Just the Facts? Introductory Undergraduate Biology Courses Focus on Low-Level Cognitive Skills

TLDR

Introductory biology courses are criticized for overemphasizing rote memorization, yet empirical evidence for this claim is limited. The study aimed to test whether the claim that introductory biology emphasizes facts over higher‑order thinking is supported by data. Researchers quantified cognitive levels by applying Bloom’s Taxonomy to course syllabi and high‑stakes assessment items. Assessment items predominantly targeted lower cognitive levels, course goals did not predict assessment difficulty, and neither course size nor institution type affected cognitive levels, confirming the claim.

Abstract

Introductory biology courses are widely criticized for overemphasizing details and rote memorization of facts. Data to support such claims, however, are surprisingly scarce. We sought to determine whether this claim was evidence-based. To do so we quantified the cognitive level of learning targeted by faculty in introductory-level biology courses. We used Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives to assign cognitive learning levels to course goals as articulated on syllabi and individual items on high-stakes assessments (i.e., exams and quizzes). Our investigation revealed the following: 1) assessment items overwhelmingly targeted lower cognitive levels, 2) the cognitive level of articulated course goals was not predictive of the cognitive level of assessment items, and 3) there was no influence of course size or institution type on the cognitive levels of assessments. These results support the claim that introductory biology courses emphasize facts more than higher-order thinking.