From rote learning to critical inquiry: fostering higher order thinking skills through collaborative questioning in a rural secondary English-medium science classroom

Comparison of high school textbooks analyzing higher order thinking skills development in India and Singapore

ABSTRACT Background One of the main goals of the twenty-first century is to prepare individuals for a rapidly changing and complex world. Higher order thinking skills are essential for this purpose; however, studies reveal that students’ skills often fall below the expected level. Developing these skills requires student-centred, technology-supported educational designs that meet the needs of the digital age. Purpose This study examines the effect of web-based activities developed around socioscientific issues on the higher order thinking skills of pre-service science teachers. Design and methods The study was conducted within a design-based research framework with 50 pre-service science teachers. Seven student-centred activities focusing on socioscientific issues were developed using a web-based tool. Classroom observations and a rubric were used to evaluate the design process and skill development. Observational data were analysed through content analysis, and rubric data were examined statistically. Results Findings showed that higher order thinking skills improved over the seven-week process. The use of socioscientific issues, student-centred methods, and web-based tools played a role in this improvement. Iterative changes to the design, such as varying question types and enabling peer assessment, contributed to the effectiveness of the activities. Conclusion The study highlights that socioscientific issues with personal relevance lead to stronger engagement. It also shows that continuous refinement of the design enhances its effectiveness, and that combining digital tools with structured peer interaction supports the development of higher order thinking skills in teacher education.

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly transforming medical education. In general practice training, GenAI offers new opportunities to scaffold learning, support autonomy and enhance access to knowledge. This article identifies use cases, learning value, risk management, necessary guardrails and a framework for the safe andeffective implementation of GenAI in postgraduate general practice training. Postgraduate general practice learners differ from undergraduates in their self- directed, assessment-driven and apprenticeship- based learning. GenAI can simulate dialogic engagement, personalising feedback and supporting reflective practice. GenAI adds genuine learning value by promoting higher- order thinking, supporting self- directed learning and enhancing access, particularly in rural or remote contexts. However, risks include epistemic opacity, skill decay, bias and erosion of humanistic learning. GenAI should augment, not replace, human mentorship and relational learning. Thoughtful integration, guided by pedagogical and ethical frameworks, can support the development of competent, empathetic and future-ready general practitioners.

This paper introduces the affordances of leveraging principles from place, inquiry and community-based pedagogies to foster self-directed learning, engagement and community awareness in a group of ten intermediate English learners enrolled in a languages and culture higher education program. A learning unit was designed to guide them into exploring key places in the districts around the university campus with the aim of introducing them to inquiry processes concerning some outstanding educational places. Using two examples from learners, the article showcases a steady application of higher order thinking skills (e.g., comparison and contrast), engagement with the themes discovered and heightened awareness of place and community.

The purpose of the research is to analyze the implementation of the Deep learning approach in history learning at SMA Negeri 4 Semarang, including aspects of lesson planning, classroom implementation, the challenges encountered, and the efforts made to optimize its application. This research employs a qualitative method with a case study approach conducted at SMA Negeri 4 Semarang during the even semester of the 2025/2026 academic year. The research subjects consist of history teachers and students involved in the learning process. Data collection techniques include observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. Data analysis was carried out through the stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing, with source and technique triangulation applied to ensure the validity of the data. The results show that the implementation of Deep learning has been integrated into lesson planning through learning objectives based on higher order thinking skills, the selection of contextual learning materials, the use of active learning models such as Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, and Discovery Learning, as well as the application of authentic assessment. The implementation of learning demonstrates active student engagement through discussions, analysis of historical sources, presentations, and project-based activities. However, the implementation of this approach still faces challenges, including differences in students’ critical thinking abilities and teachers’ adaptation to the new approach. Overall, the Deep learning approach at SMA Negeri 4 Semarang contributes to creating history learning that is joyful, meaningful, and mindful for students.This implies that the application of the Deep Learning approach in history learning promotes a more student-centered learning process. Therefore, this research contributes to the body of knowledge on the implementation of Deep Learning in history education at the senior high school level, as well as providing practical contributions for teachers and educational institutions in developing more innovative, contextual, and student-centred learning strategies.

The diverse wealth of Indonesia's local wisdom has not been widely utilized as a learning resource. In many studies showed that local wisdom-based science learning encompasses scientific knowledge and holds strong potential for developing higher-order thinking skills and strengthening national identity. This study aims to analyse of local wisdom-based learning from the perspective of learning theories. This research used quantitative descriptive with an analysis literature approach. Sources of research data include the potential analysis of local wisdom-based science learning reviewed from the perspective of learning theories. The findings showed that local wisdom-based science learning aligns with Ausubel’s theory of meaningful learning, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development as personal constructivist, and Vygotsky’s theory of sociocultural learning and Bruner’s theory of inquiry learning. Therefore, it can be concluded that local wisdom-based learning is highly relevant to cognitive development theories and has strong potential to enhance students’ higher order thinking skills and strengthening national identity.

The Synectics model of teaching, developed by William J.J. Gordon and his associates, is a powerful instructional strategy. This model uses metaphorical and analogical thinking in minimizing test anxiety because it helps students to break away from conventional thought patterns and helps in developing divergent thinking skills. In this model content is delivered with the help of analogies that helps students to understand abstract concepts in a meaningful and easy manner. This model is basically student-centered. The cultivation of cognitive skills during instruction does not constrain the exploration of diverse student perspectives and the acknowledgment of the different opinions or solutions that emerge in the learning environment. The implementation of the Synectic model of teaching allows students to think freely and in a novice manner. The students feel boredom and lack interest in studies due to complex concepts and terms. It helps in creating positive classrooms environment to foster higher order thinking skills that results in alleviating test anxiety. The main objective of the present paper is to investigate the role of the Synectic model of teaching in alleviating test anxiety in among elementary school students. The present paper is thematic in nature. The data was collected through secondary sources. Various thesis, research papers, journals, books etc were considered and studied. The findings of the study suggest that the Synectic model of teaching enhances higher order thinking skills, improves academic performance and reduces test anxiety among elementary students. This study contributes to the growing body of literature advocating for innovative instructional methods to develop essential 21st-century skills among students.

This umbrella review synthesizes evidence from 41 qualitative, meta-analytic, and mixed-method reviews to reveal the effectiveness of FL on cognitive, affective, and interpersonal domains across STEM, Medical and Health Sciences (M&H), and Social Sciences (SS). The results reveal that while flipped learning (FL) demonstrates positive effects on academic achievement in mathematics, science, and English language teaching, evidence for other domanial outcomes across fields remains inconclusive due to several limitations such as study scope, methodology and regional restrictions. Specifically, evidence across fields on other cognitive outcomes including autonomy, conceptual understanding, and higher-order thinking skills has the potential for fostering autonomy, conceptual understanding, and higher-order thinking skills, but the current evidence base is insufficient to definitively confirm these claims. Similarly, FL practices across fields seem conducive to enhancing affective and interpersonal domain outcomes; however, the predominance of qualitative evidence necessitates more quantitative and mixed method research for robust conclusions. Our synthesis also highlights the lack of in-in reporting and exploration of specific mechanisms by which FL cultivates domanial outcomes such as higher order thinking skills, motivation, and collaboration. Moreover, the evidence in the reviews highlights the absence of detailed reporting on the measurement metrics used to assess affective and interpersonal outcomes across fields in the reviews. Researchers should prioritize discipline-specific investigations, explore outcome-related mechanisms, develop standardized metrics, and bridge the gap between theory and practice through the integration of relevant learning theories into the design of FL strategies.

Natural Science (NS) learning in the 21st century requires the development of higher order thinking skills (HOTS) and literacy skills as essential competencies of students. This article aims to examine the conceptual integration of HOTS and literacy in science learning and describe its implications for learning design and assessment. The method used is a literature study by examining various relevant national and international scientific sources. The results of the study show that HOTS, which includes the ability to analyze, evaluate, and create, can be developed effectively through problem-based learning, inquiry, project, and open-ended approaches. On the other hand, science, numeracy, and information literacy literacy play an important role in helping educators understand, interpret, and use science knowledge in real-life contexts. The integration of HOTS and literacy in science learning has implications for the shift in the role of educators as facilitators, the use of contextual activities, and the application of authentic assessments that assess students' thinking processes and products. Thus, science learning that is oriented to HOTS and literacy can form students who are critical, creative, reflective, and able to make decisions based on scientific evidence

In the scope of this study, the cognitive structures of the science teacher candidates in the context in sustainable education were investigated through Word Association Test (WAT). The study group was composed of 70 third-year science teacher candidates. Their understanding of the concepts in terms of personal behavior (“recycling,” “saving,” “being responsible”) was closely related to sustainability. Relatively few connections were made to more expansive and integrative concepts like "ecosystem," "ecological literacy," and "sustainable development." The findings demonstrated that rather than being a cohesive network, the conceptual frameworks of the participants were made up of broken clusters. A lack of integration between higher order thinking and environmental awareness was shown by the poor correlation between "responsible behavior" and "problem-solving skills." It was therefore recommended that teacher education programs emphasize holistic and interdisciplinary approaches that promote systems thinking, critical reflection, and problem-solving rather than focusing solely on behavior-oriented aspects of sustainability.

Impacts of AI-enhanced task-based learning on EFL postgraduates’ higher order thinking skills and English academic writing self-efficacy

Bloom's Taxonomy has been a fundamental framework for organizing learning goals and evaluating cognitive growth. With a specific focus on Pakistan, this review study looks at how Bloom's Taxonomy especially its updated version promotes Higher Order Thinking Skills in modern educational environments. The study examines the conceptual underpinnings of HOTS, their alignment with Bloom's Taxonomy's upper levels (analyzing, evaluating, and producing), and their importance in preparing students for the demands of the twenty-first century, drawing on both domestic and international literature. The study highlights instructors' perspectives, teaching methods, and evaluation techniques while synthesizing findings from other studies on the application of HOTS in diverse classroom environments. Additionally, it critically examines how Bloom's Taxonomy is used in Pakistani teacher education programs, curricula, and evaluation systems. The study highlights the main obstacles to promoting higher order thinking skills in Pakistan, such as a culture that prioritizes rote memorizing due to exams, a lack of teacher preparation, a lack of resources, and a poor alignment between policy and practice. The study emphasizes how important government policies and teacher professional development are in fostering higher-order cognitive abilities. It is concluded that although Bloom's Taxonomy provides a strong framework for improving critical and creative thinking, systemic changes in curriculum design, assessment procedures, and ongoing teacher training programs are necessary for its successful application in Pakistan.

This study examines the limitations of efficiency-focused AI education and reinterprets the value of Error-Based Learning (EBL) in multimodal environments. While widespread AI tutoring systems optimize for correctness, this &quotcorrectness obsession&quot constrains learners' metacognitive development and creative thinking. Analysis of four large-scale datasets—OULAD (n=32,593), MIT Open Learning, Stanford AI Index, and UCLA UCUES—using OLS regression (R²=0.542, p<0.001) revealed AI integration increased Virtual Learning Environment interactions by 42.3% and raised course completion by 12.7 percentage points. However, applying a 15% optimal error rate simulation grounded in productive failure theory improved learning outcomes an additional 8.4 points beyond AI-only gains. Notably, creativity indices (strategic diversity, unstructured attempts, retry rates) increased by 58%, while NASA-TLX mental demand paradoxically decreased by 28.4%. Post-error retry rates rose to 67%, suggesting appropriate error experiences simultaneously enhance cognitive efficiency and higher- order thinking. This study proposes the MERGE framework (Metacognition, Engagement, Regulation, Growth, Ethics), integrating pedagogy, HCI, and data science, demonstrating practical applicability with a 121.7% educational ROI. These findings present a paradigm that preserves human creativity and diversity beyond AI-centric uniformity.

Literature plays a fundamental role in the process of teaching and learning because it is an effective teaching tool that provides multisensory classroom experiences. It is a learning methodology that can be applied in various fields to nurture students’ high order thinking and reflective reasoning. Beyond its significance in improving language competency, literature stimulates students’ cognitive abilities as it necessitates them to go beyond the text surface to comprehend the hidden meaning and messages that lie beneath the literal surface of the literary works. To do so, students go into a mental process of analyzing, connecting and evaluating the literary texts. This study investigates the efficiency of incorporating literary texts into instructional programs to boost students’ analytical skills in different educational areas. The findings of the study indicated that students enrolled in literature-based programs showed better reflective thoughts, wilder imagination, intensified abilities in reasoning and evaluation. Furthermore, riveting diverse literature serves in providing students with a platform of discussion on identity, culture, sense of belonging and power dynamics. This inclusive learning process can enhance the curriculum and equips students with the required abilities to move from passive to active learning.

Abstract Objectives Achievement of analytical chemistry competency needs to be optimized through the application of active learning models. This research aims to design an active learning model oriented towards green chemistry with virtual laboratories to promote higher order thinking skills (HOTS) as a strategy for achieving quantitative analytical chemistry competence. Methods The research stages include designing a project-based learning model oriented towards green analytical chemistry with virtual laboratories (PjBL-GACVL), standardizing and implementing it in teaching analytical chemistry to undergraduate students. Results The standard PjBL-GACVL model is equipped with innovative learning resources, mini projects, virtual laboratories, and titration project assignments, then implemented in experimental classes for teaching titrimetry, and compared to direct learning (DI) in control classes. The PjBL-GACVL model is effective in guiding students to study titrimetry, namely planning and carrying out titration projects for quantitative determination of target analytes in real samples. Students have used HOTS as scientific steps in working on their chosen contextual project. Laboratory skills have been mastered, including assembling titration equipment and analytical procedures, handling chemicals and work safety, and quantitative calculations. HOTS achievement is high and has a positive correlation with chemistry learning outcomes. The analytical chemistry learning outcomes in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group, and the two were significantly different. Gain normalization confirms the effectiveness of the PjBL-GACVL model in improving chemistry learning outcomes. Conclusions This learning model is accepted by students, is relevant to daily digital life, and is effective for achieving quantitative analytical chemistry competencies. This new model is appropriate for science teaching which requires thinking skills to increase knowledge and skills simultaneously.

HRMARS - Blended learning has emerged as an innovative approach in school mathematics, integrating traditional face-to-face instruction with digital and online resources to enhance students’ learning outcomes. However, despite its widespread adoption, there remains a lack of synthesized evidence on how blended learning approaches are designed and implemented in mathematics contexts, particularly within school settings. This systematic review aims to examine existing empirical studies on blended learning in school mathematics to identify implementation patterns, mathematics learning outcomes, and the role of the pedagogical models associated with blended learning implementation. Following PRISMA guidelines, a structured search was conducted in the Scopus and Web of Science databases, covering publications from 2023 to 2025, resulting in 27 studies included in the review. The findings indicate that the flipped classroom model is the most frequently adopted blended learning design, with research predominantly focused on secondary school students. In terms of learning outcomes, blended learning demonstrates consistent positive effects on students’ achievement, knowledge retention, higher order thinking skills, and motivation. Effective implementation of blended learning in mathematics is also associated with the integration of pedagogical approaches such as project-based, inquiry-based, gamification and collaborative learning. Future research should focus on underexplored populations, integration of other blended learning models with established pedagogical models and explore the potential of emerging technologies in blended mathematics learning. In conclusion, this review provides evidence-based insights into the strategic integration of blended learning in school mathematics, offering practical implications for educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers to enhance pedagogical practice and optimise student learning experiences.

Fostering HOTS in speaking instruction is increasingly recognized as essential for developing students’ communicative and critical thinking capacities. However, research examining how HOTS is understood and enacted in speaking instruction, particularly from lecturers’ perspectives, remains limited. This qualitative phenomenological study explored lecturers’ beliefs and practices regarding the integration of HOTS in teaching speaking to university students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five English lecturers from a private university in Central Java, Indonesia, and the data were analyzed through inductive coding, thematic analysis, and phenomenological synthesis. The findings reveal that lecturers conceptualize speaking not merely as a communicative skill, but as a cognitive space through which students’ thinking becomes visible and pedagogically accessible. HOTS development in speaking is experienced as a progressive and non-linear process, shaped by the interaction between cognitive readiness, linguistic capacity, and affective conditions. Lecturers enact these beliefs through adaptive pedagogical practices, including flexible task sequencing, cognitively demanding speaking activities, and ongoing collegial learning. The study contributes to HOTS and language pedagogy by conceptualizing HOTS-oriented speaking instruction as an integrated cognitive–linguistic–affective pedagogical orientation, providing conceptual insights for designing speaking instruction that supports higher-order thinking skills required for success in the 21st century.

Objective – Deeper learning involves intricate neural interactions, the result of a whole learning experience that is less foreseeable and can rapidly emerge beyond the curriculum, motivational shifts, and learning outcomes among learners. This paper examined the respondents’ learning outcomes from using digital tools and interactive, design-oriented tasks espoused by the quadruple helix engagement framework. Methodology – Respondents comprised 116 year-1 computing informatics students in a higher technological education institution in Brunei. Guided by the tenets of Scholarship in Teaching and Learning (SoTL), the study employed a context-sensitive approach, intervention-enacted action research tailored to the structure of a 14-week semester in Professional Ethics. Findings – It was framed by the use of digitally supported teaching tools, extensive in-class interactions, and the monitoring of students’ learning levels. Data collected from student reflections, activity feedback, peer scores, and other task-related artifacts were inductively analyzed using Bloom’s and Krathwohl’s taxonomies as indices in scaling learning outcomes. Periodic validation of results emerged from the exchanges among the lecturer-researcher and two co-researchers in pedagogy and curriculum design, respectively. Findings showed that respondents demonstrated learning outcomes that scaled to metacognition-based higher-order thinking skills, such as analyzing (C4) and evaluating (C5), two levels higher than the projected conceptual-procedural-related learning outcomes, such as applying (C3), understanding (C2), and remembering (C1). Novelty – Spiraling students’ tasks both individually and collaboratively as the structure of teaching generated interactive engagement and expanded students’ conceptual and affective learning outcomes. Type of Paper: Empirical JEL Classification: D91, J24. Keywords: learning outcomes, metacognitive skills, higher order thinking skills, quadruple helix engagement, digital-driven tools, cognitive tasks, SoTL, taxonomy, learning outcomes Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Valdez, N.P, Hiong, V.N, Mumin, M.A.K, Mey, Y.S. (2026). Digital-driven Tools and Quadruple Helix Engagement in Accelerating Students’ Metacognition-based Higher Order Thinking Skills, J. Bus. Econ. Review, 11(1), 69–79. https://doi.org/10.35609/jber.2026.11.1(3)

Mathematics, as a school subject, is consistently evaluated as one of the hardest, and Filipino students always rank the lowest in the world in mathematics proficiency examinations. This study looked into the situation of Instructional Delivery in General Mathematics for Senior High School students in one of the schools in Cebu. The study used a descriptive quantitative design, collecting data through document analysis and student surveys to evaluate teaching, content delivered, and student learning outcomes in a grounded manner. Based on the data, findings indicate that only 18% of the General Mathematics content standards were covered in instruction, a mere fraction exposing severe gaps in the implementation of the curriculum, and the resulting competencies. This also implies that current instructional materials and methods fail to meet the subject's cognitive and applied dimensions. This lack of sufficient material is the reason the Instructional Delivery, Content Standards, and Assignments Per Curriculum Published Guide need to be revised. Furthermore, for teachers to improve their instructional and pedagogical methods, curriculum integration of instruction, learning technologies, and student engagement in active learning to improve their understanding, professional development is critical. Creating a friendly and encouraging atmosphere where students feel engaged is necessary for maintaining motivation and self-assurance in mathematics. It is also important to have ongoing assessments in place, along with feedback, to measure progress and ascertain that instructional goals are achieved appropriately. Last but not least, enhancing mathematics instruction is vital in closing the learning gaps, developing students’ higher- order thinking and preparing them for the mathematics they need to apply in real life as well as in their further studies.