Higher Order Thinking Skills in Physical Science of Senior High School Learners

AUTHOR(S)

MARY JANE C. AGPALO, HELEN GRACE V. ANGELES

ABSTRACT

— Higher-order thinking skills include critical thinking. Higher-order thinking abilities extend beyond simple information observation and memorizing. When we discuss wanting our pupils to be inventive, creative, and evaluative, we are referring to them. Due to the current state of conditions of our learners today during the result of PISA during previous year the researcher came out to this study. This study focused on the socio-demographic profile of the teacher-respondents in terms of age, sex, track, School Category (small, big), average grade in science 10, Parent’s Monthly income and parent’s educational background. Moreover, the study also described the level of higher order thinking skills of a learner on a Physical Science subject be described in terms of understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating and creating. Also, it determined the difference in level of higher order thinking skills in small and big schools in Cuyapo. In addition, it described the relationship between the profile of the learner and their level of higher order thinking skills on a Physical Science subject in a big school in Cuyapo. Furthermore, it described the significant relationship between the profile of the learner and their level of higher order thinking skills on Physical Science subjects in a big school in Cuyapo and described the relationship between the profile of the learners and their level of higher order thinking skills in Physical Science in different tracks. One hundred seventy (170) senior high school learners in the Division of Nueva Ecija were the respondents of the study during the academic year 2022-2023. These respondents were from Cuyapo National High School, Dr. Ramon de Santos National High School, Salagusog National High School, Calancuasan National High School, Paitan Sur National High School and Baloy High School. Descriptive statistics like mean, percentages, and frequency counts were used to describe the personal and socio-demographic profiles of the senior high school learners. The data was processed and analyzed using correlation analysis. Correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between the profiles of the respondents and their descriptions of the profiles of the learners and their level of higher order thinking skills in Physical Science in different tracks. With regards to the correlation of the profile of the respondents in their age from a total of 170 learner’s respondents, the majority of respondents were 16-17 yrs. Old and mostly male learners from Technical Vocational Livelihood in big school. The average grade in Science was 75-79 and their parent’s income ranges from 6,000-20,000 pesos and the educational background of their parents mostly in secondary level. As for the higher order thinking skills of the learner on Physical science in terms of understanding and applying implied that more respondents were in basic while analyzing, evaluating and creating were in minimal. The results showed that the students have low higher order thinking skills. With regards to the significant difference in higher order thinking skills in small and big schools showed that there is no significant difference between the scores of the students in small and big schools in higher-order thinking skills. It has no effect on the learners if they were in the big and small school. As for the significant relationship between the profile of the learner and level of higher order thinking skills in Physical science subject in big and small school implied that there’s nothing to do with their profile. As for the relationship between the profile of the learners and their level of higher order thinking skills in Physical science in different track had nothing to do with their tracks. This study offered several suggestions with an emphasis on useful findings. To determine the learners’ higher order thinking skills, conduct a study that looks at how instructional styles impact both teachers and pupils. A larger sample size follow-up study to gather more data that would strengthen the study’s validity. Conduct a study that focuses on how students perceive various teaching methods. Undertake an investigation that centers on the challenges faced by the students about their study practices both at home and at school. Lastly, do a study on classroom observation that focuses more on the behavioral and psychological perspectives of educators, learners, and administrators