http://www.hrpub.org Universal Journal of Educational Research 8(11B): 5816-5823, 2020
DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2020.082215
Investigating Factors that Promote Higher Order
Thinking Skills in Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) Integrated Classes
Malathi Letchumanan
1,*
, Sharifah Kartini Said Husain
1
, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd Ayub
2
, Kien Tsong Chau
3
,
Fakhry Ilham Mohd Radzi
3
, Inn Ching Heng
3
1
Institute for Mathematical Research, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
2
Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
3
Centre for Instructional Technology and Multimedia, University Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
Received July 7, 2020; Revised October 6, 2020; Accepted October 19, 2020
Cite This Paper in the following Citation Styles
(a): [1] Malathi Letchumanan, Sharifah Kartini Said Husain, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd Ayub, Kien Tsong Chau, Fakhry Ilham
Mohd Radzi, Inn Ching Heng , "Investigating Factors that Promote Higher Order Thinking Skills in Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) Integrated Classes," Universal Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 8, No. 11B, pp.
5816 - 5823, 2020. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2020.082215.
(b): Malathi Letchumanan, Sharifah Kartini Said Husain, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd Ayub, Kien Tsong Chau, Fakhry Ilham
Mohd Radzi, Inn Ching Heng (2020). Investigating Factors that Promote Higher Order Thinking Skills in Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) Integrated Classes. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(11B),
5816-5823. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2020.082215.
Copyright©2020 by authors, all rights reserved. Authors agree that this article remains permanently open access under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License
Abstract The current industry environment demands
employees to have higher order thinking skills (HOTS).
Thus, higher learning institutions should play an important
role to inculcate HOTS among learners. Integration of ICT
is believed to promote HOTS among learners effectively.
However, existing literature in the Malaysian context
shows that not many academicians understand the concepts
of HOTS. Furthermore, academicians are not integrating
ICT in their classrooms to promote HOTS among learners.
Hence, this study aims to investigate academicians’
awareness and knowledge level of HOTS, and the factors
that influence the use of ICT by academicians in promoting
HOTS among learners. This study used the survey method
to collect data. Thirty-five academicians from a local
public university participated in the study. Data were
collected via questionnaire. Descriptive and thematic
analyses were carried out to analyse the data. The results
showed that the majority of respondents have low
awareness level and knowledge about HOTS. Meanwhile,
it is also noted that most of the academicians did not
integrate HOTS elements in their courses. All the
respondents integrated ICT in their classrooms and
believed that ICT could promote HOTS. The findings also
showed that learner factor such as attitude towards
technology, self-efficacy and instructor factor such as
technology competency strongly influenced the use of ICT
by the respondents to promote HOTS among learners. This
study could contribute in terms of expanding readers’
understanding on the academicians’ awareness and
knowledge level of HOTS and the factors that can
contribute to enhancing HOTS among learners in ICT
integrated classes.
Keywords Technology, Junior Academicians, ICT,
Integration, Higher Order Thinking
1. Introduction
The current economic climate demands employees who
can think critically and solve problems creatively.
Employers normally value employees who have the ability
to generate ideas and think creatively to expand their
business into the global market. Consequently, employers
often highlight the importance of graduates to be equipped
with higher order thinking skills (HOTS) [1, 2]. Thus,
higher learning institutions should play an important role in