Improving Critical Thinking Skills Through Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)-Based Science

Abstract

Through various strategies and learning models, efforts have been made to improve students' critical thinking skills in elementary and secondary school science classrooms. However, there are still a few research results that show efforts to improve critical thinking skills through Higher Other Thinking Skill (HOTS)- based science questions. Therefore, this study aims to test the effectiveness of students' habituation to HOTS-based science questions in improving students' critical thinking skills in science. In this study, students who were exposed to the HOTS-based science questions and who were not are being compared. The method used is an experimental method with a Pretest Posttest Non-Equivalent Control Group Design. This study involved 165 students from one of the Public Junior High Schools in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. To collect data related to critical thinking skills, a pretest, and posttest were administered, where each test used a long answer HOTS-based science questions. The data obtained from the test were then analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. This study found that the habituation of HOTS-based science questions can effectively improve students' critical thinking, indicated by a significant difference in critical thinking skills scores in science between the control (n=81) and the experimental classes (n=84). The results of this study are expected to provide an overview and benefits for practitioners of science education to improve critical thinking skills in science using HOTS questions.