Development Guidelines of the Higher-Order Thinking Ability of Secondary 3 Students in Schools Under the Office of Secondary Education Service Area Zone 2 Bangkok

Abstract

The purposes of this research were: 1) to study the level of Higher-Order Thinking ability, 2) to compare the Higher-Order Thinking ability classification based on personal factors, 3) to study the support factors that affect the Higher-Order Thinking ability, and 4) to develop the guidelines of the Higher-Order Thinking ability. The samples were 384 Secondary 3 students in 12 school under the Office of Secondary Education Service Area Zone 2 in academic year 2015. The samples were derived by multi-stage random sampling. The data-gathering instruments used in the research were: 1) a questionnaire of personal factors and support factors, 2) Higher-Order Thinking ability test, 3) in-depth interviewing-style approach and factors that affect the Higher-Order Thinking ability. The data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, multiple comparison, LSD, multiple regression analysis, and content analysis. The research finding were as follows: 1) The sample had a moderated score of Higher-Order Thinking ability. 2) Different of personal factors, gender aspects, and individual achievement affect the Higher-Order Thinking ability were significance at the .05 level. 3) All support factors of 4 variables: parenting style, achievement motivation, and attitudes towards learning, belief in their inner powers explained variance of Higher-Order Thinking ability at 4.4 percent. (R2= .044) 4) Development Guidelines of the Higher-Order Thinking ability of Secondary 3 students in schools under the Office of Secondary Education Service Area Zone 2, from the qualitative data showed that school and executive administrators should have clear policies to promote and encourage teachers to organize continuous leaning process for students by integrating the various forms of thinking skills in classroom in order to achieve Higher-Order Thinking ability. Building knowledge and clear understanding on various forms of Higher-Order Thinking ability for students should be created. Student must realize and develop the thinking ability by themselves with various forms and methods both inside and outside the classroom, continually. Students families need to support fully in all aspects in order to develop high-level thinking skills of students.