Scientific literacy benchmark: A Bloom's Taxonomy perspective on knowledge and cognitive dimensions

This study employs Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives to conduct an in-depth analysis of the "Scientific Literacy Benchmark for Chinese Citizens, " aiming to reveal the current composition of scientific literacy benchmark in terms of knowledge and cognitive dimensions, and to explore their effectiveness in cultivating citizens' scientific literacy. The research utilizes text analysis methodology to code and statistically analyze 26 standards and 132 benchmark points within the document. The results indicate: ① In the distribution of knowledge types, factual knowledge and conceptual knowledge dominate, followed by procedural knowledge, while metacognitive knowledge has a relatively low proportion. ② In the cognitive process dimension, remembering, understanding, and applying are predominant, whereas higher-order cognitive processes such as analyzing and evaluating account for a lower percentage, and the creating dimension is not explicitly classified. ③ Different benchmark points exhibit significant variations in the distribution of knowledge types and cognitive processes, reflecting the diversity and specificity of scientific literacy cultivation. The findings reveal deficiencies in the current benchmark regarding the cultivation of citizens' higher-order thinking skills, metacognitive abilities, and innovative thinking, while also reflecting an emphasis on practical application skills. Based on these findings, the paper proposes policy recommendations to optimize the knowledge structure of the Benchmark, enhance higher-order thinking requirements, balance knowledge and cognitive demands across benchmark items, and emphasize the cultivation of innovative thinking. These suggestions aim to guide the assessment of citizens' scientific literacy more scientifically and promote comprehensive development in knowledge acquisition, higher-order thinking, and innovative capabilities.