Role of higher order thinking skills in enhancing mathematical problem solving

Mohd. Tajudin Nor’ain, Chinnappan Mohan,

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Type :	article
Subject :	QA Mathematics
ISSN :	0025-1569
Main Author :	Mohd. Tajudin Nor’ain, Chinnappan Mohan,
Title :	Role of higher order thinking skills in enhancing mathematical problem solving

Place of Production :	Serials Publications
Year of Publication :	2017

Full Text :

The Malaysian Ministry of Education had advocated for the integration of Higher Order Thinking Skills [HOTS] in mathematics and science. The result of TIMSS has placed greater emphasis on the need to teach HOTS effectively. Our argument is that in order for HOTS to have a significant impact on students’ engagement with and improvement on mathematical problem solving, researchers ought to undertake a fine-grained analysis of student performances in relation to particular tasks and use this information to help teachers understand and integrate HOTS in their teaching. In this paper, we present a critical analysis of selected mathematical problem tasks and demonstrate how to better support students in the use of HOTS in making progress with such tasks. In so doing we present a methodology that can be utilised by teachers better understand the role of HOTS in empowering students move from lower to higher levels of cognitive funtioning in the context of demanding tasks. Our methodology provides an important starting point for the design of future professional development programs for Malaysian mathematics teachers in articulating HOTS and implementing them in regular mathematical problem solving teaching and learning.

References

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