Higher order thinking skills competencies required by outcomes-based education from learners

Area of Science:

• Education
• Pedagogy
• Learning Theories

Background:

• Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) represents a significant shift in South African education, moving from teacher-centered content delivery to learner-centered outcomes.
• OBE promotes constructivistic learning models where teachers act as facilitators, creating environments for learners to actively construct knowledge, skills, and values.
• A key outcome is the development of learners' critical and creative thinking skills for problem identification and solving.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) essential for Outcomes-Based Education (OBE).
• To examine competencies such as critical thinking, reflective thinking, creative thinking, dialogic/dialectic thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence.
• To discuss the theoretical implications of these HOTS for facilitating teaching and learning within the OBE framework.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical exploration of higher-order thinking skills within the context of Outcomes-Based Education.
• Analysis of the philosophical underpinnings of these intellectual competencies.
• Literature review referencing key educational theories and South African educational policies.

Main Results:

• Outcomes-Based Education necessitates a move towards learner-centered pedagogy.
• Higher-order thinking skills are crucial for achieving the critical cross-field outcomes of OBE.
• Teachers must adopt a facilitator role to foster these advanced cognitive abilities in learners.

Conclusions:

• Further research is recommended to develop effective assessment strategies for higher-order thinking skills in OBE.
• Qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approaches are suitable for assessing these intellectual concepts.
• The study provides a theoretical foundation for understanding and implementing HOTS within OBE in South Africa.