Jurnal Pendidikan Malaysia 44(2)(2019): 84-100 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/JPEN-2019-44.02-09 Attributes Affecting Students’ Ability in Thinking Skills (Atribut yang Mempengaruhi Kebolehan Pelajar dalam Kemahiran Berfikir) HAMIDAH MAIDINSAH*, FARAH NABILLAH MOHAMED JIZAD, MASLIZAH AB WAHAB & BALKISH OSMAN ABSTRACT The Ministry of Education has reemphasized the implementation of higher order thinking skills (HOTS) in science and mathematics curriculum in 2014. In relation to this, a research was carried out to analyse students’ ability in thinking skills (ATS), and to construct a model that estimates their ATS. The study involved 300 students of engineering and science foundation programme from a university. A Scientific Reasoning Test was used as instrument. Binary logistic regression is used to categorize the students’ level of thinking skills. Results show that 51.7% of students are categorized as having higher order thinking skills (HOTS) and 48.3% having lower order thinking skill (LOTS). More male students at HOTS level (57.1%) compared to LOTS (42.9%), while more female students at LOTS level (52.7%) compared to HOTS (47.3%). Higher percentage of boarding school students (55.4%) at HOTS level compared to daily school students. There is a significant correlation between ATS with students’ performance in mathematics course in foundation programme (MAT093) and performance in mathematics subject in SPM (MAT). A binary logistic model was constructed to estimate students’ ATS. The findings implicate that teaching method through inquiry and mind-mapping in i-Think process which has been implemented in schools since 2015 seems to give an impact in enhancing and developing students’ thinking skills. Keywords: Higher order thinking skill (HOTS); scientific thinking skills; scientific reasoning test; binary logistic regression model; mathematics achievement ABSTRAK Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia telah memberi penekanan semula terhadap penerapan kemahiran berfikir aras tinggi (KBAT) di dalam kurikulum sains dan matematik pada tahun 2014. Sehubungan itu, satu kajian dijalankan untuk menganalisis keupayaan kemahiran berfikir (KKB) pelajar dan membina model untuk telahan kemahiran berfikir mereka. Kajian ini melibatkan 300 pelajar Asasi program kejuruteraan dan sains dari sebuah universiti. Ujian Penaakulan Saintifik digunakan sebagai instrumen. (MAT) dan Matematik Tambahan (ADMAT) dalam SPM. Regresi Logistik Binari digunakan untuk menentukan kategori tahap kemahiran berfikir pelajar. Hasil kajian mendapati 51.7% pelajar berada pada kemahiran berfikir aras tinggi (KBAT) dan 48.3% berada pada kemahiran berfikir aras rendah (KBAR). Lebih banyak pelajar lelaki berada pada aras KBAT (57.1%) daripada aras KBAR (42.9%), manakala lebih banyak pelajar perempuan berada pada aras KBAR (52.7%) berbanding aras KBAT (47.3%). Lebih pelajar berasrama penuh berada pada aras KBAT (55.4%) berbanding pelajar sekolah harian. Terdapat korelasi yang signifikan antara KKB dengan pencapaian dalam kursus matematik matrikulasi (MAT093) dan pencapaian Matematik SPM (MAT). Sebuah model logistik binari telah dibina untuk telahan KKB pelajar. Dapatan mengimplikasikan bahawa kaedah pengajaran yang berbentuk inkuiri dan peta minda dalam proses i-Think yang telah diperkenalkan di sekolah pada tahun 2015 adalah berpotensi dan berkemampuan untuk mengembangkan aras kemahiran pemikiran pelajar. Kata Kunci: Kemahiran berfikir aras tinggi (KBAT); kemahiran berfikiran saintifik; ujian penaakulan saintifik; model regresi logistik binary; pencapaian matematik INTRODUCTION The Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE 2013) has introduced the implementation of critical and creative thinking skills (CCTS) into Malaysian Education curriculum in the 90s. Poor performance of Malaysian students in two international assessments, such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) were recorded since 2007 to 2012 (Star, 2013). Hence, MOE has begun to reemphasize and implement higher order thinking skills (HOTS) in 2014. HOTS has been implemented in our curriculum and examination where school-based assessment was emphasized to improve students’ performance and reduce examination orientation fever among parents, students and teachers. PISA is conducted every three years and its analysis is based on reading, mathematics and science test scores of 15 years- old students since 2006. Its focus is on students’ ability to think critically in order to solve real world problems. The Artikel 9.indd 161 26/11/2019 09:52:51