Development and validation of a higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) scale for major students in the interior design discipline for blended learning

Assessing and cultivating students' HOTS are crucial for interior design education in a blended learning environment. However, current research has focused primarily on the impact of blended learning instructional strategies, learning tasks, and activities on the development of HOTS, whereas few studies have specifically addressed the assessment of these skills through dedicated scales in the context of blended learning. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive scale for assessing HOTS in interior design major students within the context of blended learning. Employing a mixed methods design, the research involved in-depth interviews with 10 education stakeholders to gather qualitative data, which informed the development of a 66-item soft skills assessment scale. The scale was administered to a purposive sample of 359 undergraduate students enrolled in an interior design program at a university in China. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were also conducted to evaluate the underlying factor structure of the scale. The findings revealed a robust four-factor model encompassing critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, teamwork skills, and practical innovation skills. The scale demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.948–0.966) and satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity. This scale provides a valuable instrument for assessing and cultivating HOTS among interior design major students in blended learning environments. Future research can utilize a scale to examine the factors influencing the development of these skills and inform instructional practices in the field.