Online learning at the post-graduate level: Interpretations through Bloom’s revised taxonomy

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the perspectives of post-graduate students on online learning in the field of educational sciences utilizing Bloom’s revised taxonomy specified for the cognitive domain to qualitatively explore the factors affecting lower-order thinking skills (LOTS) including remembering, understanding, and applying as well as higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) composed of analyzing, evaluating, and creating. The participants for this investigation were comprised of 20 post-graduate students who had enrolled in at least one online course within the field of educational sciences in Türkiye during the academic year 2022-2023. The collected data from interviews were analyzed by adopting the “directed qualitative content analysis” (DQICA) and using the MAXQDA 2020. The results of the DQICA revealed three themes with the connected codes and categories; namely, factors for (1) abilities, (2) inabilities, and (3) expectations aligning with the LOTS and HOTS of Bloom’s revised taxonomy. Overall, the findings suggest that the design and management of online learning environments play a crucial role in facilitating both LOTS and HOTS in higher education.