Integrating HOTS Activities with GeoGebra in Pre-Service Teachers’ Preparation

Authors: Wajeeh Daher, Nimer Baya'a

Abstract:

High Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) are suggested today as essential for the cognitive development of students and as preparing them for real life skills. Teachers are encouraged to use HOTS activities in the classroom to help their students develop higher order skills and deep thinking. So it is essential to prepare preservice teachers to write and use HOTS activities for their students. This paper describes a model for integrating HOTS activities with GeoGebra in pre-service teachers’ preparation. This model describes four aspects of HOTS activities and working with them: activity components, preparation procedure, strategies and processes used in writing a HOTS activity and types of the HOTS activities. In addition, the paper describes the pre-service teachers' difficulties in preparing and working with HOTS activities, as well as their perceptions regarding the use of these activities and GeoGebra in the mathematics classroom. The paper also describes the contribution of a HOTS activity to pupils' learning of mathematics, where this HOTS activity was prepared and taught by one pre-service teacher.

Keywords: Higher order thinking, HOTS activities, pre-service teachers, teachers' preparation.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1108022

References:

[1] J. Ramos, B. Dolipas, and B. Villamo, "Higher Order Thinking Skills and Academic Performance in Physics of College Students: A Regression Analysis," International Journal of Innovative Interdisciplinary Research, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 48-60, 2013.
[2] L.H. Newcomb, and M.K. Trefz, "Levels of cognition of student tests and assignments in the College of Agriculture at The Ohio State University," National Association of College Teachers of Agriculture Journal, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 26-30, 1987.
[3] C. Edwards, and G. Briers, "Higher-Order And Lower-Order Thinking Skills Achievement In Secondary-Level Animal Science: Does Block Scheduling Pattern Influence End-Of-Course Learner Performance?," Journal of Agriculture Education, vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 2-14, 2000.
[4] T. Thompson, "An Analysis of Higher-Order Thinking on Algebra I End-of-Course Tests," International Journal for Mathematics Teaching and Learning, Nov. 2011. http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/journal/thompson.pdf
[5] K.W. Hawks, The effects of implementing Bloom's Taxonomy and utilizing the Virginia Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework to develop mathematics lessons for elementary students. Doctoral thesis, Liberty University, 2010.
[6] I. Mok, J. Cai, and A. Fong Fung, "Missing learning opportunities in classroom instruction: evidence from an analysis of a well-structured lesson on comparing fractions". The Mathematics Educator, vol. 11, no. 1-2, pp. 111-126, 2008).
[7] National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), Principles and standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA: Author, 2000.
[8] N. Baya’a, and W. Daher, "The development of college instructors' technological pedagogical and content knowledge," Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 174, pp. 1166 – 1175, 2015.