Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between critical thinking skills and reflective thinking skills of prospective middle school mathematics teachers. In addition, it was aimed to examine critical thinking skills and reflective thinking skills of prospective middle school mathematics teachers with regard to some variables (gender, grade level, academic achievement level). This study adopts one of the general survey models: relational survey model. 201 prospective middle school mathematics teachers studying in Elementary Mathematics Teacher Education Program at a state university participated in this study. Reflective Thinking Scale and Critical Thinking Standards Scale were used. For the data analysis, descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance, correlation analysis, and simple linear regression analysis were used. The findings of this study showed that the prospective teachers' critical thinking skill level is high (agree), reflective thinking skill level is at moderate level (neutral). Critical thinking skills of the prospective teachers were significantly different in terms of gender and academic achievement. On the other hand, reflective thinking skills of the prospective teachers were significantly different in terms of grade level. Besides, there was a positive, significant and moderate relationship between critical thinking skills and reflective thinking skills of the prospective teachers. The prospective teachers’ critical thinking skills were the significant predictors of their reflective thinking skills. It was found that critical thinking skills explained 24% of the variance related to reflective thinking skills.
Highlights
Today, the skills required by the workforce are changing
The findings of this study showed that the prospective teachers' critical thinking skill level is high, reflective thinking skill level is at moderate level
(2) Do the Critical thinking (CT) and reflective thinking (RT) skills differ significantly according to the gender variable? (3) Do the CT and RT skills differ significantly according to the grade level variable? (4) Do the CT and RT skills differ significantly according to the academic achievement variable? (5) Is there a relationship between CT and RT skills? (6) Do CT skills predict RT skills?
Summary
The skills required by the workforce are changing. In this context, individuals are expected to deal with new information, to approach problems with a solution and to use information to produce information. Mathematics curriculum in Turkey has been updated based on constructivism (Ministry of National Education [MoNE], 2018) This program aims to educate students as responsible individuals, who can think critically, who own problem solving and decision-making skills. According to Wilson and Jan (1993), RT is related to CT, as it calls for the skills of questioning, evaluation, editing, reasoning, developing hypotheses and predicting for the individual who can think reflectively establishes a relationship between his previous, present and future experiences and his ideas, questions, criticizes and evaluates himself and the situations. CT and RT skills, which are associated with the problem solving process and are higher order thinking skills, are important in terms of mathematics education (Cutts, 2018; MoNE, 2018; Peter, 2012; Rott & Leuders, 2017). (2) Do the CT and RT skills differ significantly according to the gender variable? (3) Do the CT and RT skills differ significantly according to the grade level variable? (4) Do the CT and RT skills differ significantly according to the academic achievement variable? (5) Is there a relationship between CT and RT skills? (6) Do CT skills predict RT skills?
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