The Relationship between of the Learning Environment and the Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) among Secondary School Students

Abstract: Malaysia’s achievements in the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) and PISA (Program International Student Assessment) from 2007 to 2015 show a decline in the mastery of science and mathematics subjects among Malaysian students internationally (Shahril Sabudin, Azlin Norhaini Mansor, Subahan Mohd Meerah & Azliza Muhammad, 2018) [28]. Meanwhile, the science laboratory learning environment is found that can influence the student’s higher order thinking skills (HOTS). This finding is supported by Mubarok, Suprapto and Adam (2018)[21] who found that the investigative activities in the laboratory would influence the HOTS. However, there are still have no any studies that been found in Malaysia on the relationship between the science laboratory learning environment and the HOTS. Therefore, this study aims to know the relationship between of the learning environment and the HOTS among secondary school students in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu by using the quantitative method. There are two sections in the questionnaire form, which are part A regarding the science laboratory learning environment and part B on the student’s HOTS. The part A uses SLEI which was developed by Fraser et al. (1992) and the part B uses a set of subjective questions that was developed by the researchers. The researchers selected 89 students from two schools using a simple random sampling. The findings showed that there were a relationship between of the learning environment in the material environment and the student’s HOTS. The results of the study proved that the adequacy of materials and apparatus in science labs would enhance the student’s HOTS. The implications of this study enable the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE) to budget for the purchase of sufficient science materials and apparatus.