#04 Not all information is equal - What are cognitive levels?
6 February 2022 · 2 min · as at 2022-02-06
Presenter (host)
Listen to the episode on iono.fm · MP3
Episode analysis
Analysis by AI, drawn only from this episode; every point links to the moment it rests on.
In a short episode, the presenter asks, as a parent, what 'cognitive levels' means. The experts explain three levels. Level one is parrot-fashion recall. Level two is applying a known rule to an unfamiliar-looking example. Level three is out-of-the-box or higher-order thinking such as creative writing and comprehension. They argue that a child who meets unseen questions in an exam has prepared only at level one. They add that level one is ideally about a third of a paper, and that a question's mark value hints at its level.
Key ideas
- The expert (S1) describes three cognitive levels teachers use to set a good exam paper: recall, application, and out-of-the-box or higher-order thinking. [00:08]▸ [00:08]▸ [00:22]▸ [00:39]▸
- S1 argues that children who meet exam material they 'have never seen before' have prepared only at cognitive level one. [00:54]▸ [00:56]▸ [01:00]▸ [01:00]▸
- S1 says that, ideally, level one questions cover about a third of the paper, so being ready for level one is not being fully ready. [01:48]▸ [01:54]▸
- The host suggests parents can mainly help at level one, possibly two. S1 agrees that drill work and examples can support level two application. [01:16]▸ [01:16]▸ [01:24]▸
- S2 says a one-mark question in a past paper is probably level one, and questions worth more marks move towards levels two and three. [01:58]▸ [02:02]▸ [02:06]▸
Lessons
- According to S1, preparing only by memorising leaves a child unready for the application and higher-order questions that make up the rest of the paper. [01:00]▸ [01:10]▸ [01:48]▸
- S1 suggests parents can support level two through drill work and examples that build understanding of how a rule is applied. [01:24]▸
- S2 suggests using past papers and their mark allocations to see which questions go beyond simple recall. [01:58]▸ [02:06]▸
Who it's for
Parents of school-going children who are puzzled by the term 'cognitive levels' or by children saying exam questions were unfamiliar. A parent who wants to know which levels their child is struggling with can book a free assessment at one of the Kip McGrath centres featured on kiplessons.co.za.
Facts stated in the episode
- S1 describes three cognitive levels that a teacher has to use when setting a good exam paper. [00:39]▸
- S1 says level one questions would ideally cover thirty-three point three percent, or a third, of the paper. [01:48]▸
- S2 says a question worth one mark is probably a level one question. [01:58]▸ [02:02]▸
Questions this episode answers
- What are cognitive levels in school exams?S1 explains they are the levels at which a child can be tested. Level one is parrot-fashion recall. Level two is applying a known rule to a different-looking example. Level three is out-of-the-box thinking, creative writing, comprehension or higher-order thinking. [00:08]▸ [00:22]▸ [00:39]▸
- Why does my child say the exam had questions they had never seen before?S1 says this simply means the student prepared only at cognitive level one. They need to prepare at all three levels, because the paper is balanced across them. [00:54]▸ [01:00]▸ [01:10]▸
- Is memorising times tables or capitals enough to pass an exam?In S1's account, that is level one work, which ideally covers about a third of the paper, so being ready for level one is not being fully ready. [00:08]▸ [01:48]▸ [01:54]▸
- How can I help my child at home with higher cognitive levels?The host suggests parents can mainly help at level one, possibly two. S1 agrees, adding that parents could work on level two through drill work, examples and understanding the application. [01:16]▸ [01:24]▸
- How can I tell which cognitive level an exam question is testing?S2 says to look at past papers. A one-mark question is probably level one, and a question worth more than one mark is probably moving towards levels two, three or higher. [01:58]▸ [02:06]▸
In their own words
Longer stretches of the conversation, word for word from the transcript, turn by turn.
The three cognitive levels and unseen exam questions
Note (AI): Defines all three cognitive levels and explains why children report exam questions they have never seen before.
Unidentified speaker, speaker, role not identified · [00:08]Cognitive levels are basically the levels in which you can test a child. So cognitive level one is your parrot fashion learning. So what are the seven colors in the rainbow? Standard, what you see in the book, is what you have to write down. Then you get cognitive level two, which is application, and they've done thousands of examples in school, or they've done thousands of examples at home, …
Read the full passage (211 words, 00:08–01:16)
Unidentified speaker, speaker, role not identified · [00:08]Cognitive levels are basically the levels in which you can test a child. So cognitive level one is your parrot fashion learning. So what are the seven colors in the rainbow? Standard, what you see in the book, is what you have to write down. Then you get cognitive level two, which is application, and they've done thousands of examples in school, or they've done thousands of examples at home, and now they get to the exam, and the example looks a bit different, but They know the rule, so they can apply it, even in a tricky situation. And then cognitive level three is your more out-of-the-box thinking, your creative writing, your comprehension skills, or your higher order thinking. So that is essentially the three cognitive levels that a teacher has to use when setting a good exam paper.
Presenter, host · [00:54]I have my children coming home, though, and going, but mom, they gave us stuff in the exam that we've never seen before.
Unidentified speaker, speaker, role not identified · [01:00]That just simply means that the student only prepared on cognitive level one. They need to prepare on all three levels, as it is completely balanced in the exam paper. So they need to make sure that they understand cognitive level two and three in order to pass.
What parents can help with and reading mark allocations
Note (AI): Sets out where parents can help, what share of a paper level one covers, and how to use mark values to judge question level.
Presenter, host · [01:16]So essentially a parent is only really able to help a child at cognitive level one, possibly two. …
Read the full passage (171 words, 01:16–02:11)
Presenter, host · [01:16]So essentially a parent is only really able to help a child at cognitive level one, possibly two.
Unidentified speaker, speaker, role not identified · [01:24]Correct. You could possibly work with them on cognitive level two by doing drill work and examples and understanding the application.
Presenter, host · [01:32]So sitting and reciting all of your times tables or all the capitals of various countries, is that cognitive level one?
Unidentified speaker, speaker, role not identified · [01:39]That's all cognitive level one questions and answers.
Presenter, host · [01:43]So that's when you get a question on your paper, it's got one point, you know that that's just cognitive level one.
Unidentified speaker, speaker, role not identified · [01:48]And ideally what would happen is that would cover thirty-three point three percent of the paper, so just a third of the paper. So being ready for cognitive level one is not being fully ready.
Unidentified speaker, speaker, role not identified · [01:58]If you look in exam paper, past papers, you can look at the question, you see if it's worth one mark, that's probably a level one question. If it's for more than one mark, you'll probably see that it's moving towards two, three, and possibly higher.
Quotes
“So cognitive level one is your parrot fashion learning.”
“They know the rule, so they can apply it, even in a tricky situation.”
“but mom, they gave us stuff in the exam that we've never seen before.”
“That just simply means that the student only prepared on cognitive level one.”
“So being ready for cognitive level one is not being fully ready.”
“you see if it's worth one mark, that's probably a level one question.”
What was said, by topic
Cognitive levels in exams
“Cognitive levels are basically the levels in which you can test a child. So cognitive level one is your parrot fashion learning.”
“Then you get cognitive level two, which is application, and they've done thousands of examples in school, or they've done thousands of examples at home, and now they get to the exam, and the example looks a bit different, but They know the rule, so they can apply it, even in a tricky situation.”
“And then cognitive level three is your more out-of-the-box thinking, your creative writing, your comprehension skills, or your higher order thinking. So that is essentially the three cognitive levels that a teacher has to use when setting a good exam paper.”
“And ideally what would happen is that would cover thirty-three point three percent of the paper, so just a third of the paper. So being ready for cognitive level one is not being fully ready.”
Exam preparation
“I have my children coming home, though, and going, but mom, they gave us stuff in the exam that we've never seen before.”
“That just simply means that the student only prepared on cognitive level one. They need to prepare on all three levels, as it is completely balanced in the exam paper.”
“So they need to make sure that they understand cognitive level two and three in order to pass.”
Parent support at home
“So essentially a parent is only really able to help a child at cognitive level one, possibly two.”
“Correct. You could possibly work with them on cognitive level two by doing drill work and examples and understanding the application.”
Reading past papers
“If you look in exam paper, past papers, you can look at the question, you see if it's worth one mark, that's probably a level one question.”
“If it's for more than one mark, you'll probably see that it's moving towards two, three, and possibly higher.”
Episode notes (as published)
From the episode notes published with the podcast.
Welcome to Kip McGrath Extra Lessons FAQ. We'll help you understand the difference between 1-mark questions, learning parrot fashion and answering questions your child has never seen before. Do you have a question not answered here? Then please contact us via our website KipLessons.co.za Visit KipLessons.co.za if you're ready to book your child's FREE Assessment. Book your FREE assessment now · Book your FREE assessment now
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