Measuring higher-order cognitive skills with multiple choice questions : potentials and pitfalls of Finnish teacher education entrance

Abstract

This mixed methods study examines the structure of the multiple-choice exam for student selection in Finnish teacher education. Through qualitative content analysis, we categorized multiple-choice questions into items that assessed lower- and higher-order cognitive processes based on the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded four factors that represented lower- and higher-order cognitive processing skills and comprehension of empirical and theoretical items. These were associated with matriculation examination grades, especially with the average grade and the mother tongue grade. When developing future multiple-choice exams for admissions, we recommend emphasizing higher-order processing skills and the role of source materials.