Readability of Higher-order Thinking (HOT)
Mathematical Problems in Disaster Context for Junior
High School Students
Fahlida Harnita
1
Rahmah Johar
1,*
Rina S. Oktari
2,3
1
Department of Mathematics Education, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Indonesia
2
Department of Family Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Indonesia
3
Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC), Universitas Syiah Kuala, Indonesia
*
Corresponding author. Email: rahmah.johar@unsyiah.ac.id
ABSTRACT
Disaster mitigation efforts in learning mathematics need to be carried out to foster disaster awareness in students through
higher-order thinking (HOT) mathematical problems in a disaster context. One effort that can be done is to design HOT
math problems with disaster context. However, the problems developed have not gone through the readability test stage
by students. This study aims to analyze the readability of HOT mathematical problems in a disaster context for junior
high school students. This research is development research limited to the stages of one-to-one and small group only.
This study resulted in 16 HOT math problems in a disaster context for junior high school students who had passed the
readability test. This research is expected to provide a scientific contribution as a basis and reference for further research
and the problems that have been tested for readability can be used by teachers in the teaching and learning process in
the classroom.
Keywords: Higher-Order Thinking, Problem Readability, Disaster Context.
1. INTRODUCTION
Geographic location and population size affect an
area's vulnerability to disasters [1-2]. Indonesia is one of
the largest archipelagic countries in Asia and even in the
world with a population of 268.1 million people [3].
Located in an area where three tectonic plates meet,
namely the Indo-Australian Plate, the Eurasian Plate, and
the Pacific Plate, Indonesia is one of the most seismically
active areas on earth [3]. During 2019, Indonesia
experienced 3.814 disaster events [4]. It can be concluded
that Indonesia is a disaster-prone area.
These conditions require the community to increase
awareness of disasters from an early age as a disaster
mitigation effort. Government Regulation of the
Republic of Indonesia Number 21 of 2008 mentions
mitigation as a series of disaster risk reduction efforts.
Disaster mitigation can be done physically through
infrastructure development and psychologically through
awareness of disaster threats. Disaster mitigation can be
applied in all aspects, especially in the field of education.
Education contributes to prosperity by equipping people
with the knowledge and skills for problem-solving and
helping to provide a sense of control and mastery in life
[5].
The application of disaster mitigation in the field of
education can increase disaster knowledge and change
attitudes of the community, especially in schools located
in disaster risk areas [6]. Efforts that can be made are to
include disaster material as a compulsory subject in
schools [7]. Disaster mitigation can also be applied using
disaster context in learning [8], including in learning
mathematics.
The implementation of mathematics learning in
schools should follow the 21st-century learning mandate.
21st-century skills refer to various skills such as learning
and innovation skills consisting of critical thinking,
creativity, collaboration, and communication skills [9].
These skills can be grown through Higher Order
Thinking (HOT) problems.
The HOT problem is a problem used to measure high-
level skills consisting of the ability to analyse, evaluate,
and create [10]. HOT problems can be enriched by
integrating various contexts, including disaster contexts.
The HOT math problem in disaster context is a problem
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 627
Proceedings of the Eighth Southeast Asia Design Research (SEA-DR) & the Second Science, Technology, Education, Arts, Culture, and
Humanity (STEACH) International Conference (SEADR-STEACH 2021)
Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press SARL.
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license -http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. 264