ABSTRACT
This research aimed to describe the teaching competencies of teachers of robotics and the thinking skills of junior high school students. The descriptive research method was used in this study with the questionnaires as source of data. A total of twenty (20) teachers and one hundred (100) students were involved in this study and were selected using the purposive sampling method.
The results reveal that overall the teaching competencies of teachers of robotics in terms of knowledge, was on the average level (WM=3.81; SD=0.70), and in terms of training, was not that extensive (WM=3.68; SD=0.90). The thinking skills of junior high school students overall were proficient: scientific thinking skills had a WM=4.16 and SD=0.60; critical thinking skills had a WM=4.08 and SD=0.53; logical had a WM=4.08 and SD=0.49; and mathematical thinking had a WM=4.06 and SD=0.65. There is no significant difference between the teaching competencies of teachers of robotics in public and private school in terms of knowledge and training. Moreover, there is no significant difference between the thinking skills of junior high school students in public and private schools in terms of scientific, critical, logical and mathematical thinking skills.
It is concluded that teachers in robotics do possess enough knowledge in teaching robotics but still must be given more training, seminars and workshops that could help them in manifesting their skills in facilitating their students’ learning since thinking skills are enhanced through educational robotics.
Keywords: Teaching Competencies, Thinking Skills, Educational Robotics.