ANALISIS KEMAMPUAN HOTS SISWA KELAS VIII SMP

Abstract

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) are essential competencies that students need to develop in order to meet the challenges of 21st-century learning. However, students' HOTS in mathematics, particularly on the topic of the System of Linear Equations in Two Variables (SPLDV), remain relatively low. This study aimed to describe the HOTS of eighth-grade junior high school students on the SPLDV topic based on the cognitive indicators of analyzing (C4), evaluating (C5), and creating (C6). This research employed a descriptive qualitative approach. The participants consisted of 30 eighth-grade students from a junior high school in Medan, selected through purposive sampling. The research instrument comprised five HOTS-based essay questions developed according to the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy. Data were collected through written tests and documentation and analyzed using data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings revealed that students' HOTS were generally low, with an average achievement of 35%. Achievement levels reached 41.67% for the analyzing indicator (C4), 25% for evaluating (C5), and 25% for creating (C6). The most common difficulties involved understanding problems, transforming information into mathematical models, applying appropriate solution procedures, and drawing correct conclusions. These findings indicate that mathematics instruction should place greater emphasis on developing higher-order thinking skills through contextual problem-solving activities, learning strategies that promote reasoning, and comprehensive HOTS-oriented assessments