In order to examine the relationship to the learning outcomes and assessments I will use Community and Ecosystem Ecology as an example. There are many learning outcomes in this course and so I have only pasted a few below that illustrate how they are mostly associated with high level cognitive skills:
Sample Community And Ecosystem Ecology Learning Outcomes:
- Evaluate how specific research studies contribute to larger ecological theory
- Recognize the influences of ecological processes on different temporal and spatial scales
- Integrate independent observations with existing ecology theory
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Critically evaluate the peer-reviewed ecological literature and understand the process of peer review
Student learning is assessed in the course in a variety of ways including quizzes, paper question sets and a final research project for which the assessment is broken into numerous parts. The learning outcomes and assessments for this course are well aligned because the assessments require students to use high level cognitive skills. More than that, both the way the final project is broken down into numerous steps and with tutorials for each step help guide the student to use high level cognitive skills.
The only aspect that limits students to a unistructural or multistructural responses are some of the quiz questions. However, I think it is important to point out that this is likely still appropriate as it ensures that students have some of the background knowledge required to complete the further assessments. In addition, despite being multiple choice some of the questions still require understanding and applying concepts in order to answer.
Below is an example of the difference between a question that might only elicit unistructural or multistructural responses and a question that would require more relational responses using the concept of succession, which is covered in one of the course quizes:
Unistructural / Multistructural Question: Which of the following disturbances is NOT usually a causal agent of primary succession? a) volcanic eruption b) fire c) mudslide d) glaciation
Relational Question: A trajectory of secondary succession indicates how the eventual community is similar to the original community, or is significantly altered from its original condition. Which of the following factors is likely to have a strong effect on the trajectory of secondary succession following an irruption of a damaging insect? a) if the insect has an r- or K¬-selected life history b) if the insect is native or alien c) if the insect can overwinter as an adult or only in the egg stage d) if the insect is highly mobile or not.