Enhancing higher order thinking skills to improve understanding of biological content: A quasi‐experimental study

Abstract This quasi‐experimental study investigated the impact of content enrichment activities requiring higher order thinking skills (HOTS) on students' performance in answering questions across different thinking dimensions. The study involved 477 students from grades five through eight, divided into control and experimental groups. The experimental group participated in enrichment activities to improve critical thinking, problem‐solving, and creativity, while the control group followed the standard curriculum. Pre‐test and post‐test assessments were used to measure students' performance on questions categorized as lower order thinking skills, middle order thinking skills (MOTS), and HOTS. Results indicated significant improvements in answering MOTS questions in the experimental group. However, no significant improvement was observed in HOTS question performance. Within‐group analysis revealed gender differences, with male students scoring higher on MOTS and HOTS questions. Additionally, students involved in biology‐related extracurricular activities showed statistically significant improvements in HOTS question performance within the experimental group. The findings suggest that while enrichment activities can enhance students' abilities to tackle MOTS questions, additional exposure and integration of HOTS in the curriculum are necessary to fully develop HOTS. The study highlights the importance of incorporating enrichment activities with HOTS activities in regular lessons and extracurricular activities to promote deeper learning and critical thinking in students.