Teachers' presentation of higher-order thinking questions and student engagement: Missing out on HOT opportunities

Abstract

Developing students as thinkers is a central educational goal. However, prescribing it as a goal is different from knowing how to and actually developing student thinking. This study claims that a more nuanced approach must be used when assessing higher-order thinking (HOT) in classrooms. It provides important insights based on an examination of HOT instruction through a new lens, which distinguishes between different levels of implementation of teaching thinking. Observations of 23 history lessons in secondary education focused on teachers' presentation of thinking tasks to their students and on whether and how they followed up on thinking opportunities. The findings revealed a drastic decrease in the frequency of HOT when moving from the teachers' presentation of thinking tasks, through opportunities for student engagement in those assignments, to cases where such tasks were followed by evidence of student thinking. Less than a third of the HOT questions presented were followed by opportunity for thinking, and less than half of those were followed by evidence of student thinking. Further analysis of student thinking episodes indicated mostly low-quality interactions based on criteria such as designated time, teacher follow-up, and collaborative thinking. While all teachers incorporated thinking tasks, they rarely took action to further facilitate them in ways that provided authentic opportunities for high-quality student engagement with thinking. The findings reveal a critical gap in teachers' proficiency in promoting HOT, and highlight the need to reevaluate the knowledge and skills that must be acquired in professional development to help teachers foster student thinking.