Comparison of critical thinking dispositions of prospective teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to compare the critical thinking dispositions of prospective teachers. In the study, survey model, which is a descriptive research method, was used. The sample of the research consisted of 1123 students studying at the Department of Physical Education and Sports Teacher at the Schools of Physical Education and Sports and Departments of Turkish, Mathematics, Science, Classroom Teaching and Psychological Counseling and Guidance at the Faculties of Education of Kocaeli and Sakarya Universities. As a data collection tool, the shortened Turkish version of “California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory”, developed by Facione, Facione and Giancarlo and adapted to Turkish by Kokdemir was used. In data analysis, as well as descriptive statistical techniques, ANOVA was used for independent samples in order to determine whether critical thinking dispositions differed by individual and combined effects of gender, grade level and Transition to Higher Education Examination (THEE) fields. The Scheffe test was used in order to determine the source of the difference between the groups, and Cohen’s f was used as the effect size of the difference. According to the result of the study, critical thinking disposition scores of prospective teachers are in medium level. While there is a significant difference between the critical thinking disposition scores according to gender and THEE fields, there is no significant difference according to grade level. Gender-THEE field and grade level-THEE field mutual interactions have a slight significant effect on the critical thinking disposition scores, whereas mutual interaction of gender and grade level has no significant effect. Key words: Prospective teachers, critical thinking, THEE fields.