Developing higher order thinking skills through web-based activities supported by socioscientific Issues

Background One of the main goals of the twenty-first century is to prepare individuals for a rapidly changing and complex world. Higher order thinking skills are essential for this purpose; however, studies reveal that students’ skills often fall below the expected level. Developing these skills requires student-centred, technology-supported educational designs that meet the needs of the digital age.Purpose This study examines the effect of web-based activities developed around socioscientific issues on the higher order thinking skills of pre-service science teachers.Design and methods The study was conducted within a design-based research framework with 50 pre-service science teachers. Seven student-centred activities focusing on socioscientific issues were developed using a web-based tool. Classroom observations and a rubric were used to evaluate the design process and skill development. Observational data were analysed through content analysis, and rubric data were examined statistically.Results Findings showed that higher order thinking skills improved over the seven-week process. The use of socioscientific issues, student-centred methods, and web-based tools played a role in this improvement. Iterative changes to the design, such as varying question types and enabling peer assessment, contributed to the effectiveness of the activities.Conclusion The study highlights that socioscientific issues with personal relevance lead to stronger engagement. It also shows that continuous refinement of the design enhances its effectiveness, and that combining digital tools with structured peer interaction supports the development of higher order thinking skills in teacher education.