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Statistics is one of the tools to draw generalization in conducting a research. However, university students still face various obstacles during statistics lectures. This study aimed to describe the students’ difficulties in learning statistics and strategies for scaffolding them. It was conducted with 12 international students from different majors who were enrolled in statistics lectures in Graduate School, Yogyakarta State University, Indonesia. It employed qualitative phenomenological research. The Cresswell’s model was used in data analysis covering data reduction, presentation, and verification. The data were collected through interviews and observations during 8 meetings of extra statistics lectures. The results indicated that the students’ obstacles in learning statistics were caused by several factors; they were not enrolled in Mathematics and Statistics lectures during their undergraduate study, and they found it hard to perform computation, run the software, understand mathematical symbols, relate one concept to others in hypothesis testing, and present analysis results in Bahasa. Various scaffolding can be taken by lecturers to overcome these problems.

This study aimed to describe the instructional design to improve the Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) of students in learning mathematics. This research is design research involving teachers and students of class X MIPA 1 MAN Yigyakarta III, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Data collected through focus group discussions and tests. Data analyzed by quantitative descriptive. The results showed that the instructional design developed is effective to improving students' HOTS in learning mathematics. Instructional design developed generally include three main components: (1) involve students in the activities non-routine problem solving; (2) facilitating students to develop the ability to analyze and evaluate (critical thinking) and the ability to create (creative thinking); and (3) encourage students to construct their own knowledge.