The Impact of the Implementation of a Skill-Based Thinking Program on the Critical Thinking Skills and Dispositions of Pre-service Classroom Teachers

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the effect of the CoRT 5 thinking program on the critical thinking skills and dispositions of pre-service classroom teachers. The research was designed as a case study. A 10-week CoRT 5 thinking program was administered to 21 pre-service classroom teachers who formed the research study group. Data collection tools consist of participant and researcher diaries, observation notes, and semi-structured interviews. The thematic analysis method was used for data analysis. Results denoted that there were indicators of critical thinking in the thinking problems encountered during the implementation of the CoRT 5 thinking program and solutions to these problems and in the learning outcomes of the CoRT 5 thinking program. Further, it was observed that the implementation of the CoRT 5 thinking program contributed to the development of pre-service classroom teachers' critical thinking skills and dispositions. The pre-service classroom teachers reported that a skill-based critical thinking teaching approach would be more effective.