HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS
thinking process in History education (Kamarul Afendey Hamimi and Ishak Saat, 2013). It is important because the skills of thinking in History education were not only memorizing the facts but the students must evaluate and analyse the facts conscientiously. Khoo Kay Kim (1995) had confessed that the thinking stimulus is important because it has full of knowledge and values, has a possible and reasonable ideas, terms, views, time- frame, the background of culture and the chronologies of the events. According to Baker et.
al. (2000), the most important matter in learning and teaching process is to give the clear understanding of the education principles in History education through the key concepts, key questions and key words. The meaning of these concepts are if the students available to acquire the whole aspects, they should have had to understand the history lesson. They also manage to explore the history events based on the approach of higher order thinking skills. The aspects of higher order thinking are to apply, evaluate, analyse and create.
Therefore, the focus on higher order thinking is essential in learning and teaching process of History subject. The matter could assist the students to gain more knowledge and acquired the best achievement in the lesson. Furthermore, the process of learning the subject could stimulate students’
minds to be more active while learning in the classroom.
3. Literature Review
The research by Pusphalatha (2006) was related to the syllabus of Form four History subject.
The findings of the analyse document indicated that the component of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) was existing in the syllabus. Ahmat Adam (2015) had defined the obstacles to adapt the conscientious thinking in History lesson were the descriptions of non-existing of the concept of objectively and impartiality in the process of writing the textbook. However, there was a passionate to spread out the propagandas. The teachers and historians should think conscientiously about the subject as one discipline of knowledge. In the process to develop the society to be more liberal, open-minded and unbiased, the higher order thinking should be integrated by the society. The major principle of teaching and learning History is to look back at the previous time based on the objective of point of views, without prejudice and bias judgemental.
Tan (2004) from his point of view, defined that the students were unable to judge the knowledge in unpredictable world that changed too fast according to the thinking skill. Nowadays, the learners should be more creative, imaginative and have a scent of inquiry and generating the new ideas. The method of Socrates could be a suitable approach for the students to generate the ideas and
views. Teachers should encouraging the pupils for taking part in their discussion group and also in self-access learning (Robert Fisher, 2001). Teachers should give more opportunities for the students to take part in the discussions.
According to Khoo Kay Kim (2015), the students in their school did not have an opportunities to choose the aspect of history that they want to learn. The syllabus of the subject was develop based on the education act and not specific on students interest and their needs. The focus of the syllabus should be more wider and the main target is on the aspect of lifestyle among the people who live in this country on living in abroad. The matters that happened outside the country could effected the process of development in the country.
Memorizing the facts is not good enough to educate the students. The students should understand the conclusion based on the facts of history’s discipline. The learners have to do a discussion, asking questions and communicate among them to generate and test the ideas and views.
According to Shakila Yacob (2015), the varieties of cultures could bring a difference of views and thoughts. The historical events had encouraging the students to identify the facts and made the decision. The diversity in the cultures bring more knowledge and values for the nation. It also able to enrich the process of innovative thinking among the students. Teachers will assist them as a fasilitator during the lesson. The approach is to encourage the students to think, find the issues, asking questions, identify the facts or informations and trying to solve the conflicts of the values. They also need to search for the evidence and reasons related to the topic. Teachers should inquiry them when asking question. The learners should think conscientiously and not only finding the answer in a textbook.
Juhana Salim (2015), had suggested that, we must asking questions to stimulate our minds. It can be a factor of an issues and defined the problem.
The thinking quality of each students is depending on the questions they had asked. Teachers should apply the Socratic Method in teaching and learning process. This method will be able to stimulate the pupils’ mind. They can be more knowledgeable and enable to enquire the concept some ideas. The technique is efficient to explore the complex issues, miss interpretation of ideas and can be used to evaluate the topic more than the common ideas.
Ahmad Kamal Ariffin (2015) had explained that Higher Order thinking Skills (HOTS) is a programme that exist to develop the thinking skills among the students. The target is to generate the ideas and produce to the brilliant and innovative skills. It would be more creative and efficient.
Teachers have to acquire the discipline of History and also the syllabus before applying the knowledge to their pupils. Teacher should be more
creative when creating questions so that they will manage to encourage the students to use higher order thinking method. Teachers also need to generate the ideas and pupils will understand the concept of higher order thinking skills.
Aman (2006) had defined that in this global era, the reformation of education has to be done because of the increasing of global compete. The students should have intellectuality, thinking skills and capability to compete in their studies. They should manage to add the good moral values in the lesson. The thinking methods and new ideas should be introduced in education as a method to solve the problems at this present time and for the future. The method of teaching should be transformed and the lesson is not only based on teachers-centered but it depending on the students to show their potential and intellectuality when generating their own ideas.
Based on the past research, it shown that the Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) is vital and it should be used in History lesson. Therefore, the searcher in their point of views defined that a research of HOTS should be done to increase the pupil’s understanding and achievement in History learning.
4. Issues And Problems Statement
History is one of the most important subject in the Philosophy of National Education. However, it was miss interpreted by the pupils. Based on the pupils perception, History is a monotonous subject, dull and has a lacking in variety. Rohana Zubir (1987) had defined that the pupils’ had a bad assumption of History lesson. They thought the subject was always be “the dead man of curriculum” and this subject could not bring the pupils into the better future. This circumstance was caused by the lack of passionate in learning history.
There were too many facts, events, dates and the persons involved need to memorize by the pupils.
Therefore, the History lesson was defined as a subject without no commercial values. It was an unrelevant statement because History Education could educate pupils to be loyal and love the nation.
They will learn the impacts of the previous incidents happened in the past time.
The Ministry of Education had put a lot of effort to ensure HOTS approach is being use in History lesson. The target is to generate new ideas among the secondary students in order to encourage them challenge the understanding of the history and questioned the truth or rightness of the facts. HOTS is important in working life. According to Shuib and Azmawati (2001), having a good thinking skill is not an advantage anymore but it is a must especially for the fresh graduate who is looking for a job.
The history curriculum also having a changes.
However, the previous research had shown that it need to include the new skills based on the higher
order thinking. The improvement in the topic should be implemented from time to time in order to add more input into History subject. The ideas from the previous time could be integrated into the latest issues.
The syllabus of the subject in secondary school had changed and the aspect of higher order thinking skills was added into it. The teachers was exposed to the skill through the pedagogical courses and this effort will be a preparation for teaching lesson in the classroom. Teachers were asked to answer a set of questionnaire regarding the Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). The purpose of the matter is to evaluate how far the teachers could understand the concept of HOTS. Moreover, teachers are the main agent who responsible to deliver the knowledge for their students. It could be an obstacle if the teachers have not had a basic information of higher order thinking skills in teaching process. According to Philips (1997), the action that taken by teachers will influencing the students especially for their thought.
5. The Purpose Of The Study
The purpose of this study is to determine the level of higher order thinking skills in History subject from the aspect of apply, analyse, evaluate and create. Besides that, the research aims to see a difference that significant to the aspects. It is important to identify how far the student willing to understand the content of History subject teaching by the teacher and applying the higher order thinking skills into History learning.
6. Research Methodology
The research was based on the observation by using the questionnaire as a main instrument. The target is to identify the higher order thinking skills in History subject in the aspect of apply, analyse, evaluate and create. The instrument has 32 questions that divided into two sections, Sections A and Section B. Section A has the demography information of the respondents. There were four questions meanwhile in Section B contains 28 questions of constructed items based on the higher order thinking skills. The answers for question in Section B are based on the scale of likert five points. The scope of the research is related to the higher order thinking skills in History subject. It be done in North Malaysia and had involved four high schools. The schools had elected randomly. The sample of the study had involved 240 students of form four. The outcome of the entire constructs based on Cronbach’s Alpha found that reliability of the instrument is in high level between 0.553 until 0.668. The facts was analyse by using a descriptive statistics and inference.
7. The Outcome And Discussion
The level of higher order thinking skill of History subject from the aspect of apply, analyse, evaluate and create among the students.
7.1 Applying skills
Descriptive analysis of the collected data in the questionnaire for applying skills is shown in the Table 1 below:
Table 1. Level of Higher Order Thinking Skills of History Subject for Applying Skills
Based on the Table 1 above, it was found that, students’ level of higher order thinking skills (HOTS) in the History subject as the total was at a moderate level. Therefore, this study shown that higher order thinking skills (HOTS) for History subject in applying skills among students were still at an unsatisfactory level. This indicates that students have not been able to fully master the applying skills in History subject. However, it was found that, there are some aspects in applying skills was at a high level, which is applying the moral values and lessons through historical events that learned by students in their daily lives. This finding is supported by research that have been done by Kamarul Afendey and Ishak Saat (2013) which stated that students are able to identify the cause and effect of history thus takes a lesson for the future.
7.2 Analysis Skills
Descriptive analysis of the collected data in the questionnaire for analyzing skills is shown in the Table 2 below:
Based on the Table 2 above, it was found that, students’ level of analytical skills in the History Subject as the total was at a moderate level. Thus, this study shown that, Higher Order Thinking Skills for History Subject in analyzing skills among students were still at an unsatisfactory level. It is shown that, students were still not capable to fully master the analytical skills in History subject.
However, it was found that, there are some aspects in analyzing skills was at high level, which is the aspect of students’ ability to make a comparison between the government in the historical events. This finding is similar to the research that done by Kamarul Afendey and Ishak Saat (2013) which stated that students will be able to relate the historical events with the relationship that related with it. Through mastering in this skill, students will be able to think deeply to get the information and then analyze certain concept or historical events in the form that is more concise and also able to find hidden meaning.
7.3 Evaluation Skills
Descriptive analysis of the collected data in the questionnaire for evaluating skills is shown in the Table 3 below:
Item N Mean Standard Level
Deviation
Applying Skills
1 I am able to relate the historical facts for elaborating certain 240 3.20 0.88 Medium event.
2 I am capable to relate the concept of civilization in the history 240 3.48 0.91 Medium books with society life nowadays.
3 I am able to classify the structure of Malaysian society into 240 3.29 0.76 Medium social pyramid based on social stratification.
4 I can apply the moral values contained in Confucian 240 3.86 0.77 High Philosophy in my daily life such as humanism, mannered
and obedient to my parents.
5 I am able to relate the development of education in the 240 3.45 0.90 Medium early civilization with the advancement of Malaysia education
currently.
6 I am capable to compare the Greece democracy concept with 240 3.65 0.79 Medium the Malaysia democracy system.
7 I am able to apply the lessons from Hijra Events in my daily 240 3.78 0.79 High life by changing the bad attitudes into good attitudes.
Total 3.53 0.55 Medium
Table 2. Level of Higher Order Thinking Skills in History Subject in terms of analyzing skills.
Table 3. Level of Higher Order Thinking Skills of History Subject for Evaluating Skills
Based on Table 3, it was found that, students’
level of evaluation skills in the History subject as the total was at a moderate level. Therefore, this study shown that higher order thinking skills of History for evaluation skills aspect among students were still at an unsatisfactory level. This indicates that, students are not able to fully master the evaluation skills in History Subject. Nevertheless, it was found that there are some aspects in this
evaluation skills is at a high level, which is students’ ability to make a justification of the certain reasonable historical events. This finding is
similar to the research that done by Ahmat Adam (2015) which stated that in teaching and learning History Subject, the main principle that should be held is the view of the past history with the objective view, without prejudice and without biased
in making interpretations.
Item N Mean Standard Level
Deviation
Analyzing Skills
1 I am able to think proactively in giving reasons, comments And rational of the failure of Indus Civilization.
240 3.27 0.84 Medium
2 I can make a comparison of the contributions that is done by Greek, Rome, India and China Civilizations.
240 3.59 0.83 Medium
3 I can analyze the complex facts in the History textbook into short note and make it easy to understand.
240 3.45 0.81 Medium
4 I can explain clearly the changes and the continuous of the historical events in the sequence of time.
240 3.27 0.77 Medium
5 I am able make a comparison between Agrarian Government and Maritime Government.
240 3.77 0.78 High
6 I am able to relate the interdependent between Agrarian Government and Maritime Governemnt.
240 3.47 0.89 Medium
7 I am able to make a comparison of the characteristic of Srivijaya and Kedah Tua which is functioning as a famous port.
240 3.34 0.88 Medium
Total 3.45 0.50 Medium
Item N Mean Standard Level
Deviation
Evaluating Skills
1 I am able to make a decision in identifying which is the most features that lead to re-opening of Mecca.
240 3.63 0.85 Medium
2 I am able to make a comparison between the first source and second source (secondary)
240 3.72 0.74 High
3 I can evaluate the reasons of the limited trading activities during the Dark Ages in Europe
240 3.14 0.86 Medium
4 I am able to make a proper consideration against the effects of the colonial economy policy
240 3.22 0.94 Medium
5 I am capable to make a comparison periodization of the historical events
240 3.09 0.83 Medium
6 I am able to evaluate the good and bad effects of imperialism in Asia
240 3.59 0.82 Medium
7 I can make a justification of the reasonable events of the Prophet Muhammad migration from Mecca to Medina
240 3.83 0.76 High
Total 3.46 0.47 Medium
7.4 Creating Skills
Descriptive analysis of the collected data in the questionnaire for creating skills is shown in the Table 4 below:
Table 4. Level of Higher Order Thinking Skills of History Subject for Creating Skills
Based on Table 4, it was found that, students’
level of creating skills in the History subject as the total was at a moderate level. Hence, this study shown that higher order thinking skills of History subject for creating skills aspect among students were still at an unsatisfactory level. This shows that, students are not able to fully major the creating skills in History Subject. However, it was found that there are some aspects in creating skills have the highest value of the mean which is students’
ability to transform the narrative text into a mind map. This finding is supported by the research that has been done by Zahara Aziz and Nurliah Jair (2009) which indicated that teachers can apply the teaching method based on a mind map in the History subject to improve students’ understanding.
8. The difference between higher order thinking skills for the applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating skills among students based on the gender.
Inferential analysis involving the T-Test to determine the difference between higher order thinking skills of History subject for aspect of applying, analyzing, evaluating and creating skills based on students’ gender is shown in the Table 5, Table 6, Table 7 and Table 8.
Based on the Table 5, the T-Test analysis shows that there is no significance difference between the higher order thinking skills of the History Subject in the aspect of applying skills based on the students’ gender with the T value = 0.52 and sig. = 0.17 (p > 0.05). The mean shows that applying skills of male students in history
subject (mean = 3.55, standard deviation = 0.59) are higher than female students (mean =3. 51, standard deviation 0.51). Nonetheless, the difference is not significant and the null hypothesis is accepted.
Thus, this finding shows that, both of the male and female students have a similar ability in applying skills i
n History subject.
Based on the Table 6, the T-Test analysis shows that there is no significance difference between the higher order thinking skills of the History Subject in the aspect of analyzing skills based on the students’ gender with the T value = 0.62 and sig. = 0.09 (p > 0.05). The mean shows that analyzing skills of male students in history subject (mean = 3.47, standard deviation = 0.53) are higher compared to the female students (mean =3.
43, standard deviation 0.48). However, the difference is not significant and the null hypothesis is accepted. Thus, this finding shows that, both of the male and female students have a similar ability in analyzing skills in History subject.
Based on the Table 7, the T-Test analysis
shows that there is no significance difference between the higher order thinking skills of the History Subject in the aspect of evaluating skills based on the students’ gender with the T value = 0.09 and sig. = 0.45 (p > 0.05). The mean shows that evaluating skills of male students inItem N Mean Standard Level
Deviation
Creating Skills
1 I am able to make a prediction, expectation or hypothesis on the historical evidence during prehistoric time.
240 3.23 0.97 Medium
2 I am able to visualize the transformation of the society from prehistoric times to the civilized life and establish the concept from it.
240 3.28 0.89 Medium
3 I can express my opinion and idea that related to the legalism philosophy
240 3.26 0.82 Medium
4 I am able to create new idea about the influence of Islam in politics
240 3.45 0.85 Medium
5 I am able to create new ideas to develop a successful country based on the success of the past of Kedah Tua Government
240 3.38 0.92 Medium
6 I can transform the narrative text about the spread of Islam in the Southeast of Asia into a mind map.
240 3.50 0.91 Medium
7 I am capable to produce a new ideas related to the method that can increase the production of agricultural in agricultural revolution.
240 3.32 0.88 Medium
Total 3.35 0.58 Medium