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This study aims to analyze the role and variation of test instruments in measuring students’ cognitive domain in the learning evaluation process. Using a literature review method, this study examines various scientific sources related to educational evaluation and cognitive assessment. The findings indicate that the cognitive domain includes thinking skills ranging from lower-order thinking skills (C1: Remembering, C2: Understanding) to higher-order thinking skills (C3: Applying, C4: Analyzing, C5: Evaluating, and C6: Creating) based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. Test instruments such as multiple-choice, essay, true-false, matching, and oral tests possess different characteristics, advantages, and limitations for assessing specific cognitive levels. Objective tests are considered effective for measuring lower-order thinking skills because they offer high reliability and objectivity, whereas essay tests are more appropriate for assessing higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). In addition, the quality of test instruments is influenced by validity, reliability, objectivity, difficulty level, and discrimination index. Therefore, the appropriate and varied use of test instruments is essential to obtain comprehensive and accurate measurements of students’ cognitive abilities and to support effective learning evaluation and instructional decision-making processes.

This community service program aims to enhance teachers’ competence in developing Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)-based assessment items to support improved performance in the Computer-Based National Assessment (ANBK) at SMP Negeri Kletek. The main problem faced by the partner school is the limited understanding of teachers in designing assessment instruments that measure higher-order thinking skills, as well as insufficient ability to develop literacy- and numeracy-oriented questions aligned with ANBK characteristics. This condition has resulted in suboptimal learning evaluation quality and limited student readiness for national assessment. The program employed a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, emphasizing the active involvement of participants throughout all stages. The implementation included the planning stage through needs assessment and problem identification, the action stage through training and mentoring in HOTS-based item development, the observation stage through evaluation of participants’ work, and the reflection stage to identify achievements and challenges. Data were collected using pre-test and post-test, observation, and reflective discussions. The results indicate an improvement in teachers’ understanding and skills in developing HOTS-based items, as reflected in higher post-test scores. Teachers were able to design competency-based blueprints, contextual stimuli, and analytical, evaluative, and creative questions. This program effectively strengthens teachers’ professional competence and school readiness for ANBK.

This study aims to develop a Student Worksheet (LKPD) on Chemical Bonding assisted by Augmented Reality (AR) based on deep learning and to examine its feasibility, practicality, and effectiveness in improving learning activities and higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) of high school students. The research employed a 4D development model (define, design, develop, and disseminate) using a pretest posttest control group design involving 11th grade students. Research instruments included expert validation sheets, learning activity questionnaires, and HOTS test instruments. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The results indicated that the AR-based LKPD met very feasible and practical criteria based on expert judgment and student responses. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in learning activities and HOTS achievement (p = 0.005). The increase in HOTS scores in the experimental group was categorized as moderate, indicating meaningful learning gains. These findings demonstrate that the AR-assisted Chemical Bonding LKPD is effective as an innovative learning medium for supporting students’ understanding of abstract chemistry concepts and fostering higher-order thinking skills.

This study was conducted to review the quality of test items in Business Economics and General Administration subjects using a classical analysis approach. The assessment process included examining validity, reliability, difficulty level, the ability of questions to differentiate student abilities, and the accuracy of distractors. The research approach used was descriptive quantitative, with 32 students from grades XI and XII majoring in Accounting as subjects and 50 multiple-choice questions as instruments. The main focus of this study was to ensure that the evaluation tools used were truly capable of describing students' competency achievements. Data analysis was conducted through observation results and student responses on Google Forms, which were then processed using the Anates Version 4.0 application. The results of the analysis showed that most of the questions had high validity and reliability, good discrimination power, and a moderate level of difficulty. However, the overall quality of the distractors was not good enough, and there were no questions in the difficult category. Overall, the quality of the questions in this subject can be categorized as good and suitable for evaluating the learning of vocational high school students in grades XI and XII.

Learning evaluation is an important element in the educational process because it allows us to determine the extent to which students have achieved their competencies and helps improve the quality of learning. Objective tests are considered relevant because they can measure students' thinking abilities efficiently and systematically. However, in PAI learning, there are challenges because what is assessed is not only knowledge, but also understanding, attitudes, and actions in religion. This study aims to analyze the application of objective test instruments in evaluating PAI learning at SMA Negeri 1 Jetis Bantul, including how teachers create questions, the difficulties they encounter, and the impact on students. This study uses a qualitative approach with interview, observation, and documentation techniques, then content analysis is used to analyze the results. The findings indicate that teachers have applied HOTS-based questions in accordance with the principles of the Merdeka Curriculum. However, students still have difficulty understanding long narrative questions, and objective instruments are not appropriate for assessing affective aspects. In general, students respond positively, but their learning style tends to be instant, relying solely on question outlines. To achieve holistic educational goals in line with the Pancasila Student Profile, continuous innovation is needed in the development of objective testing instruments that are capable of comprehensively measuring cognitive, affective, and psychomotor aspects.

This study aims to analyze the improvement of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) through mathematics learning on the Three-Dimensional Geometry topic in Grade XII of Yayasan Pendidikan Al-Fattah Medan. HOTS is a crucial aspect of 21st-century education because it helps students develop critical, creative, logical, and reflective thinking skills in addressing complex problems. In the context of mathematics learning, particularly in spatial geometry, mastering HOTS not only supports students in understanding abstract concepts but also in applying them to real-life situations. This study employed a descriptive qualitative method with instruments consisting of a pre-test, post-test, and an open-ended questionnaire to explore students’ understanding and learning experiences. The findings revealed a significant improvement, where the average pre-test score of 7 increased to 52.21 in the post-test. This result highlights that the implementation of HOTS-based learning strategies is effective in enhancing students’ comprehension of distance, angles, and point positions in space, while simultaneously strengthening their analytical, evaluative, and creative abilities. The study implies the importance of adopting innovative learning strategies oriented toward HOTS development to improve the quality of mathematics education and prepare students for global challenges.

The low scientific literacy of elementary school students, influenced by the use of conventional learning methods and lack of interactivity, encourages the need for new innovations based on digital technology. This study aims to test the optimization of the use of digital technology as a strategy to improve scientific literacy through a quasi-experimental method with a pretest-posttest control group design. The research subjects consisted of 60 fifth-grade students from one elementary school, namely SDN Pondok Labu 03, taken from 2 classes, each consisting of 30 students (30 students in the experimental group and 30 students in the control group). The experimental group was given a digital technology-based science learning treatment, namely a virtual laboratory (Labster), and an educational application (Quizizz), for 8 weeks, while the control group used conventional methods. The research instruments included a scientific literacy test (HOTS questions) and student activity observation sheets. Data were analyzed quantitatively using t-test and ANOVA to compare the increase in scientific literacy scores between the two groups. The results showed that the experimental group experienced a significant increase in scientific literacy scores (N-Gain 0.72) compared to the control group (N-Gain 0.32). The research conclusion proves that the systematic integration of digital technology is effective in improving the scientific literacy of elementary school students at Pondok Labu 03.

This study aims to explore innovative learning strategies in fostering students' critical thinking skills. Critical thinking skills are increasingly essential in today’s complex and challenging era. Approaches such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL), Project-Based Learning (PjBL), as well as open discussions and debates, are capable of encouraging students to think analytically, logically, and reflectively. These strategies emphasize the active role of students in the learning process—not merely as recipients of information, but also as seekers and processors of knowledge. Teachers serve as facilitators who create a learning environment that supports exploration and problem-solving. The evaluation of critical thinking skills is conducted through instruments such as rubrics, Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) questions, and analytical essay tests, which allow for an in-depth assessment of students' abilities. The findings show that innovative learning is more effective than conventional methods in developing critical thinking skills. Therefore, these strategies are worth implementing widely in the education system to prepare students to face future challenges critically, creatively, and adaptively.

This study developed a Discovery Learning model with a Meaningful Learning approach to improve students' critical thinking skills in Economics at SMAN 2 Tulang Bawang Udik. The study used the ADDIE model and produced a conceptual model, lesson plans, student worksheets, and HOTS assessment instruments. Expert validation results showed that the products were feasible, practicality tests obtained a very practical category, and effectiveness tests with a Nonequivalent Control Group design showed that the critical thinking of students in the experimental class was higher than that of the control class. These results confirm that this learning model is feasible, practical, and effective, and can be a guide for teachers for active, contextual, and high-level thinking skills-oriented learning. Additionally, the integration of Discovery Learning and Meaningful Learning provides a structured and student-centered learning process that encourages learners to construct knowledge independently while connecting concepts to real-life contexts. The resulting learning tools also support teachers in implementing systematic instruction that fosters student engagement and deeper understanding. Overall, the developed model contributes to improving instructional quality in Economics education and offers an innovative alternative for enhancing students’ cognitive abilities, particularly in critical thinking.

This research aims to analyze students' difficulties in solving HOTS questions in terms of facts, concepts, operations and principles. The method used is qualitative research with a descriptive approach. This research was carried out by collecting data in the form of information obtained from research subjects. This research is intended to describe or express in words (qualitatively) the results of the analysis of students' difficulties in solving questions which are Higher Order Thinking Skills. The subjects of this research were class IX students of GKPI Padang Bulan Private Middle School, Medan. The instruments in this research were test and interview instruments, where students were given questions to work on, then the researcher recorded the results of the students' answers and took 6 students to be interviewed based on the high, medium and low group categories. The results of the research showed that in the high group students experienced difficulties with principles, in the medium group students experienced difficulties with operations and principles and in the low group students experienced difficulties with facts, concepts, operations and principles. This shows the conclusion that GKPI Padang Bulan Medan Private Middle School students experience difficulties in solving HOTS questions.

This study aims to develop a higher order thinking skill (HOTS) test instrument which is used to measure students' critical thinking skills on circular material. This research was conducted at SMP Negeri 7 Putussibau using the research and development method of the Borg and Gall research design with 10 stages, namely, potential and problems, data collection, product design, design validation, design revision, product testing, product revision. , trial use, product revision and mass product. But in this study only up to stage 8, namely the use trial. Based on the results of the research that has been carried out, it was found that the results of the validation of the HOTS test instrument from the three experts were in the valid category. While the effectiveness of the HOTS test instrument based on the results of the analysis is included in the effective category. The final form of the product of this research is the HOTS test instrument as many as 3 essay questions which are used to measure students' critical thinking skills.