Effect of scaffolding strategies and guided discovery on higher-order thinking skills in physics education
Abdulaziz Abdullah Alanazi 1 2 , Kamisah Osman 1 * , Lilia Halim 1
More Detail
1 Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, MALAYSIA2 Riyadh Technical College, Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Embedding higher-order thinking within science education, particularly in teaching physics, can equip students to learn physics at a deeper level and to become active learners who can analyze and solve problems independently. The present research aimed to assess the effectiveness of scaffolding strategies along with a guided discovery approach on students’ higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) at technical colleges in Saudi Arabia. The study employed a quasi-experimental design to involve 104 students enrolled in the physics 101 course in two groups: an experimental group (EG) (n = 54), which experienced scaffolding strategies and guided discovery approach during the instruction, and a control group (CG) (n = 54), which received the instruction through conventional teaching methods. All participants took a pre- and post-test consisting of a HOTS test. Data analysis using inferential statistics revealed significant differences in the test scores between CG and EG. The results indicated that students in the EG performed better on the HOTS test in comparison to the students in the CG. Based on these results, it is concluded that the scaffolding strategies and guided discovery have a positive effect on students’ HOTS. The study’s findings have significant implications for enhancing science instruction, particularly teaching of physics in Saudi technical and vocational colleges.

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 20, Issue 9, September 2024, Article No: em2496

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/14980

Publication date: 01 Sep 2024

Online publication date: 19 Aug 2024

Article Views: 533

Article Downloads: 206

Open Access References How to cite this article