The Predictive Power of Turkish Teachers’ Reflective Thinking Skills Perceptions in their Problem Solving Skills Perceptions

Abstract

The Turkish education program has a great importance in terms of increasing the quality of education and training process and determining and developing the cognitive skills of students. The explanation of the relationship between the high-level thinking skills of Turkish teachers responsible for teaching the program and the Turkish education program reveals the necessity of the study. Accordingly, this research was created in order to determine the relationship between reflective thinking skills perceptions and problem solving skills perceptions that should be present in Turkish teaching. The sample of the study consists of 106 Turkish teachers who are working in eight districts of Kars Province. In this study, the Reflective Thinking Tendency Scale (YANDE) and Problem Solving Inventory (PSI) were used. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. According to the findings, the relationships between total and sub-dimensions of Turkish teachers’ reflective thinking skills perceptions and their problem-solving skills perceptions were moderate. According to the findings; continuous and purposeful thinking, open-mindedness, questioner and effective teaching, teaching responsibility and scientificity, predictive and sincerity and professional perspective sub-dimensions of reflective thinking scale do not significantly predict any sub-dimension of problem solving. However, it is observed that the ‘researcher sub-dimension of the reflective thinking’ scale significantly predicts problem solving total scores, hasty approach scores, thinking approach scores and avoidant approach scores. The relationship between total and sub-dimensions of reflective thinking skills perceptions of Turkish teachers and total and sub-dimensions of problem solving skills perceptions was found to be at a moderate level. These thinking skills should be considered when planning activities in undergraduate and professional education to develop reflective thinking skills perceptions and problem solving skills perceptions of Turkish teachers.