Investigation of the Relationship Between Pre-service Teachers' Critical Thinking Dispositions and Attitudes Towards Socioscientific Issues

Abstract

In this study, the relationship between pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions and their attitudes towards socioscientific issues was examined. Relational survey method, which is one of the quantitative research approaches, was used in the research process. 813 pre-service teachers from science, mathematics, preschool, psychological counseling and guidance, social sciences, classroom teaching, and fine arts departments studying at education faculties in state universities in the Black Sea Region of Turkey participated in the research. Critical thinking disposition and attitude scales were used as data collection tools in the research. The findings were examined by considering the variables of gender, class level, knowledge about socioscientific issues and the department of education. In the analysis of the data obtained, the results for each scale were first divided into groups as low, medium and high scores. Variables with two categories were analyzed using the independent samples t-test, and variables with more than two categories were analyzed using the ANOVA test. Then, multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Hayes's (2018) regression model number 1 was used to confirm the research results and to support it with advanced statistics. As a result of the research, it was determined that the pre-service teachers with low and medium critical thinking dispositions also had low attitudes towards socioscientific issues and sub-variables did not make a significant difference. At this point, some suggestions can be made to pre-service teachers with a low and medium level of critical thinking disposition. It can be ensured that they participate in project activities on socioscientific issues during the training process. It can be ensured that courses within the scope of critical and analytical thinking are taken. It has also been determined that the pre-service teachers with high critical thinking disposition have high attitudes towards socioscientific issues, and there is a significant difference in terms of the variables of the department, grade level and having knowledge about socioscientific issues.