The Higher Order Thinking Skills and Science Performance of Grade 11 Students in Camp Vicente Lim Integrated School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Higher order thinking skills encompass thinking processes that are applied to complex situations which involves the ability to think critically, reason logically, and deliberate creatively. Thus, the application of these skills were often associated with increased student achievement, however, it is observed that good memorization skills, which is particularly prior to a lower level of thinking, tend to increase a student's academic performance either. From this, the researcher aimed to determine and explore whether HOTS is significantly correlated with a student's Science performance.

METHODS

This research employed the descriptive correlational research design. The respondents of the study were the 119 students from the 11th Grade in Camp Vicente Lim Integrated School determined through GPower software following stratified random sampling. Students' HOTS were described through a self-made survey questionnaire validated by the faculty experts and record analysis was used to elicit the first semester grades in Earth Science. Moreover, the data were statistically treated and analyzed through SPSS 23 which were further interpreted.

RESULTS

Through the conduct of this research, the following findings were attained: The level of the higher order thinking skills of the grade 11 students in terms of applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating, was high.; The students' performance in Earth Science was in satisfactory level.; It was found out that there was no significant relationship between the higher order thinking skills and science performance of the Grade 11 students. Hence, the researchers proposed a program of activities that may enable the students to improve their higher order thinking skills and improve their performance in Science.

DISCUSSIONS

The results demonstrate the need to discern how such thinking processes impact a student's performance, specifically in the field of Science, thus helping them to be more certain in handling information from their lessons. More so, this also implicate the requisite to develop higher order thinking skills that is authentic and relevant not only with academics, but also to the real world.