The usefulness of the HOTS program as a nontraditional tool for identification of giftedness in educationally disadvantaged students

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the usefulness of the Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) program as a nontraditional tool for identification of giftedness in educationally disadvantaged students. Twenty-three HOTS students were studied. The comparison group consisted of eight students. This study used the quasi-experimental pre-posttest design. Pre and post tests of the Cognitive Abilities Test (Cog AT) were administered to both groups. The HOTS group was given the Woodcock Johnson Psych-educational Battery: Part One (W-J) and rated on a teacher's checklist before and after treatment. Treatment consisted of sixty hours of HOTS instruction. The t Test for dependent samples was used to analyze all the data to determine any significant gains. Significant growth was noted with the HOTS group in the quantitative and Nonverbal areas as well as in all the W-J subtests. The HOTS program is useful in advancing students' thinking skills in a short period of time. Further research is warranted to determine if greater gains would be achieved through a larger sampling and longer study.