Readiness in Applying Higher Order Thinking Skills after Attending Courses

Abstract

The Higher Order  Thinking Skills (HOTS) is the ability to apply knowledge, skills and values in making reasoning and reflection to solve problems, make decisions, innovate and create something. This study is aimed at identifying the level and relationship of higher-thinking skills in critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, metacognitive skills and decision-making skills used among  students of Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Tun Hussein Onn (IPGKTHO), Batu Pahat.  A total of 44 teacher trainees who had attended the HOTS course were involved as a sample of the study. Likert scale set with a four-point likert scale has been used in assessing this study. The reliability value of questionnaire  items in the pilot study was cronbach alpha = 0.90. The results of this study were analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) version 22.0 to obtain mean analysis, standard deviation and correlation. (Mean = 3.12, SD = .52), problem solving skills (Mean = 3.1, SD = .496), metacognitive skills (Mean = 3.04, SD = .53) and decision making skills (Mean = 3.07, SD = .52). The findings also show the correlation of critical thinking skills with problem solving skills (r = .975), metacognitive skills (r = .976) and decision making skills (r = .984) are at a high level.  In conclusion, higher order thinking skills is an important skill that teacher trainees must master in their teaching profesion thus relevant to the development and needs of the 21st century education.