Enhancing Higher Order Thinking Skills of Challenged High School Learners through a Modified Open Approach with Multi-Problem Rotation

This research investigated the effectiveness of a Modified Open Approach integrated with a Multi-Problem Rotational Model in enhancing the Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) of challenged high school learners, specifically in solving word problems involving systems of linear equations in one variable. Addressing the pedagogical gap where struggling students are often excluded from complex cognitive tasks, this research implemented a unique five-phase instructional cycle featuring a Rethink Mechanism. A 15-item HOTS assessment, validated by three mathematics experts and pilot-tested for reliability (n = 12), was used to measure gains in analysis, evaluation, and creation. Results from the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test revealed a statistically significant improvement (p = .0005), with mean scores increasing from a pre-test baseline of 7.80 (52%) to a post-test mastery level of 11.30 (75%). The findings suggest that the rotational model serves as a social scaffold, reducing cognitive anxiety by allowing students to build upon peer-generated logic. The study concludes that the "Rethink" phase is a critical catalyst for cognitive flexibility, providing an equitable pathway for challenged learners to achieve proficiency in high-level mathematical reasoning.

Systems of Linear Equations, Open Approach, HOTS

1. Bozkurt, A. (2022). A retro-perspective on blended/hybrid learning: Systematic review and mapping. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2022(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.5334/jime.765 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Hoffmann, M., & Egri-Nagy, A. (2021). Flat teaching design: Multi-entry learning pathways in mathematics education. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 52(8), 1234–1248. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2020.1744743 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Kania, N., & Kusumah, Y. S. (2025). Fostering Higher-Order Thinking Skills in mathematics education: Strategies, challenges, and classroom practices. Journal of Research in Mathematics Education, 14(1), 88–104. https://doi.org/10.17583/redimat.15421 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Nugroho, S., Sari, K., & Slamet, R. (2025). Improving students' mathematics HOTS ability through the integration of deep learning and SOLO taxonomy. Inovasi Kurikulum, 22(2), 263–278. https://doi.org/10.17509/jik.v22i2.71422 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Shalikhah, N., & Nugroho, S. (2023). Validated HOTS-based worksheets enhance higher-order thinking skills and impact geometry learning outcomes. Jurnal Pendidikan Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan, 8(2), 112–125. https://doi.org/10.17977/jptpp.v8i2.14562 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Tanudjaya, C. P., & Doorman, M. (2020). Examining Higher-Order Thinking Skills in mathematics classrooms: Challenges for teachers and students. Journal on Mathematics Education, 11(2), 277–292. https://doi.org/10.22342/jme.11.2.11814.277-292 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Tupas, F. P., & Linas-Laguda, M. (2025). Exploring students' perceptions and experiences of the Station Rotation Model in blended mathematics learning. Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología, 4(S1), 982. https://doi.org/10.56294/saludcyt2024982 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Akinoso, S. O. (2021). Effect of station rotation mode of instructional delivery for mathematics in the era of advancing technology. Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 11(1), 15–28. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Antonio, R., & Prudente, M. (2023). Effects of inquiry-based approaches on students' Higher-Order Thinking Skills in science and mathematics: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 12(1), 251–281. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijemst.3216 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Komarudin, A., Santosa, C. A., & Sardi, A. (2024). Integrating the Reading, Mind Mapping, and Sharing (RMS) teaching model with brainstorming to enhance mathematical and digital literacies. Journal of Secondary Education Research, 9(2), 110–124. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Liu, W., & Chen, T. (2024). Deepening mathematical thinking: A study on the examination of Higher-Order Thinking Skills in the 2023 GCE New Mathematics Curriculum Paper. Frontiers in Educational Research, 7(8), 95–101. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2024.070816 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Nugroho, S., Sari, K., & Slamet, R. (2025). Improving students' mathematics HOTS ability through the integration of deep learning and SOLO taxonomy. Inovasi Kurikulum, 22(2), 263–278. https://doi.org/10.17509/jik.v22i2.71422 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Rawashdi, S. S., & Ayalon, M. (2025). Shifts in students' perspectives on mathematics and its learning during the transition to remote and hybrid learning. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 21(12), em2743. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/17436 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Roach, H. A. (2021). Effects of blended learning using the rotation model on students' mathematics scores [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University]. Walden University ScholarWorks. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Santana, N. N., Oliveira, J., & Ribeiro, A. (2022). The relationship between cognitive flexibility and mathematical performance in secondary learners: A systematic review. Educational Psychology Review, 34(3), 1455–1480. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-022-09681-4 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Tanudjaya, C. P., & Doorman, M. (2020). Examining Higher-Order Thinking Skills in mathematics classrooms: Challenges for teachers and students. Journal on Mathematics Education, 11(2), 277–292. https://doi.org/10.22342/jme.11.2.11814.277-292 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Walden University Research. (2025). Exploring students' perceptions of the station rotation model: A thematic framework for critical thinking and collaboration. Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología, 5(S1), 2287. https://doi.org/10.56294/saludcyt20252287 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• The Impact of Ownership Structure on Dividend Payout Policy of Listed Plantation Companies in Sri Lanka
• Urban Sustainability in North-East India: A Study through the lens of NER-SDG index
• Performance Assessment of Predictive Forecasting Techniques for Enhancing Hospital Supply Chain Efficiency in Healthcare Logistics
• The Fractured Self in Julian Barnes' Postmodern Fiction: Identity Crisis and Deflation in Metroland and the Sense of an Ending
• Impact of Flood on the Employment, Labour Productivity and Migration of Agricultural Labour in North Bihar