Sample Questions of Knowledge Dimensions

Anderson and Krathwohl first developed these 4 dimensions,

ranging from concrete to abstract.

Factual , Conceptual, Procedural and Metacognitive questions

1.Factual questions seek recall information from textbook, guidelines, or studies

on the concept being asked. They ask about details from reliable, published
data. Students must remember specific, applicable information from various
sources. Factual questions are asked to assess understanding and prompt analysis
of a disease state, situation, or others work.1 An example of a factual question
might be “According to the American Diabetes Association, when should anti-
diabetic medications be initiated in a patient?” By reviewing these essential facts,
terminology, and details, the learner will be better prepared to solve a problem. 3

2.Conceptual questions ask students to further describe the factual information,

to become aware of the “interrelationships between the elements of a larger
structure”. Learners are asked “why” — to explain their answer, providing the
principles or theories that support their answers. These types of questions also help
learners to classify elements into categories, further differentiating information and
analyzing correlations to the pertinent subject matter.1,3 An example of conceptual
questions would be: “How are the American Diabetes Association and the American
Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Guidelines for Diabetes similar and
different?” Another conceptual question would be, “Why do the guidelines
recommend against using insulin and sulfonylureas concomitantly?”

3.Procedural questions assess the learners’ ability to choose from well-

established methods and select the most appropriate algorithm, technique, or
criteria based on the particular situation.1 An example of a procedural question
would include: “Based on this patients A1C and fasting blood glucose level, which
medications are recommended by the American Diabetes Association for initial
therapy?”

Studies have shown only about 20% of questions are procedural, with another 20%
being higher level.2 These types of questions help the learner apply their
knowledge, skills, and techniques to problems in the pertinent subject matter. 3
4.Metacognitive questions ask learners to reflect on experiences and identify
possible areas of improvement. Metacognition is defined as “higher-order thinking
that enables understanding, analysis, and control of one’s cognitive processes,
especially when engaged in learning.”4 The learners’ answers to metacognitive
questions help the teacher assess the learners’ personal motivations and values,
which could help shape how the material is taught.1 By “thinking about one’s own
thinking” learners are able to approach problems utilizing their strengths and
preferences, and examining their weaknesses. An example of a metacognitive
question would be: “Thinking back on the patient encounter, how well do you think
you did? How do you think you could have improved your patient interviewing and
counseling skills for future consults?” These questions also help train learners to
use their knowledge strategically and reflectively when solving problems. 3

In one study, the questions overwhelmingly (91.2%) asked by clinical teachers

were lower level questions, with most being factual type. The authors state this
may be because teachers have not been taught how, or the importance of, asking
higher order questions.6

Higher-order questions promote higher-order thinking. Higher-order questions

“causes cognitive processing and organization of information that’s builds more
elaborate mental structures.” 2 Teachers and preceptors should be taught to
formulate higher-order questions to stimulate such thinking.

It has been shown that teachers mostly ask lower-level cognitive questions. Lower-
level cognitive questions can hamper the learners’ ability to develop higher order
critical thinking skills. These skills are important to allow students to practice
recalling knowledge they have learned and applying them to new situations. Critical
thinking is especially important when problem-solving and determining the best
treatment for a patient based on various factors and barriers. By asking students
questions in the factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive domains of
knowledge, they will be able to learn in a “full circle” and understanding the bigger
picture.1,2

References:

http://edtheory.blogspot.com/2016/03/knowledge-dimensions-factual-
conceptual.html?m=1