Enhancing Primary School Students’ Higher Order Thinking Skills in Data Handling through Active Learning with Smart Board

Abstract

Data Handling is a very important subtopic in statistics that brings learners out into the real world of seeing data; however, the level of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in Data Handling among Malaysian students is declining. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of active learning using smart board programme in enhancing HOTS in Data Handling among students in Malaysian primary schools. The quasi-experimental design, non-equivalent control group design with pretest and post-test was used. Ninety year five students were split into three groups equally; two experimental groups (Active learning using smart board programme and active learning instruction) and one control group (conventional learning method). This study was conducted for eight weeks where quantitative data were collected and analysed. Pretest posttest, and a set of rubric for cognitive domain in HOTS were used. ANOVA test results indicated that there were significance differences between the mean scores of post-test. Comparison of the mean score of each cognitive domain for pretest and posttest showed that active learning using smart board programme contributed the largest improvement to students in HOTS regarding Data Handling (applying = 70.9%, analysing = 110.8%, evaluating = 200.4%, and creating = 460.8%). Consequently, active learning using smart board programme can be assumed suitable to be applied in schools with smart board as it could help students enhancing their HOTS effectively.