Promoting EFL Young Learners’ Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTs) through Interactive Digital Storytelling: A Breakthrough to Face Industrial Revolution 4.0 in Indonesia

Abstract

The Curriculum 2013 consists of four agendas, namely: Literacy, Character Education, 4C (Collaborative, Communicative, Critical Thinking, and Creativity), and Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTs) as realization of Industrial Revolution 4.0 in Indonesia. Dealing with HOTs implementation, it has not shown optimal result due to problems faced by the teacher particularly learning strategies. Therefore, this paper presents the research findings on how Interactive Digital Storytelling was implemented to promote EFL young learners’ HOTs. The design of this study is Classroom Action Research with three instruments to collect data, such as classroom observation, interview with teacher and students, and document analysis. One teacher and one class of 7 graders were involved as the subject of this study. The collected data were analysed based on the principles of Bloom's Taxonomy and Interactive Digital Storytelling theoretical frameworks. The result of data analysis reveals that the students’ HOTs were promoted although in the level of analysis and evaluation. In terms of analysis, the students could identify and guess what happened to the next story when the teacher paused the video. Meanwhile, the evaluation level was seen from their arguments of the strength and weaknesses of the characters. Creating level was not clearly found since the students were still confused to give solution if they face the same problems with the character in the story. Being HOTs through learning experience give the students exposures to face industrial revolution 4.0. However, to implement this strategy, the teacher faced problems in providing appropriate digital facilities.