Preparing pre-service teachers for critical thinking and its teaching: dispositions and teaching-related outcomes

Developing individuals with strong critical thinking skills is a key priority for today's societies and education systems. This study examines the impact of critical thinking training on pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions, attitudes, and views toward teaching critical thinking. An embedded experimental design within a mixed-method approach was employed using a single-group intervention. The participants consisted of 28 s-year social studies pre-service teachers enrolled in a state university in Turkey. The training was implemented over 9 weeks, comprising 18 class hours. Data were collected using the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale, an Attitude Scale towards Teaching Critical Thinking developed by the researchers, and a semi-structured interview form. Quantitative data were analyzed using appropriate parametric and non-parametric techniques while qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The results revealed significant improvements in participants' critical thinking dispositions and their attitudes toward teaching critical thinking. Qualitative findings indicated enhanced understanding, awareness, and instructional competencies related to critical thinking. These findings highlight the potential of structured training programs to support the integration of critical thinking into teacher education.