Use Of Higher-order Thinking Skills Research Articles

Embedding higher order thinking skills in Islamic history (Sirah) education in Malaysia

<span lang="EN-US">The promotion of integrating higher order thinking skills (HOTS) in the Malaysian education system is pivotal to producing analytical thinkers to keep up with the rapid globalization of this era. Thus, the implementation of HOTS in learning and facilitation (PdPc) has been emphasized. However, little is known about the integration of HOTS in Islamic history and civilization (</span><em><span lang="EN-US">Sirah</span></em><span lang="EN-US">) lessons. Furthermore, teachers continue to use traditional methods and disregard incorporating HOTS in PdPc. Therefore, the current study conducted an in-depth investigation into the components of </span><em><span lang="EN-US">Sirah</span></em><span lang="EN-US"> lessons to support the implementation of the Malaysian education development plan (PPPM) 2013-2015 by strengthening teaching techniques through the use of HOTS for a better understanding of </span><em><span lang="EN-US">Sirah</span></em><span lang="EN-US"> lessons. Using an explanatory sequential mixed method design, the findings reveal that the teaching components of </span><em><span lang="EN-US">Sirah</span></em><span lang="EN-US"> lessons with the integration of HOTS are at a moderate level in the conclusion stage of a lesson. Therefore, the current study proposes a model that integrates HOTS, i.e., the element of attitude, preparation and planning, teaching aids with relevant aspects of PAK21, knowledge of HOTS, mastery of the subject content, teaching techniques and approach, assessment, and evaluation.</span>

Knowledge-building in an environment mediated by digital technology: A case study in higher education

The advancement of technology in recent years seems to be prompting a re-ontologising of the world. Digital technology is transforming the educational spaces we inhabit, as well as our way of processing information. Although there are already numerous studies that have addressed this technological reality, only a handful have done so from a theoretical perspective. That is why we present research that seeks to reinforce the latest theoretical contributions for understanding how modern technology may be affecting the way in which knowledge is built. Based on the latest research in social constructivism, this is a qualitative study designed to contribute to the creation of a specific theoretical framework for an onlife world. An ill-structured task and a semi-structured interview were used to observe the use of the thinking skills that enable us to build knowledge and the relationship between them. The results show that the ways of building knowledge are changing, as digital technology fosters the use of higher-order thinking skills that, furthermore, operate in a chaotic, complex, and unpredictable manner. In conclusion, this study upholds the notion that the ways of building knowledge are changing, but we still need more empirical contributions to create a generally accepted theoretical construct for explaining how we build knowledge through digital technology.

Reliability of the Reflective Learning Framework for Assessing Higher-Order Thinking in Geography and Sustainability Courses

Experiential education partnered with guided reflection is thought to support students with higher-order thinking skills. In this study, 44 reflections from two university-level sustainability courses were compared. In both courses students were asked to write a reflection, but only one course used the Reflective Learning Framework (RLF). Tests of interrater reliability support the consistency of the RLF when used by trained raters. Furthermore, comparison of means using t-tests shows significant differences between mean ratings for the two courses. This provides evidence of the effectiveness of the RLF for students to apply and demonstrate the use of higher-order thinking skills.

Assimilating Critical Discourse Analysis and Debating Technique to Familiarize Students with the Use of HOTS in the Classroom

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) are not only criteria of making test items for students, they also have to be implemented in daily basis especially in the teaching and learning process. Students can use the skills when they are familiar with them. In order to make the students familiar with the use of HOTS in the classroom, the researcher assimilates critical discourse analysis (CDA) and debating technique to foster the students’ ability in using their HOT skills. The use of the skills is seen from the activities of analyzing, evaluating, and creating that are done through the implementation of CDA and debate technique. Technology is also used here since the students have to enrich their knowledge on the motion debated by searching some relevant issues online. The sample of the research is 32 students of the fourth semester who are studying speaking skill in the English Education Study Program of Pakuan University. The research shows that the assimilation of CDA and debate technique can make the students familiar with the use of higher order thinking skills which are analyzing, evaluating, and creating. This paper suggests that teachers should use the assimilation to foster students’ use of HOTS.

Lesson Study: A Proposed Intervention for Professional Development of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Instruction in a Multicultural Classroom

This paper responds to the proposed implementation of lesson study as a professional development intervention for multicultural instruction in the United States. It includes an investigation of the literature in relation to the use of higher-order thinking skills, Banks’s four approaches for integrating multicultural instruction, and lesson study as a proposed professional development intervention in multicultural instruction. The conclusion provides a discussion of insights into K–12 educators’ needs for professional development opportunities to ensure that they provide diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environments for all of their students. Creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning opportunities for students would be meaningful social change.

Probing students' higher order thinking skills using pictorial style questions

The ability to use Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) plays a substantial role in determining students’ success in future studies. Therefore, it is important that students’ ability in this skill is continually refined by training and assessment. This paper explores the responses of first-year university students’ to a range of pictorial-style questions in chemical kinetics that require the use of HOTS. 80 food science and 57 chemistry students (137 in total) at The University of Reading (UoR) participated in the study. The results showed that many students demonstrated limited ability to answer HOTS questions. The implications for the teaching of chemical kinetics, particularly at the university level, are discussed.

Comparative study of knowledge and use of Bloom's digital taxonomy by teachers and students in virtual and conventional universities

PurposeThis paper intended to explore the knowledge and use of the digital verbs and tools by the students and teachers for conceptual understanding in the virtual and conventional learning environment. The study also explored the use of such digital tools for lower- and higher-order thinking.Design/methodology/approachA survey research method was used for the study. All the students and teachers of the faculty of education from one virtual and one conventional university were the population of this study. Teachers were selected through census sampling. Student enrollment in the faculty of education of the virtual university during Spring 2019 was 1,139 while the conventional university had 1,809 students. In total, 20% of the students from each of the two universities were sampled by using a convenient proportionate sampling technique. A questionnaire was developed by the researchers and validated by three experts before administration. The reliability of the instrument wasa = 0.934. Mean, SD, parametric and nonparametric statistics were applied for data analysis.FindingsThe study reveals that the students of ODL are far better in using digital tools and activities that is, googling, collaborating and Skyping. They are good at understanding and application levels and are involved in higher-order thinking tasks, that is, publishing and podcasting as well. Unlike the students, the teachers of the virtual university are using digital tools of lower-order thinking. The authors infer that the students and teachers of the online universities are using these tools regularly because of the demands of the ODL environment. These findings suggest further research to explore the factors that hinder the use of higher-order thinking skills by the teachers in the online environment.Originality/valueThe study suggests the adoption of Bloom's digital taxonomy in teaching–learning processes, that is, curriculum, instructions and assessment for the millennials. The findings may motivate the online and conventional higher education institutions to adopt digital pedagogy for instructional purposes as the students of the digital age are already extensively involved with digital tools.

Debate as a Tool for Learning and Facilitating Based on Higher Order Thinking Skills in The Process of Argumentative Essay Writing

This study was conducted to examine how teachers carried out teaching and learning (T&L) based on higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) in the process of argumentative essay writing. To obtain a holistic overview of the methods used by teachers in T&L, a qualitative case study approach was being employed as the research design of this study. Secondary school teachers were involved voluntarily in this study, and it was conducted at a boarding school in a district in Selangor, Malaysia. To collect meaningful data from both research participants, in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis were used until saturated data was achieved. The findings were analyzed to form the criteria and themes in discovering the use of HOTS in T&L of argumentative essay writing. It was found that debate is a viable method to implement HOTS in argumentative essay writing. The method can attract and inspire students to use HOTS in constructing their arguments and in completing their writing assignments. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.6.4

The analysis of Higher-Order Thinking skills in English reading comprehension tests in Malaysia

Abstract The current English language education in Malaysia has integrated the Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) as part of its testing and evaluation system, which aims to enhance students’ cognitive skills and abilities in learning. Having a higher-order thinking ability at the earliest stage of formal education (primary and elementary levels) is essential in order to meet the growing demand for highly intelligent and professional workers in the future. The present study aims to identify the use of HOTS items in selected English reading comprehension examinations for Standard 6 students in Malaysia. 80 reading comprehension items were selected from various final examination papers distributed in eight different states in the country. Data were quantitatively analysed using content analysis based on the levels of cognitive listed in Bloom’s Taxonomy. Apart from that, the data were also analysed based on a series of professional evaluations made by four content experts in the country. The findings indicate that most reading comprehension questions in the English examination papers need further revisions in order to achieve the standard of HOTS that have become part of the new curriculum and national education policy. Based on the findings, some practical suggestions have also been developed to further enhance the use of HOTS in English teaching and learning practices in Malaysia. Keywords: Bloom's Taxonomy, content analysis, English language assessment, Higher-Order Thinking skills, national education policy, reading comprehension test

DETERMINANTS OF LATENT PROFILES IN HIGHER-ORDER THINKING SKILLS OF KOREAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Past research on higher-order thinking (HOT) was mainly conducted on the bases of educational context in U.S. or western countries. This research aimed to see what kinds of HOT styles actually appear in universtiy students in South Korea. The use of HOT skills were explored in Korean universtiy students and the factors influencing the classification were examined. 1,138 Korean university students were called to respond to Lee’s (2016) Higher-Order-Thinking-Scale for Korean University Students (HOTUS). Then, a latent profile analysis and the multinomial logistic analysis were conducted. The latent profile analysis revealed that the use of HOT skills could be classified into four classes (i.e., a lower-order thinking class, a creative-argumentative class, an analytical-caring class, and a higher-order thinking class). Gender, year, and instructional approach were the determinants of latent profile types. However, there were no differences when measured by academic fields. Students with lower years were likely to fall under lower-order thinking class. The probability that men was classified as a caring class was statistically significantly lower than that of women. Students who received lecturer-centered learning were more likely to fall under the analytical and caring class. Keywords: higher-order thinking skill, latent profile analysis, multinomial logistic analysis.

USING PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING TO PROMOTE STUDENTS’ USE OF HIGHER-ORDER THINKING SKILLS AND FACILITATE THEIR LEARNING

This paper reports on an action research conducted in a university semantic course for senior students of English in Vietnam. With the assumption that problem-based learning (PBL) approach promotes students’ thinking skills and facilitate students’ learning, the researcher designed problem-based learning activities that required students’ employment of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) in their learning. By the time this paper was written, the action has fnished its two cycles; each cycle lasted for nine weeks. The participants of the study were 31 students of Applied Linguistics in a college of foreign languages in Vietnam. The findings shed light on the extent to which PBL activities can promote students’ use of HOTS and facilitate their learning in their English semantic class.

THE TEACHER AS THE MOST IMPORTANT MOTIVATIONAL FACTOR IN THE EFL CLASSROOM

The goal of this paper is to highlight the issue of motivation in foreign language learning and to focus on the links between students’ motivation and the teacher. By involving students, arousing and maintaining students’ interest and providing effective feedback, teachers can build students’ intrinsic motivation which is a key to learning a foreign language. For example, teachers can motivate students by allowing them to choose more frequently. Teachers may employ various strategies in order to create a positive learning atmosphere that enhances students’ self-esteem and motivation such as cooperative learning techniques/activities, higher-order thinking skills or even games. Finally, by developing students’ language learning strategies teachers can build learner autonomy which leads to sustained motivation in learning. To illustrate the above-mentioned points, examples of self-evaluation, use of games, use of higher-order thinking skills, a written feedback form and a marking rubric have been provided.

Multiple Intelligences, Dialogic-Based Portfolio Assessment, and the Enhancement of Higher Order Thinking

Abstract Controversy has not been yet resolved among L2 researchers as how to enhance higher-order thinking skills (HOTSs) in EFL contexts. Responding to the growing need to foster thinking skills, many L2 educators have recently attempted to investigate the effect of diverse teaching strategies on HOTS. Yet, few studies have focused on the infusion of Gardner’s (1999) theory of multiple intelligences (MI), dialogic teaching, and portfolio assessment in improving HOTSs. Thus, the present study aimed to explore the impact of MI-oriented dialogic-based portfolio assessment on the higher-order thinking skills of 42 Iranian advanced EFL learners studying at Jehad Daneshgahi Institute, Karaj Branch. The participants in 2 intact classes were assigned to a control or dialogic-based portfolio assessment (DBPA) group and an experimental or MI-oriented dialogic-based portfolio assessment (MIDBPA) group. In the experimental group, the participants’ MI was initially measured through Christison’s (1998) MI checklist to group the participants with the same strong intelligence in 1 group. The MANOVA indicated the superiority of the MIDBPA group over the control group in the use of HOTSs. The findings highlight the virtue of taking participants’ dominant intelligences as a criterion for task selection, even in dialogic-based learning environments, as an instructional technique for the enhancement of HOTSs. Pedagogical implications are discussed, and recommendations for further research are suggested.

Developing Creative and Critical Thinking Skills in an Authentic Learning Environment

The Malaysian Ministry of Education has called for a need to produce skilled graduates that are highly employable. In this study, Herrington and Kervin’s Authentic Learning principles were adapted into the design of an Authentic Learning environment that is driven by a problem-based group project. The impact of this learning environment on engaging students’ creative and critical thinking as well as the students’ perception towards the Authentic Learning environment was studied. The learning environment was designed to center on an authentic problem-based group project and was supported by multimedia and web technologies. Results indicate that Authentic Learning principles, when adapted into a learning environment engaged the use of higher-order thinking skills, encouraged the cultivation of crucial skills, made learning an active process, and enhanced understanding. Students responded positively towards the Authentic Learning environment as learning became more relevant. The positive results of this study provide support for the development of more Authentic Learning environments to engage students’ creative and critical thinking skills, thereby answering the call of the national agenda to produce industry-ready graduates with skills that make them highly employable.

Dai, David Yun ed (2012) Design research on learning and thinking in educational settings Routledge (New York & London) isbn 978-0-415-88051-0 299 pp £32.99 http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415880510/

This rich and very interesting book, addressed to professionals and graduate students interested in educational innovation, investigates the creation of optimal learning conditions and how these can support personal and context resources. This is to help learners achieve not only content knowledge and competence but also a favourable disposition to learn and to make use of higher-order thinking skills. If the content of this book is likely to be relevant to your research and development, I recommend that you borrow a copy to study. Giuliana Dettori

A case‐based approach increases student learning outcomes and comprehension of cellular respiration concepts

This study investigated student learning outcomes using a case-based approach focused on cellular respiration. Students who used the case study, relative to students who did not use the case study, exhibited a significantly greater learning gain, and demonstrated use of higher-order thinking skills. Preliminary data indicate that after engaging with the case study, students were more likely to answer a question addressing misconceptions about cellular respiration correctly when compared with students who did not use the case study. More rigorous testing is needed to fully elucidate whether case-based learning can effectively clarify student misconceptions related to biological processes.

Critical thinking and cognitive transfer: Implications for the development of online information literacy tutorials

The definitions of information literacy make it clear that it is concerned with higher-order thinking skills. This article surveys the literature on critical thinking and extrapolates pedagogical requirements for fostering the development and use of higher-order thinking skills. It then considers these requirements in relation to the development of computer-assisted instructional tools, such as Web-based information literacy tutorials. Needs for further collaboration are discussed.