Development Of Higher Order Thinking Skills Research Articles

K-12 students' higher-order thinking skills: Conceptualization, components, and evaluation indicators

Higher-order thinking skills are essential for future citizens. Therefore, it is important to understand its conceptualization, components, and evaluation indicators. The aim of this study was to construct and validate a framework of indicators for evaluating higher-order thinking skills. We used a three-step mixed-method research design and collected expert opinions through a questionnaire. First, a literature review found that higher-order thinking skills include problem-solving, metacognitive, critical thinking, teamwork, and innovation development skills. Then, there was a general consensus among 11 evaluators regarding the conceptualization, components, and evaluation framework of higher-order thinking skills through two rounds of Delphi questionnaires. The framework for evaluating K-12 students' higher-order thinking skills includes five first-level indicators, 17 second-level indicators, and 55 third-level indicators. The results show that the indicator framework is scientific and reliable. In conclusion, this study not only proposes a compilation for evaluation indicators of K-12 students' higher-order thinking skills, but also provides support for the measurement and development of higher-order thinking skills.

The impact of mandated use early warning system tools on the development of nurses' higher-order thinking: A systematic review.

Ascertain the impact of mandated use of early warning systems (EWSs) on the development of registered nurses' higher-order thinking. A systematic literature review was conducted, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and checklist (Page etal., 2021). CINAHL, Medline, Embase, PyscInfo. Eligible articles were quality appraised using the MMAT tool. Data extraction was conducted independently by four reviewers. Three investigators thematically analysed the data. Our review found that EWSs can support or suppress the development of nurses' higher-order thinking. EWS supports the development of higher-order thinking in two ways; by confirming nurses' subjective clinical assessment of patients and/or by providing a rationale for the escalation of care. Of note, more experienced nurses expressed their view that junior nurses are inhibited from developing effective higher-order thinking due to reliance on the tool. EWSs facilitate early identification of clinical deterioration in hospitalised patients. The impact of EWSs on the development of nurses' higher-order thinking is under-explored. We found that EWSs can support and suppress nurses' higher-order thinking. EWS as a supportive factor reinforces the development of nurses' heuristics, the mental shortcuts experienced clinicians call on when interpreting their subjective clinical assessment of patients. Conversely, EWS as a suppressive factor inhibits the development of nurses' higher-order thinking and heuristics, restricting the development of muscle memory regarding similar presentations they may encounter in the future. Clinicians' ability to refine and expand on their catalogue of heuristics is important as it endorses the future provision of safe and effective care for patients who present with similar physiological signs and symptoms. This research impacts health services and education providers as EWS and nurses' development of higher-order thinking skills are essential aspects of delivering safe, quality care. This is a systematic review, and therefore, comprises no contribution from patients or the public.

Deaf children, home language environments, and reciprocal-contingent family interactions.

Engaged communication between mother and a child in their early developmental stages is one of the predictors of children's development of higher-order thinking skills. For deaf children, this engaged communication between mother and child hinges on the home language environment (HLE) being fully accessible to the child. This research uses agogical phenomenology in exploring the lived experiences of participants' HLE where sign language is used, with particular focus on the opportunities for extended discourse. Data were collected via semistructured interviews with the deaf children and their parents and observations in the HLEs of five signing families with at least one deaf child in the southwestern United States. The aim of this study was to document and provide insights into how language use in deaf children's HLE can impact their knowledge development; these insights uncovered the essence of reciprocal and contingent family interactions as a central aspect of the deaf child's HLE. It is hoped that the qualitative phenomenological findings will frame subsequent quantitative investigations of the variability in language access to home language components.

Implementasi Teori Belajar Kognitif Pada Kurikulum 2013

This research discusses efforts to introduce cognitive learning theory into the 2013 curriculum in the educational environment. Her research focus is on understanding how key principles of cognitive learning theory, including concepts such as information processing, knowledge construction, and the development of higher-order thinking skills, can be integrated into new curriculum structures. Research methods include analysis of official 2013 curriculum documents, interviews with teachers, and observation of classroom learning practices. The results show that although real efforts have been made to adopt the principles of cognitive learning theory, their implementation still faces certain challenges. Limited resources, teacher understanding of cognitive concepts, and adaptation of learning materials are several important factors that influence successful implementation. Therefore, this research provides recommendations for improving teacher training, adapting learning materials, and increasing resource support so that the 2013 curriculum more effectively achieves students' cognitive learning goals.

The mediating role of higher-order thinking skill in the relationship between mathematics strength and achievement in electrical and electronic engineering education

Purpose: The paper aims to examine the casual role of higher-order thinking skills as a mediator in the relationship between students’ strength in mathematics and achievement in electrical and electronic engineering education.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: The study adopted a quantitative research design where random cluster sampling was used to select a total of 488 final-year students from four technical universities in Ghana. Mathematics achievement tests were used to gather data on students’ higher-order thinking skills and competence in five areas of mathematics. Also, their examination results were collected from their respective universities. Mediation analysis was done using AMOS 26.
 Finding: The study revealed that the positive effect of students’ strengths in the five selected mathematics topics on their performance in electrical and electronic engineering education is mediated by their higher-order thinking skills.
 Conclusion: The research concludes that there is a partial mediation in the relationship between students’ strength in mathematics and achievement in electrical and electronic engineering education by higher-order thinking skills.
 Research Limitations: It is recommended that further researchers carry out similar research with more mathematics indicators to explain more variations in achievement in electrical and electronic engineering education.
 Practical Implication: Engineering mathematics curriculum developers should stress the need for mathematics, especially algebra, for the development of higher-order thinking skills to facilitate problem-solving in electrical and electronic engineering education and practice.
 Contribution to Literature: This study highlights the relationship between the understanding of the concepts of specific mathematics topics, higher-order thinking skills, and achievement in electrical and electronic engineering education.

Application of Business Simulation Games in Flipped Classrooms to Facilitate Student Engagement and Higher-Order Thinking Skills for Sustainable Learning Practices

It is very important to adopt innovative digital technologies in educational systems to overcome the challenges in modern learning environments, especially in the post-COVID-19 era. The fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of the 2030 Agenda is supported by new educational trends that consider game-based learning as a pedagogical method in the classroom. Teaching sustainability management in higher education institutions with innovative digital tools plays a fundamental role in the transition toward sustainable societies. Suitable game design elements play a significant role in facilitating sustainable learning. This study explored the effectiveness of incorporating business simulation games with project-based learning (PBL) in a flipped classroom setting. This approach was adopted within the context of a university cross-border e-commerce course to prepare students for acquiring 21st-century skills such as higher-order thinking skills in a rapidly changing educational landscape. A quasi-experimental method was employed, involving a total of 60 university students from China’s Zhejiang Province. Participants completed an online questionnaire designed to assess their learning engagement across three dimensions (cognitive, emotional, and behavioral) as well as their higher-order thinking skills (problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity). The results show that the business simulation games combined with flipped classroom learning had a significantly positive impact on students’ learning outcomes, enhancing their problem-solving, critical thinking, and creative capabilities. Importantly, this approach also improved student engagement and promoted sustainable practices by applying real-life scenarios in an interactive environment. We conclude that business simulation games integrated with project-based learning (PBL) in flipped classroom settings represent a valuable educational approach. This approach not only enhances learning engagement but also fosters the development of higher-order thinking skills, encouraging students to adopt sustainable learning practices.

The Development of Thinking Skills in English as a Second Language Methodology Classroom

This article focuses on an important aspect of modern education – the development of thinking skills. The purpose of this article is to outline the way thinking skills are developed in English as a Second Language (ESL) Methodology. The research was undertaken at Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University.
 The methodology is based on a review of academic literature, analyses of core Curriculum and ESL Methodology course books, and a generalization of our own ESL Methodology teaching experience.
 Results. The notion of thinking skills is revealed and their role for language learning is emphasized in the article. It is concluded that the development of thinking skills greatly depends on the quality of instruction, hence the requirement to enhance the ability of preservice teachers to develop thinking skills in their learners. To understand students’ readiness to develop thinking skills in their learners the PRESETT Curriculum on Methodology (Bachelor’s Level) and ESL Methodology coursebooks were thoroughly studied in terms of the aspects relevant to this research. The general overview of the core Curriculum in terms of the suggested modules, units and learning outcomes proved that the development of higher-order thinking skills is one of its main objectives. 
 According to the core Curriculum thinking skills are developed through a range of teaching approaches, among them task-based learning, the use of case studies, simulations, group projects and problem solving. Such modes of teaching and learning promote high level interaction as well as the high level of thinking skills development. The analysis of the ESL Methodology coursebooks provides much more detailed overview of the activities practiced during the sessions, thus giving additional support for the research. It is proposed that competencies can be improved by means of HOT skills activities in the ESL Methodology classes.
 Conclusions. The research findings have enriched our understanding of thinking skills and highlighted the importance of their development in preservice teachers so that they are able to develop thinking skills in their future leaners. Taken together, the research results suggest that both thinking skills and life skills, such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, information literacy, creativity, etc., are focused on in both the PRESETT Curriculum on Methodology and in the ESL Methodology coursebooks.

Development of higher-order thinking skills in nursing students through online problem-based assessment.

The development of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) in problem-based learning (PBL) is not confined to teaching and learning but extends to authentic assessment methods, similar to real-life situations. The assessments aligned to PBL attempt to eliminate the students' tendency towards memorisation. Rather, it instils and encourages their ability to analyse, interpret, synthesise, and evaluate knowledge and its sources. The study had two primary aims: (1) to describe undergraduate nursing students' experiences of an online problem-based assessment (PBA), and (2) to explore how online PBA assessment contributed to the development of undergraduate student nurses' HOTS. An urban-based South African higher education institution (HEI) in KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. A descriptive, exploratory qualitative approach was used. The target population was 4th-year psychiatric nursing students (N = 39) studying for the degree of Bachelor of Nursing at the preselected university, utilising two focus groups (n = 5, n = 7). Data were analysed through content analysis using the clinical reasoning model as a framework. Three categories (trigger problem, re-visioning the cues, treatment direction) and seven sub-categories (trigger problem posing, early cue identification, cue interpretation and clustering, focussed cue investigation, information processing and interpretation, reprioritise hypotheses, and diverse intervention[s]) emerged. Psychiatry, Nursing and Midwifery practices require a practitioner skilled in HOTS to provide quality, efficient and cost-effective patient care. The findings in this study can benefit nursing education, particularly learning interruptions in HEIs.

Teaching Effect Evaluation of Flipped Classroom in Engineering Management Colleges

Adapting traditional classroom teaching methods to students’ personalized learning styles and needs can be challenging, resulting in passive learning, low teaching quality, and insufficient support for students’ learning and development. The flipped classroom teaching model integrates information technology (IT) into education, enriches teaching approaches, and emphasizes a student-oriented concept. The flipped classroom can help students deeply understand the content by building upon shallow learning guided by effective teaching strategies. In turn, it facilitates the development of higher-order thinking skills and promotes students’ physical and mental well-being. In this study, five engineering management colleges in Henan Province, China, were surveyed using a questionnaire distributed during the fall semester of 2022–2023. The factors influencing the teaching effect of the flipped classroom were analyzed using a multivariate ordered logit model. Results demonstrated that the questionnaire had a reliability coefficient of 0.844, a KMO value of 0.788, and a Bartlett sphericity test with a corresponding P value of less than 0.01. Several factors, including gender (P = 0.054), self-study ability (P = 0.064), campus network (P = 0.000), teaching resources (P = 0.085), and classroom interaction (P = 0.036), significantly influence the teaching effect of the flipped classroom. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for enriching the teaching management theory of the flipped classroom, helping teachers enhance their management abilities in implementing the flipped classroom, and facilitating convenient teaching and learning experiences for both teachers and students in information technology.

Editorial: Concept mapping: Improving learning and understanding

Concept mapping has undergone significant evolution over the past half-century. Initially developed by Joseph Novak and his graduate students as a graphic representation to model the science understanding of elementary school students through interviews, it has now become a widely used knowledge representation tool across age groups and in a broad range of domains. Although mainly used to support meaningful learning, its application has expanded to an ever-increasing variety of applications. Those of us who have worked with concept maps for years and seen their potential continually seek to improve their use, with a focus on understanding how to construct effective maps, how the maps can support knowledge construction and learning, and how they can aid in the development of higher-order thinking skills and knowledge integration. Such improvements can come in various forms, including software tools that support these efforts. This special issue showcases a selection of papers from the 9th International Conference on Concept Mapping that aim to improve and extend the use of concept mapping to enhance learning, understanding, and knowledge construction and sharing. Each author offers a unique perspective within this common theme.

Improving Critical Thinking Skills (CTS) of Students Through Wave Energy Learning Project (WELP) on Environmental Physics Lecture

This study aims to encourage the critical thinking skills (CTS) of students through the Wave Energy Learning Project (WELP) program, which is applied with an early-assisted project-based learning model (EA-PjBL) in Environmental Physics lectures. The research focuses on the topic of the environment as a renewable energy source, especially ocean wave energy. In the WELP program, there is a prototype of ocean wave energy that has been developed as a teaching aid and an initial project model that pre-service physics teachers will develop. The data collection instrument used was a description test of the concept of ocean wave energy based on CTS, performance and product assessments, peer performance assessments, lecture observation sheets, and pre-service physics teachers’ perception sheets. The research subjects were 31 pre-service physics teachers in the sixth semester of the Physics Education study program at one of the academic staff education institutions in West Nusa Tenggara. The research data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, N-gain test, t-test, and effect size analysis. The data analysis results show a strong influence on the use of the WELP program through the EA-PjBL learning model on improving the CTS of pre-service physics teachers. The CTS of pre-service teachers has increased by category after attending lectures using the WELP program. This research implies that the WELP program developed can be a model for developing lecture programs on other renewable energy materials that enhance the development of higher-order thinking skills. The project in this research triggers the younger generation to contribute to overcoming the global electrical energy crisis.

Effectiveness of virtual flipped classroom on science achievement and higher thinking skills development

The study aimed to gauge the effectiveness of virtual flipped classrooms on the science achievement of seventh graders and the development of higher-order thinking skills. The researcher followed the quasi-experimental research design. The participants were randomly selected and consisted of 60 students divided into a control group (n = 31) and an experimental group (n = 29). The former was taught traditionally and the latter was taught by the virtual flipped classroom method. The researcher applied pre-post diagnostic tests to the two groups, in addition to descriptive statistics and a-test for independent samples. The results revealed that there are significant differences between the means of the two groups in favour of the experimental. Furthermore, the study confirmed the effectiveness of the virtual flipped class in students' achievement and development of higher-order thinking skills. The study recommends activating virtual flipped classrooms in different school subjects and levels. Keywords: Virtual flipped classroom, students' achievement, higher-order thinking skills.

Alignment between actual and planned assessments: implementation of the Accounting curriculum in Eswatini.

This study explored the extent to which the assessments produced by teachers in the implementation of the Eswatini General Certificate of Secondary Education (EGCSE) Accounting curriculum (actual assessment) align with the requirements of the curriculum (planned assessment). EGCSE is a learner-centred curriculum which was introduced in 2006 in Eswatini. It emphasises the development of higher-order thinking skills. The study used a mixed-methods approach and a descriptive survey design. Simple random sampling was adopted to select nine (9) Accounting teachers who participated in this study. Questionnaires, interviews and document analysis were the method used in data collection. Descriptive statistics such as percentages and measures of central tendency were used to analyse quantitative data. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The study found that there is no alignment between what is required of the learner in external and internal assessments. It was concluded that teachers were not implementing the EGCSE Accounting curriculum as intended. In-service training for all senior secondary school Accounting teachers was recommended so to equip teachers with assessment skills for the effective implementation of the EGCSE Accounting curriculum.

Alignment between actual and planned assessments: implementation of the Accounting curriculum in Eswatini.

This study explored the extent to which the assessments produced by teachers in the implementation of the Eswatini General Certificate of Secondary Education (EGCSE) Accounting curriculum (actual assessment) align with the requirements of the curriculum (planned assessment). EGCSE is a learner-centred curriculum which was introduced in 2006 in Eswatini. It emphasises the development of higher-order thinking skills. The study used a mixed-methods approach and a descriptive survey design. Simple random sampling was adopted to select nine (9) Accounting teachers who participated in this study. Questionnaires, interviews and document analysis were the method used in data collection. Descriptive statistics such as percentages and measures of central tendency were used to analyse quantitative data. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The study found that there is no alignment between what is required of the learner in external and internal assessments. It was concluded that teachers were not implementing the EGCSE Accounting curriculum as intended. In-service training for all senior secondary school Accounting teachers was recommended so to equip teachers with assessment skills for the effective implementation of the EGCSE Accounting curriculum.

Examining Debate in Developing Higher-order Thinking Skills: A Case of English Language Class in Senior High School Context

<span lang="EN-US">The concept of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) has become an important issue in 21<sup>st</sup>-century learning. One of the skills reflecting higher-order thinking skills is critical thinking that also becomes another important concept that has recently been studied in some researches. The number of previous studies supporting the influence of debate as a beneficial pedagogy on the development of critical thinking skills have been conducted through some researches. However, the studies contradicting the issue also need to be concerned to consider the influence of debate particularly in enhancing critical thinking in English language class. Having conducted a study by using a quantitative method and objective assessment, the purpose of the present study was to find significant effect of debate on the development of students’ higher-order thinking skills in English language class. The study was conducted in public senior high school 1 in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia, involving 68 students divided into two groups. The result shows that there was no significant mean difference of the scores obtained, despite the higher scores achieved by the experimental group in which the group using debate, since the t<sub>h</sub> is lower than the t<sub>t</sub>(1.21 < 1.669). In other words, the study reveals that debate does not have significant effect on the development of higher-order thinking skills. Some possible reasons are then discussed and illustrated.</span>

Instructions, frameworks, agility, and teaching twenty-first century skills in the opinion of specialists, educational curricula as a model

This study aims to identify what the skills of the twenty-first century are, and the important frameworks related to these skills from the point of view of experts in teaching and learning and researchers in this era. the need to include these skills in the current curricula; To correspond with the development of modern educational skills and methods of teaching them. This study follows the critical descriptive approach, which came in order to achieve the objectives of the study and answer its questions. This is done by describing skills and classifying them according to their type, as well as the steps to achieve them with scientific graphic criticism. The study reflects on previous studies, authored books, and written documents regarding teaching skills in the twenty-first century. The study reached some results, the most important of which are: These skills are important for their presence in the textbook for the development of higher-order thinking skills among teachers and students at the university and school levels.

Strategic reading program to develop critical-creative thinking in high school students

The objective was to design a program of reading strategies to develop critical and creative thinking (PCC) in the students of the VI cycle of the educational institution Diego Ferré Sosa de Monsefú. The research was of a primary propositional type, in which 137 students participated, who were administered a questionnaire on the development of critical and creative thinking, elaborated separately for every kind of thought and covering the dimensions of each one of them. The instruments were duly validated and with a reliability coefficient of 0.80. The results regarding the level of development of critical and creative thinking indicate that 45.99% of the total sample are at the medium level for critical thinking, and 51.09% are also at the medium level concerning creative thinking, which makes it possible to determine that almost half of the students surveyed need to reorient the development of higher-order thinking skills that allow them to strengthen their cognitive abilities.

Identifying Higher-Order Thinking Skills on Lesson Plan: How Do Teachers Construct the Lesson Plan?

In line with 21st-Century learning, the 2013 Curriculum highlights the development of critical thinking, problem analysis, problem-solving, decision making, and creating something new. Professional teachers need to facilitate students in developing these abilities. This research describes how the teachers plan the higher-order thinking skills (HOTs). This research is qualitative research with a descriptive design. The respondents were four teachers with 0-40 years of teaching experience. The data were collected qualitatively through documentation and interviews. The results showed that HOTs were not clearly expressed in the teacher's lesson plans at teaching experience levels of 0 to 10 years and 10 years to 20 years. Teachers with 20 to 30 years of teaching experience and 30 to 40 years of experience have expressed HOTs explicitly and completely in all parts of the lesson plan. Teachers have an important role in facilitating higher-order thinking skills that can be seen through the lesson plans. The lesson plan must describe the development of higher-order thinking skills holistically. Teachers need to review each lesson plan to be coherent in every part and relevant to 21st-century learning.

The Impact of Flexible Assessment on Students’ Engagement and Learning During COVID-19 Pandemic

The work presented in this paper is related to the use of the flexible assessment to promote collaborative learning that impact students’ engagement and learning, especially during COVID-19 pandemic. This paper presents the analysis and results obtained by applying the flexible assessment in a large second-year undergraduate computer science module. Flexibility in assessment is usually achieved by giving students choice over the assessment components, contents, type, weight, timing, or the overall assessment grade. This study, however, demonstrates the development of a flexible assessment where students were given the choice to invest in a flexible assignment task designed to encourage collaborative learning and the development of higher-order thinking skills. The flexible assessment used in this study has proven that effective learning can occur when students work collaboratively. The data used for the analysis are those collected from a questionnaire distributed to students by the end of the academic term in addition to gathering students’ written feedback comments about their experience of the new flexible assessment. The questionnaire results and students’ feedback related to their learning experience are recorded and examined. Students’ performance of the targeted module has been recorded, interpreted, and contrasted with similar assessment of another module that has no flexibility in its requirements. In accordance with the students’ performance, questionnaire and feedback analysis results, flexible assessment is considered a unique assessment, beneficial and useful for students’ learning and engagement.

A design of machinery learning activity to develop critical thinking

In engineering education, it is universally recognized that the development of higher-order thinking skills must be encouraged. On the one hand, the backwards design approach allows for the design of courses or activities focused on learning goals rather than on specific content, establishing basic tools to foster these skills. On the other hand, Bloom’s taxonomy allows for the separation of macro learning goals into specific learning objectives and adequate evidence. This work integrates the two approaches for the development of an active learning activity for a design of machinery course. The activity consists of introducing students to the design of mechanisms, is developed following the backwards design process and Bloom’s taxonomy of learning objectives, and focuses on both technical skills and critical thinking. After designing and testing the activity, the authors found that it allows the acquisition of technical skills in kinematics and kinetics of mechanisms and provides insights for the development of the main components of critical thinking within the machinery design process.