Using practice questions based on Bloom’s taxonomy to improve quality of learning of block release students in Zimbabwe: A case study of public policy analysis module

The paper observes that nearly all universities in Zimbabwe offer crash academic programmes that are commonly referred to as block release because students attend their face-to-face classes for a short space of time. The Covid-19 pandemic has intensified the use of block release. During block release sessions, students are taught all the course content for the whole semester which usually includes four courses. After the intensive face-to-face lessons, students are expected to write their assignments and then come back to write their final examinations at the end of the semester. The paper contends that the block release mode of instruction is typical distance education and therefore requires continuous student-instructor interaction through use of well-planned practice questions based on the course syllabus. To be effective, the paper suggests that the practice questions should be based on Benjamin Bloom’s taxonomy of questions. The questions focus on key verbs which include remember (or recall), understand, apply, analyse, evaluate and create. This approach enables students to master various types of knowledge which are factual, conceptual, procedural and metacognitive. The paper uses illustrative questions from public policy analysis which is a relatively new discipline in the context of Zimbabwe. The illustrative questions can also be applied across disciplines such as Family and Religious Studies, History and Geography.