Critical Thinking in Teacher Education: Course Design and Teaching Practicum

Abstract

Critical Thinking is considered a key component of Higher Education that supports graduates’ preparation for the labor market. However, in the field of teacher education more research is needed to support student-teachers with regard to the complexity of schools. It is considered that a teaching practicum can set the stage for the cultivation of Critical Thinking skills and dispositions, as student-teachers have to face real problems and be led to decision-making. The paper presented here describes the curriculum transformation of courses offering theoretical lectures and teaching practicum in the Department of Primary Education, University of Western Macedonia. After focus group discussion with in-service teachers, the Critical Thinking skills and dispositions considered necessary for teacher education were thoroughly described and utilized for the course design. The courses were modified to include a variety of teaching strategies following the direct infusion approach for training in Critical Thinking with the aim of promoting reflective practices for fostering student-teachers’ critical reflection. In this way, they can be empowered regarding their professional development.

Evaluation of Sustainability of Czech Vocational Education and Practical Training for the Position of Construction Manager

“…In conclusion, it can be said that on the basis of monitoring the course of ten years of this professional education with the inclusion of mandatory professional experience, it increases the quality of education in the field of civil engineering-construction implementation. This article will contribute to the transfer of the experience of educators, as well as other studies [3,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27] for sustainable education.…”

Inquiry vs. Inquiry-Creative: Emphasizing Critical Thinking Skills of Prospective STEM Teachers in the Context of STEM Learning in Indonesia

“…The reflection process is an arrangement of students' cognitive processes on the learning experiences they have obtained. It has a positive impact on the progress of students' critical thinking [72]. From the four reasons supporting the improvement in STEM students' critical thinking, none of them were found in traditional teaching.…”

A Mixed Study of Beliefs about Critical Thinking in a Sample of Trainee Teachers in Argentina and Spain

“…The role of CT has been investigated as a prerequisite for the development of good citizenship through a critical reading of the problem of hatred in societies [11]; as a crucial competence that enables responsible behavior and a critical attitude toward balanced and adequate financial management [12]; as a possible element associated with the wellbeing of people, both individually and socially [13]; as a much more comprehensive element for understanding the world and taking action than visions based on intelligence per se [14]; as a key skill that guarantees the competitive advantage of organizations [15]; as a catalytic element in the face of the irruption of artificial intelligence [16]; as a key component in higher education to prepare future professionals for both today's and the upcoming competitive labor markets [17]; as a fundamental skill, together with academic self-efficacy, that can regulate generalized anxiety and dissatisfaction with studies [18]; and as an element that contributes to the achievement of goals in both careers and higher education and may be more important than professional content knowledge [19]. CT, along with the ability to interact in an appropriate and positive way, has become an essential element of employability for many industries [20]; it can be a generator of psychological distress when mindfulness is low, although it has positive associations with cognitive functioning [8].…”