Cultivating higher order thinking skills in a science classroom through mobile-problem based science dictionary application

Abstract

Higher order thinking (HOTS) is thinking on a level that is higher than memorizing facts or telling something back to someone exactly the way it was told to you. Higher order thinking involves the learning of complex judgmental skills such as critical thinking, reflective thinking, creative thinking and problem solving. In generating HOTS among students, understanding of a concept to learn is very important. Concept helps us to organize our thinking and good understanding of the concept helps to develop HOTS. The problems in lack of mastery in understanding scientific terms will cause students not able to master a particular science concept let alone to answer higher order science’s questions. Based on Reclusive, Reflective, Design and Development (R2D2) instructional design model, this paper focused the first two initial phases; first is to identify the scientific terms that are problematic among students and secondly, the design and development phase on how researcher apply the problem based learning (PBL) strategies and critical thinking elements to design a mobile application that has HOTS characteristic. Hence, this paper will explain on how was PBL used to develop HOTS through mobile science dictionary application whereas the others just explaining the meaning of a term. Early insight in the define phase has revealed that the mastery of scientific terms among students is weak. There are nine scientific physics’ terms that are considered very difficult to understand by students. Thus, in the design and development phase, the researcher has developed mobile problem-based science dictionary application that focused on the nine scientific terms while integrating PBL strategies with critical thinking elements. This hopefully helps students to master the scientific terms better and indirectly promotes students’ HOTS capability. This paper is hoped to contribute to a new innovation in science learning in the effort to increase HOTS among students.