Encouraging Higher-Order Thinking in General Chemistry by Scaffolding Student Learning Using Marzano’s Taxonomy

An emphasis on higher-order thinking within the curriculum has been a subject of interest in the chemical and STEM literature due to its ability to promote meaningful, transferable learning in students. The systematic use of learning taxonomies could be a practical way to scaffold student learning in order to achieve this goal. This work proposes the use of Marzano’s Taxonomy of Learning. Because it offers a functional way to distinguish lower from higher-order thinking, the taxonomy is particularly useful to instructors interested in helping students develop these skills. We outline and provide examples of how it was used in constructing Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), class activities, and assessments for a first semester general chemistry course. Preliminary observations of the impact of this methodology on student learning are presented.