Investigation of the objectives in the Turkish course curriculum in terms of including critical thinking skills

Abstract

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the objectives in the Turkish Course curriculum in terms of including critical thinking skills. The study was conducted by using the basic qualitative design. The document analysis method was employed to collect data. The data were analyzed through the content analysis technique. The document examined within the context of the current study was the Turkish Course curriculum (1-8 grades) updated by the Board of Education and Discipline in 2019. In the current study, a total of 289 objectives addressed under the headings of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades were focused on. In the analysis of the collected data, “The Form of Classification of Learning Objectives in terms of Category and Level” developed by Yeşilpınar-Uyar, Tunca and Alkın- Şahin (2017) and “The Rubric for Evaluating the Critical Thinking Skill Level of Learning Objectives” were used. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the learning objectives of the Turkish course curriculum are intensified in the cognitive domain while the number of learning objectives from affective and psychomotor domains is relatively lower and that the level of inclusion of critical thinking skills in the objectives is medium or lower. In light of the findings of the current study, it can be suggested that regulations can be made in objectives to include more objectives from affective and psychomotor domains and to put greater emphasis on critical thinking skills.