Critical thinking dispositions of pre-service teachers in Singapore: A preliminary investigation

Abstract

Developing skills to think critically has become a catchphrase among many educators today. Many programs have been developed and employed in order to teach thinking skills. Strategies proposed range from teaching of these thinking skills directly or indirectly to a somewhat eclectic approach. Recently however, the notion of attitude has arisen and has since caught much attention among scholars in the field. It seems that more than just critical thinking skills, it is the individual’s attitudes towards thinking that matter. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a thinking module on the critical thinking dispositions of the pre-service teachers. Dispositions towards critical thinking were measured using the California Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory (CCTDI). A pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design was employed in this study. Results indicated that participants in the experimental group scored significantly higher in their CCTDI post-test. Implications of the results will be discussed in this paper.