, which were the two lowest levels identified in Bloom's Taxonomy. Over 75% of the items on tests and quizzes given in the courses studied were written at the knowledge and comprehension levels of cognition as well. Assignments included more questions and tasks at the application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation levels of cognition than at the knowledge and comprehension levels.;Student cognitive performance in the subject matter areas increased significantly in three of the four courses studied. No significant changes in student performance on the Developing Cognitive Abilities Test were found however. Moderate, low or negligible relationships were found between the level of student cognitive performance in the subject matter areas and the cognitive levels of instructor discourse, tests and quizzes, and assignments. Moderate, low or negligible relationships were also found between student cognitive performance and student academic ability, student motivation, student previous experience and instructor previous experience.