Effectiveness of online learning environment in improving thinking skill in mathematics

Abstract

Thinking skill is an imperative element for national development. However, according to international rating in education, the position of Malaysia is currently far behind from most of developed and developing nations. One of the education areas that Malaysia is left behind is Mathematics. Therefore, what is the technology and pedagogy that can improve Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in Mathematics is crucial. It is also important in primary level of schooling. The purposes of this research are to investigate the current thinking skill level among primary school students in Malaysia. Second, to develop a learning environment using Moodle Learning Management System for the purpose of improving thinking skill among primary school students and to evaluate its effectiveness. Eventually, to present what make the samples improved their thinking skill while using the learning environment. This research is an experimental research and an applied research in nature with the purpose of probe into the effectiveness of the learning environment. Forty samples from a primary school were involved in this experiment. The learning environment was developed using Suchman's Inquiry Model. There are five problem solving steps in Suchman's Inquiry Model which are problem statement, hypothesis construction, data collection, data analysis and making conclusion. Samples answer the pre-test before using the developed learning environment. Samples' thinking skill before using the learning environment is low at mean = 30.5 and standard deviation = 13.58. However, improvement is visible after the treatment with the post-test score at mean = 70.25 and standard deviation = 16.56. To study the effectiveness of the learning environment, Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was conducted and a significant different was implied by Z =-5.494, p =.000. What make the sample improve in their thinking skill is analyse based on samples' activities. Finding showed that sample with better improvement in thinking skill uses the learning environment longer than the one with less improvement. The implication of this research it shows that improvement in thinking skill using online learning environment is possible. Thus, further research on to investigate the best design for learning environment to improve thinking skill, how thinking skill can be improved, how is the process of thinking skill improvement and model on thinking skill improvement is needed to fill in the gap in current knowledge.