Tools and activities for developing higher order and professional skills with a case study on the subject of computer architecture and organization

Abstract

Higher-order thinking, commonly known as higher order thinking skills (HOTS), is a concept of education reform based on the learning taxonomies such as Bloom’s taxonomy. For various Bloom’s Taxonomy levels as Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analysing, Evaluating and Creating, digital tools are available for students to develop those levels of skills. However, it requires that for each subject area in the engineering education, the faculty members have to identify the specific thinking skills as applicable for the subject and need of the student. Then they have to design the activities and projects with the necessary specific tools. In view of the above, a group of faculty members in our institution took up a case study on Computer Architecture and Organization and identified the thinking skills to be developed. Based on this, they designed a set of activities and projects with the necessary tools as specific to the subject. It is required to use the generic digital tools.