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Higher-Order Clicker Questions Engage Students and Prepare Them for Higher-Order Thinking Activities
Deborah K Anderson1, Michelle Schoenleber1, Stuart Korshavn1
1St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin, USA.
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
|April 24, 2023
Summary
Higher-order cognitive skill (HOCS) clicker questions in biology courses enhance student engagement and improve performance on lower-order cognitive skill (LOCS) exam questions. This suggests HOCS questions aid in content recall and prepare students for complex thinking.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Biology Education
Background:
- Classroom clicker systems are known to boost student engagement.
- Limited research exists on how different question types affect learning outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the impact of lower-order cognitive skill (LOCS) and higher-order cognitive skill (HOCS) clicker questions on student exam performance in biology.
- To explore potential moderating effects of student perceptions on this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Biology students were exposed to either LOCS or HOCS clicker questions during lectures, with question types counterbalanced across semesters.
- Exams included a mix of LOCS and HOCS questions for each content unit.
- Student surveys assessed perceptions of teaching methodologies.
Main Results:
- Higher-order cognitive skill (HOCS) clicker questions significantly impacted student learning.
- Practice with HOCS questions improved performance on LOCS exam questions, but not on HOCS exam questions.
- Students preferred and found lectures with clickers most helpful.
Conclusions:
- Engaging with HOCS clicker questions aids in recalling content and encoding information, preparing students for higher-order thinking.
- HOCS clicker questions appear to be an effective pedagogical tool in biology education.
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