Master’s thesis (Education (Major in General Science), Master of Arts in)—Graduate School, 2024.

Includes bibliographical references and appendices.

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the students’ level of thinking skills in science using the
Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO)-based Assessment. The
respondents of the study were 86 Grade 10 students of Sta. Agueda National High
School. The researcher utilized the descriptive-correlational method, used a
research instrument adopted from Teacher Resource in Science 2022, and employed
percent, mean, and Chi-square. The students’ prior performance in the core subjects
was also considered, showing a “Very Satisfactory” performance in English and a
“Satisfactory” performance in Mathematics and Science. The research findings
revealed that the majority of students exhibited a unistructural level of thinking in
Learning Competency 1 (LC1), a prestructural level in LC2, and a multistructural
level in LC3. Notably, relational thinking skills were found to be the least developed
competency. Furthermore, the data revealed a significant relationship between
students’ level of thinking in science and their performance in the core subjects,
including Mathematics in LC1, English in LC1 and LC2 and Science in LC1. The study
also revealed that the students’ level of thinking in science and their mother’s
educational attainment have a significant correlation.

Keywords: SOLO-based assessment; SOLO taxonomy; Higher-order thinking skills;
Critical thinking; Core subjects