ISSN: 2581-8651 Journal of Humanities and

Vol-7, Issue-4, Jul-Aug 2025

Education Development
https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/jhed.7.4.2
Peer-Reviewed Journal (JHED)

Strategies and Challenges in Teaching and Learning

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in Kolehiyo Ng
Subic
Samuel John Coching

Kolehiyo Ng Subic, Subic, Zambales, Philippines

Received: 10 Jun 2025; Received in revised form: 07 Jul 2025; Accepted: 11 Jul 2025, Published on: 17 Jul 2025
©2025 The Author(s). Published by TheShillonga. This is an open-access article under the CC BY license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Abstract— The main objective of this proposed study was to investigate and determine the strategies and
challenges in teaching and learning Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in Kolehiyo Ng Subic during SY
2024-2025. This study had employed the descriptive research method with the survey questionnaire as the
main tool of gathering data and information from teachers-respondents. The statistical treatment of this study
utilized tools such as frequency, mean, and ANOVA. Based on the summary of the investigations, the
researcher concluded that the respondent is a typical female; respondents are from mid-career professionals
showed based on their age; majority were specialized in Business Education subjects and entrepreneurship;
BS degree with masteral units and large proportion are positioned as part-time instructors and had been in
teaching for almost a decade. The teacher respondents assessed “Very Highly Utilized” strategies in teaching
and learning HOTS. While on the challenges in teaching and learning HOTS, teacher respondents assessed
“Very Highly Challenging”. There is no significant difference in the utilization of strategies for teaching
higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) when grouped according to age, sex, field of specialization, academic
position, or highest educational attainment. More so, there were no significant differences in the perceived
challenges of teaching and learning higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) when grouped according to teacher
profile variables. The researcher consistently suggests a shared institutional commitment to promoting
critical thinking skills through standardized pedagogical approaches; and that institutional culture and
policy play a central role in fostering uniformity in instructional practices across faculty members; such
uniform application underscores the effectiveness of institutional frameworks and professional development
efforts in ensuring the broad adoption of HOTS-focused teaching methodologies in which implication is to
significantly address the challenges in HOTS; that implementation should focus on systemic solutions rather
than demographic-targeted interventions; and finally, to conduct a similar or parallel study with wider in
scope so as to validate and confirm the findings obtained in the study.
Keywords— Higher Order Thinking Skills, Strategies, Challenges, Kolehiyo Ng Subic

I. INTRODUCTION curriculum and teaching methods in classrooms to focus on

The goal of education has always been to teach instructing students to „know how‟ rather than to „know
students higher order and critical thinking abilities. The what‟. Data analysis revealed that promoting higher order
literature and academic interest in higher order thinking in thinking relied on classroom discussions, writing tasks, and
education have occasionally increased throughout time. inquiries, which were consistently highlighted in the
However, the researchers' dedication and growing interest literature as vital components. Researchers emphasized the
in the literature did not guarantee that higher order/critical significance of technological advancements and
thinking skills would be successfully taught in classrooms. investigations into approaches for teaching critical thinking
Research shows precisely that higher-thinking skills too. Nonetheless, it was also discovered that the
instruction in the classroom has proven challenging. significance of classroom environment or ambiance lacked
Thinking skills have been clearly integrated into the substantial academic focus. Initiatives to encourage and
enhance thinking skills ought to start at the foundational

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education stage, as this period is viewed as the optimal time Educators encountered various challenges
to establish the essential groundwork for advanced learning. throughout teaching and learning experiences in education.
To enhance teaching and learning methods and to guarantee Based on the research findings of Assaly & Jabarin (2024)
that students can cultivate HOTS necessitated a thorough in Israel, it indicates that there is a favorable view on
examination of existing practices in education. teaching HOTS, yet it also shows they encounter multiple
The process of teaching and learning can be challenges. Factors obstructing HOTS implementation
described as the transfer of knowledge from educators to involve the educators, the learners, the framework, and
learners. It is known as the integration of several specific societal norms. Hence, key elements such as
components in the process where an educator recognizes teacher’s perception, knowledge, and skills, planning and
and sets the learning goals, creates teaching materials, and achievement of objectives aspects, interruption of teaching
executes the teaching and learning methods (Munna & and learning processes, classroom management, and pupil’s
Kalam, 2021). To guarantee a successful and effective learning ability are recognized perceived challenges in
teaching and learning process, higher order/critical thinking teaching and learning higher order thinking skills.
is significant. Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) is a Therefore, it is pertinent to know about these utilized
notion derived from the various learning taxonomies strategies and perceived challenges in order to frame the
created by Benjamin Bloom. As stated by Hamzah, agenda of ensuring quality tertiary education. In this regard,
Hamzah, & Zulkifli (2022), Higher order thinking skills it is timely and appropriate to investigate the proposed
(HOTSs) are internationally prioritized abilities that have study. This study proposal aims to identify and analyze the
turned into a central emphasis of teaching in an increasing strategies and challenges in teaching and learning higher
number of classrooms. HOTS is an essential skill that order thinking skills in Kolehiyo Ng Subic.
educators need to excel in to enhance student thinking and Statement of the Problem:
advance classroom learning by integrating it into their The main objective of this study proposal is to
teaching methods. This idea extends beyond mere determine the strategies and investigate the challenges in
memorization and understanding. These are abilities that teaching and learning Higher Order Thinking Skills
enhance a person's creativity, decision-making, and critical (HOTS) in Kolehiyo Ng Subic.
thinking. According to Gozali, Lie, Tamah, & Jemadi
The following specific questions are proposed to be
(2021) educational institutions where youth invest the
answered:
majority of their time in formative years, play a vital role in
fostering critical thinking habits among students. This 1. How may the profile of the teacher-respondents be
indicates that the role of the teacher is important as they set described as to:
as a role model and mentor of students. Based on study of 1.1 age;
Silfani, Basikin, & Hasan (2025), HOTS is one of the most
1.2 sex;
important skills for students to have. Therefore, educators
need to implement teaching methods that can help achieve 1.3 field of specialization;
this vital skill. Based on the previous studies in Thailand, 1.4 academic position; and
indicated in the study of Kwangmuang, Jarutkamolpong,
1.5 highest educational attainment?
Sangboonraung, & Daungtod (2021), HOTS includes
critical, logical, reasoning, decision-making, and creative 2 How may the respondents utilize the following
thinking skills which focused on the cognitive processes strategies in teaching and learning Higher Order
namely analysis, evaluation, and creation. A significant Thinking Skills (HOTS) in Kolehiyo Ng Subic?
literature towards the strategies utilized in teaching and 2.1 Discussions;
learning Higher Order Thinking Skills which are: 2.2 Inquiry and asking questions;
(1)discussions; (2) inquiry and asking questions; (3) use of
technology; (4) role playing and simulations; and (5) case 2.3 Use of technology;
studies. Moreover, these teaching strategies are somehow 2.4 Role playing and simulations; and
concluded effective in fostering higher order thinking skills 2.5 Case studies.
from the point of view of Shanti, Istiyono, & Munadi(2022)
3 How may the respondents perceive the challenges in
in their study, which revealed through instructional media
teaching and learning Higher Order Thinking Skills
strategies, related to the use of technology together with
(HOTS) in Kolehiyo Ng Subic be described?
learning methods and assessments, typically attributed to
the aforementioned utilized teaching and learning strategies 3.1 Teacher’s Perception, Knowledge, and
in HOTS, there is effectiveness of learning improvement. Skills;

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3.2 Planning and Achievement of Objective After making the final draft of the survey checklist,
Aspects; the researcher had sought permission and approval of the
3.3 Interruption of Teaching and Learning College President of Kolehiyo Ng Subic on the distribution
Processes; of the instrument to teacher-respondents. A letter was
prepared for every dean and chairperson of each
3.4 Classroom Management; and
courses/program for their support and cooperation. The
3.5 Pupil’s Learning Ability. researcher had allotted four weeks for the distribution and
4. Is there a significant difference on the utilization of retrieval of the survey instrument. Also, the researcher
strategies in teaching and learning Higher Order Thinking assured the anonymity of the answers of the respondents.
Skills (HOTS) in Kolehiyo Ng Subic when group according The statistical treatment of this study utilized descriptive
to teacher’s profile? statistical tools such as frequency counts and mean. The
inferential statistics utilized was ANOVA.
5. Is there a significant difference on the perceived
challenges in teaching and learning Higher Order Thinking
Skills (HOTS) in Kolehiyo Ng Subic when group according III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
to teacher’s profile? 1. Profile of Respondents
1.1 Age
II. METHODOLOGY Table 1.1 Frequency and Percentage Distribution on the
Respondents’ Age Profile Variables
The study used descriptive design research and
qualitative in its interpretation. According to Purdy & Popan Profile Frequency (f) Percentage (%)
(2023), descriptive research is a methodological approach Variables
aimed at detailing behaviors, situations, events, and Age
outcomes without delving into theoretical predictions or
25–34 years old 18 30.0
cause-and-effect relationships. Researcher undertakes the
process of gathering data, analyzing, classifying, and 35–44 years old 28 46.7
tabulating data. The teachers’ perceptions and insights were 45–54 years old 10 16.7
solicited and aimed to accomplish the objective of the study
55 and above 4 6.6
which is to investigate the utilized strategies and perceived
challenges in teaching and learning higher order thinking Total 60 100.0
skills in Kolehiyo Ng Subic.
This study had a total of 60 teacher-respondents. Out of the 60 respondents, the largest group—28
The study was conducted among different programs or individuals (46.7%)—falls within the 35–44 years old
courses offered in Kolehiyo Ng Subic, Subic, Zambales, range, followed by 18 respondents (30.0%) aged 25–34
Philippines. years old. There are 10 respondents (16.7%) aged 45–54
The researcher-made checklist was the main years old, while only 4 respondents (6.6%) belong to the 55
instrument used in gathering this data in this study. The and above age group.
contents of the survey checklist were crafted by the The results indicate that the majority of
researcher itself. The survey checklist was submitted to the respondents are mid-career professionals who may possess
experts in the field for correction and suggestions. The considerable teaching experience and are likely to have
researcher conducted SPSS v22.0 Reliability Test using been exposed to evolving educational practices. Research
Cronbach Alpha to assure the validity of the research suggests that educators in this age bracket often engage
instrument. more actively with professional development and
The first part of the survey checklist focused on the pedagogical innovation (Dela Cruz & Santos, 2022).
profile of the teacher-respondents which include age, sex, Similarly, Johansson et al. (2019) found that mid-career
academic position, highest education attainment, and field professionals tend to show greater adaptability to
of specialization. The second part dealt to investigate the technological integration in teaching.
utilization of strategies in teaching and learning higher order 1.2 Sex
thinking skills. The final part dealt to assess the perceived
challenges in teaching and learning higher order thinking
skills. The respondents answered on the Likert-scale
ranging from 5-strongly agree to 1-strongly disagree.

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Table 1.2 Frequency and Percentage Distribution on the 1 Assistant Professor I (1.7%), with no respondents in
Respondents’ Sex Profile Variables Professor II or Associate Professor I ranks.
Profile Frequency (f) Percentage (%) This distribution suggests a workforce heavily
Variables composed of part-time and entry-level instructors, a trend
often observed in private higher education institutions
Sex
where flexible staffing models are employed (Nguyen et al.,
Male 27 45.0 2021). A predominantly part-time teaching staff may face
Female 33 55.0 unique challenges in sustaining advanced pedagogical
approaches like Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS).
Total 60 100.0
1.4 Highest Educational Attainment

Among the respondents, a slight majority—33 The largest proportion of respondents (28
individuals (55.0%)—are female, while 27 individuals individuals, 46.7%) hold a Masteral Degree Graduate
(45.0%) are male. This fairly balanced gender distribution qualification, followed by 14 Doctoral Unit Earners
reflects the inclusive composition of the teaching workforce (23.3%), 9 Baccalaureate Degree Graduates (15.0%), 7
in Kolehiyo ng Subic. According to Mendoza and Reyes Masteral Unit Earners (11.7%), and 2 Doctoral Degree
(2021), the education sector in the Philippines continues to Graduates (3.3%).
see increasing female participation, particularly in higher
education. International trends similarly show gradual Table 1.4 Frequency and Percentage Distribution on the
progress toward gender parity in academic settings (Smith Respondents’ Highest Educational Attainment Profile
et al., 2020). Variables
Profile Variables Frequency Percentage
1.3 Academic Position (f) (%)

Table 1.3 Frequency and Percentage Distribution on the Field of Specialization

Respondents’ Academic Position Profile Variables
Education, Social 11 18.3
Profile Frequency (f) Percentage (%) Sciences & Professional
Variables Education Subjects
Professor II 0 0.0 Business Education 19 31.7
Associate 1 1.7 Subjects &
Professor II Entrepreneurship
Information Technology 14 23.3
Associate 0 0.0
& Computer Sciences
Professor I
Tourism, Hotel & 16 26.7
Assistant 1 1.7 Restaurant Management
Professor I Total 60 100.0
Instructor I 17 28.3
Professor II 0 0.0
The data suggests that a significant number of
Full-time 3 5.0 faculty members are either pursuing or have completed
Instructor graduate studies, which is encouraging in terms of academic
Part-time 38 63.3 qualification and readiness to implement HOTS strategies.
Instructor Advanced academic attainment is linked to deeper
pedagogical knowledge and greater emphasis on critical
Total 60 100.0
thinking (Tan et al., 2024).

The majority of the respondents hold part-time

instructor positions (38 individuals, 63.3%). Instructor I
follows with 17 respondents (28.3%). Very few respondents
hold senior ranks: only 1 Associate Professor II (1.7%) and

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1.5 Field of Specialization Use of 4.70 Very Highly Utilized

Table 1.5 Frequency and Percentage Distribution on the Technology
Respondents’ Field of Specialization Profile Variables Role Playing 4.52 Very Highly Utilized
Profile Variables Frequency Percentage (%) and Simulations
(f) Case Studies 4.68 Very Highly Utilized
Highest
Educational The data indicate that all instructional strategies
Attainment were very highly utilized, as reflected by the consistently
Doctoral Degree 2 3.3 high mean scores. Among these, “Inquiry and Asking
Graduate Questions” emerged as the most frequently employed
Doctoral Unit 14 23.3 strategy, garnering the highest mean score of 4.85. This
Earner underscores its perceived effectiveness in cultivating
critical thinking, aligning with the findings of King et al.
Masteral Degree 28 46.7 (2021), who emphasized that the formulation of thoughtful
Graduate questions is central to developing higher-order thinking
Masteral Unit 7 11.7 skills (HOTS). Similarly, the strategy “Use of Technology”
Earner received a commendably high mean score of 4.70, which
Baccalaureate 9 15.0 supports the conclusions of Alfonso and Pineda (2023), who
Degree Graduate asserted that technology-enriched learning environments
play a pivotal role in fostering HOTS. Furthermore, both
Total 60 100.0 “Role Playing and Simulations” and “Case Studies” were
also highly rated, demonstrating a strong preference for
Respondents are well distributed across fields of experiential and student-centered learning methods that
specialization. Business Education Subjects and facilitate active engagement and the practical application of
Entrepreneurship represents the largest group (19 knowledge, consistent with the work of Adams and Cruz
respondents, 31.7%), followed by Tourism, Hotel & (2022). These results collectively affirm the widespread and
Restaurant Management (16 respondents, 26.7%), effective use of varied instructional strategies that support
Information Technology & Computer Sciences (14 the development of critical and higher-order thinking skills.
respondents, 23.3%), and Education, Social Sciences & 3. Perceived Challenges in Teaching and
Professional Education Subjects (11 respondents, 18.3%). Learning HOTS
This broad range of specializations supports the Table 3: Mean Scores on Perceived Challenges in
interdisciplinary nature of teaching HOTS in Kolehiyo ng Teaching and Learning HOTS
Subic. According to Garcia and Tan (2023), cross- Challenge Category Mean Interpretation
disciplinary approaches enrich the implementation of Teacher’s Perception, 4.89 Very Highly
advanced cognitive strategies in higher education settings. Knowledge, and Skills Challenging
Planning and Achievement 4.87 Very Highly
2. Strategies Used in Teaching and Learning HOTS of Objective Aspects Challenging
The utilization of teaching strategies was assessed Interruption of Teaching and 4.62 Very Highly
in terms of discussions, inquiry and asking questions, use of Learning Processes Challenging
technology, role playing and simulations, and case studies. Classroom Management 4.60 Very Highly
The results are presented in Table 2. Challenging
Table 2: Mean Scores on the Utilization of Strategies in Pupil’s Learning Ability 4.72 Very Highly
Teaching and Learning HOTS Challenging
Strategy Mean Interpretation The findings reveal that all identified categories
Discussions 4.72 Very Highly Utilized were perceived as very highly challenging in the
implementation of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS).
Inquiry and 4.85 Very Highly Utilized
The most significant challenge was associated with
Asking
"Teacher’s Perception, Knowledge, and Skills" (Mean =
Questions
4.89), underscoring the critical need for enhanced teacher

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training and professional development in HOTS pedagogy. Learning Processes" and "Classroom Management," both of
This aligns with the work of Li and Chen (2024), who which highlight the influence of environmental and
emphasized that teacher expertise is a central determinant behavioral factors on instructional effectiveness (Smith &
in the successful promotion of higher-order thinking in the Ramos, 2021). Finally, "Pupil’s Learning Ability" was also
classroom. "Planning and Achievement of Objectives" also rated as a very highly challenging area, suggesting that the
emerged as a major challenge (Mean = 4.87), reflecting the cognitive demands of HOTS may exceed the capabilities of
complexities involved in aligning HOTS instruction with some students without appropriate support. This is
established curricular standards. Villanueva and Santos consistent with Zhang et al. (2020), who advocated for the
(2023) noted that rigid curriculum frameworks often hinder use of scaffolding techniques and differentiated instruction
the seamless integration of higher-order thinking strategies to address learners’ varying needs in developing higher-
in many educational systems. Additional concerns were order thinking.
identified in areas such as "Interruption of Teaching and
4. Test of Difference: Utilization of Strategies Across Teacher Profiles
Table 4: Analysis of Variance to test the differences on Utilization of Strategies in Teaching and Learning Higher Order
Thinking Skills when group according to Teachers’ Profile
Sources of Variations SS df MS F Sig. Decision / Interpretation
Age 2.874 3 0.958 0.642 0.590 Do Not Reject Ho (Not
Significant)
Sex 0.521 1 0.521 0.388 0.536 Do Not Reject Ho (Not
Significant)
Field of Specialization 4.131 5 0.826 0.724 0.606 Do Not Reject Ho (Not
Significant)
Academic Position 3.054 3 1.018 0.781 0.509 Do Not Reject Ho (Not
Significant)
Highest Educational Attainment 2.489 3 0.830 0.690 0.561 Do Not Reject Ho (Not
Significant)
Within Groups 82.321 51 1.614
Total 95.390 59

The results revealed that there were no significant implement HOTS-related strategies with similar frequency
differences in the utilization of strategies for teaching and emphasis. This consistency suggests a shared
higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) when grouped institutional commitment to promoting critical thinking
according to age, sex, field of specialization, academic skills through standardized pedagogical approaches. The
position, or highest educational attainment, as all computed results are consistent with the study of Nguyen et al. (2021),
p-values exceeded the 0.05 alpha level of significance (p > who reported that institutional culture and policy play a
0.05). Consequently, the null hypothesis is accepted, central role in fostering uniformity in instructional practices
indicating that the application of teaching strategies is not across faculty members. Such uniform application
influenced by variations in teacher profile. underscores the effectiveness of institutional frameworks
These findings imply that educators, regardless of and professional development efforts in ensuring the broad
their demographic and professional backgrounds, adoption of HOTS-focused teaching methodologies.

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5. Test of Difference: Perceived Challenges Across Teacher Profiles

Table 5: Analysis of Variance to test the differences on Utilization of Strategies in Teaching and Learning Higher
Order Thinking Skills when group according to Teachers’ Profile
Sources of Variations SS df MS F Sig. Decision / Interpretation
Do Not Reject Ho (Not
Age 3.765 3 1.255 0.591 0.624
Significant)
Do Not Reject Ho (Not
Sex 0.398 1 0.398 0.278 0.600
Significant)
Do Not Reject Ho (Not
Field of Specialization 5.210 5 1.042 0.703 0.622
Significant)
Do Not Reject Ho (Not
Academic Position 2.987 3 0.996 0.752 0.527
Significant)
Do Not Reject Ho (Not
Highest Educational Attainment 2.412 3 0.804 0.685 0.565
Significant)
Within Groups 80.754 51 1.583
Total 95.526 59

The results also indicated that there were no units and large proportion are positioned as part-time
significant differences in the perceived challenges of instructors.
teaching and learning higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) 2. The teacher-respondents assessed “Very Highly
when grouped according to teacher profile variables, as all Utilized” strategies in teaching and learning HOTS.
computed p-values were greater than the 0.05 alpha level of While on the challenges in teaching and learning
significance (p > 0.05). Therefore, the null hypothesis is HOTS, teacher respondents assessed “Very Highly
accepted, confirming that demographic and professional Challenging”.
characteristics such as age, sex, academic position, field of 3. There is no significant difference in the utilization of
specialization, and highest educational attainment do not strategies for teaching higher-order thinking skills
significantly influence the challenges perceived by (HOTS) when grouped according to age, sex, field of
educators. specialization, academic position, or highest
This finding suggests that teachers across various educational attainment.
profiles encounter similar levels of difficulty in 4. There is no significant differences in the perceived
implementing HOTS, pointing to the presence of shared challenges of teaching and learning higher-order
systemic or institutional barriers. These results align with thinking skills (HOTS) when grouped according to
the study by Tan et al. (2024), who concluded that teacher profile variables.
organizational constraints—such as curriculum limitations,
resource gaps, and policy demands—tend to impact faculty
members uniformly, regardless of their individual V. RECOMMENDATIONS
backgrounds. The implication is that efforts to address Based on the summary of findings and conclusions, the
challenges in HOTS implementation should focus on researcher arrived at the following offered
systemic solutions rather than demographic-targeted recommendations:
interventions. 1. Teachers should attend regularly in seminars,
training sessions, and workshops to enhance their
professional development, improve their teaching
IV. CONCLUSIONS methods, and keep them updated to new trends of
Based on the summary of findings, the researcher concluded educational practices and resources.
that: 2. College administration should aim to have
available educational technologies in schools to
1. The respondent is a typical female; respondents are
improve access to information, engage in
from mid-career professionals showed based on their
interactive and differentiated activities and
age; majority were specialized in Business Education
instruction, and to equip digital literate students.
subjects and entrepreneurship; BS degree with masteral

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3. College Administration should conduct a [12] Kwangmuang, P., Jarutkamolpong, S., Sangboonraung, W.,
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