An analysis of students HOTs abilities to solve the problems on acid-base properties

Abstract

Curriculum 2013 emphasizes learning systems that can build students higher-order thinking skills (HOTs). Therefore, in the assessment guide by High School Directorate, it is stated that assessments for high schools should assess higher-order thinking skills (HOTs). To find out whether HOTs-based learning and assessment has been done well so that students have good HOTs ability too, it is necessary to conduct a study and analysis of HOTs-based student learning outcomes that accommodate these interests. It used descriptive study with survey method. The instrument was developed on the acid-base properties topic according to the Brookhart's higher order thinking skills indicators. This topic was chosen because it is one of the topics in senior high school chemistry learning that is conceptual, contextual, and algorithmic. All three are interrelated and complementary so that they meet all aspects of HOTs assessment. This study involved 293 senior high school students of XI grade at the Lumajang, East Java, Indonesia. The results of content and construct validity are 93.75%, with high criteria, and reliability by 0.654, with high criteria too. The results showed that students have some HOTs abilities in sub-indicators: (1) transfer (analyze, evaluate, and create) by 63%, with sufficient criteria; (2) logic and reasoning by 82%, with high criteria; (3) judgment by 60%, with sufficient criteria; (4) problem solving by 66%, with sufficient criteria; and (5) creativity and creative thinking by 46%, with low criteria. Over-all the ability of HOTs on the acid-base properties topic is 62%, with sufficient criteria.