Relationship between higher-order thinking skills and computational thinking in Biology: A STEM-integrated perspective on gender differences

Budhi Akbar; Yonela Castelini; Luthpi Sahafi; Irdalisa Irdalisa

doi:10.20897/ejsteme/19486

Research Article

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Relationship between higher-order thinking skills and computational thinking in Biology: A STEM-integrated perspective on gender differences

Budhi Akbar ¹ ^* , Yonela Castelini ¹, Luthpi Sahafi ¹, Irdalisa Irdalisa ¹

¹ University of Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. HAMKA, INDONESIA
^* Corresponding Author

https://doi.org/10.20897/ejsteme/19486

Published online: 06 Oct 2026

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Abstract

This study examined the relationship between Computational Thinking Skills (CTS) and Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) among high school students majoring in biology in Jakarta, Indonesia, using a quantitative, correlational, and cross-sectional research design. Data were collected from 72 students (36 male, 36 female) selected from a population of 144 students through cluster random sampling across all classes, with a stratified procedure within the sampled clusters to achieve a balanced gender composition of 36:36 as an intentional design feature. The CTS test, adapted from the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge (Blokhuis, 2016), consists of 18 items covering four components abstraction, algorithm design, decomposition, and evaluation while the HOTS test, based on the revised Bloom’s taxonomy (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2016), consists of 39 multiple-choice questions targeting analysis (C4), evaluation (C5), and creation (C6). Internal consistency in this sample was Cronbach’s α = 0.766 for the CTS and α = 0.540 for the HOTS; the lower HOTS coefficient is discussed as a measurement limitation in Section 5. Overall proficiency was low (CTS = 28.3%; HOTS = 42.2%). Pearson correlations and simple linear regressions showed a significant positive relationship between CTS and HOTS in both subgroups (males: R = 0.626, R² = 0.391; females: R = 0.709, R² = 0.503; both p < 0.001). A direct moderation test found that the CTS × gender interaction was not significant (b = −0.054, t = −0.711, p = 0.480; ΔR² = 0.004), indicating that the difference in R² values does not reflect a significant difference in slope based on gender. Given the cross-sectional nature of this study, the results are interpreted as associative and predictive, not causal; intervention and longitudinal studies are needed.

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APA 7th edition

In-text citation: (Akbar et al., 2026)
Reference: Akbar, B., Castelini, Y., Sahafi, L., & Irdalisa, I. (2026). Relationship between higher-order thinking skills and computational thinking in Biology: A STEM-integrated perspective on gender differences. European Journal of STEM Education. https://doi.org/10.20897/ejsteme/19486

AMA 10th edition

In-text citation: (1), (2), (3), etc.
Reference: Akbar B, Castelini Y, Sahafi L, Irdalisa I. Relationship between higher-order thinking skills and computational thinking in Biology: A STEM-integrated perspective on gender differences. European Journal of STEM Education. 2026. https://doi.org/10.20897/ejsteme/19486

Chicago

In-text citation: (Akbar et al., 2026)
Reference: Akbar, Budhi, Yonela Castelini, Luthpi Sahafi, and Irdalisa Irdalisa. "Relationship between higher-order thinking skills and computational thinking in Biology: A STEM-integrated perspective on gender differences". European Journal of STEM Education (2026). https://doi.org/10.20897/ejsteme/19486

Harvard

In-text citation: (Akbar et al., 2026)
Reference: Akbar, B., Castelini, Y., Sahafi, L., and Irdalisa, I. (2026). Relationship between higher-order thinking skills and computational thinking in Biology: A STEM-integrated perspective on gender differences. European Journal of STEM Education. https://doi.org/10.20897/ejsteme/19486

MLA

In-text citation: (Akbar et al., 2026)
Reference: Akbar, Budhi et al. "Relationship between higher-order thinking skills and computational thinking in Biology: A STEM-integrated perspective on gender differences". European Journal of STEM Education, 2026. https://doi.org/10.20897/ejsteme/19486

Vancouver

In-text citation: (1), (2), (3), etc.
Reference: Akbar B, Castelini Y, Sahafi L, Irdalisa I. Relationship between higher-order thinking skills and computational thinking in Biology: A STEM-integrated perspective on gender differences. European Journal of STEM Education. 2026. https://doi.org/10.20897/ejsteme/19486

Keywords

computational thinking skills, higher-order thinking skills, gender differences, STEM education, biology learning

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