Views of Chinese Middle School Chemistry Teachers on Critical Thinking

Autor/inn/en	Wan, Yanlan; Yao, Ruoqing; Li, Qi; Bi, Hualin
Titel	Views of Chinese Middle School Chemistry Teachers on Critical Thinking
Quelle	In: Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 24 (2023) 1, S.161-175 (15 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Middle School Teachers; Chemistry; Science Teachers; Critical Thinking; Thinking Skills; Reflection; Inquiry; Evidence; Teacher Attitudes; Beliefs; Problem Solving; Decision Making; Evaluation; Logical Thinking; Barriers; Affordances; Environmental Influences; China + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Middle school; Middle schools; Teacher; Teachers; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Chemie; Science; Science teacher; Wissenschaft; Kritisches Denken; Denkfähigkeit; Evidenz; Lehrerverhalten; Belief; Glaube; Problemlösen; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Evaluierung; Environmental influence; Umwelteinfluss
Abstract	Critical thinking, a rational and open higher-order thinking mode in human cognition, is becoming imperative to success in modern life. Therefore, cultivating students' critical thinking has become a common goal of education reform worldwide. Teachers play a crucial role in cultivating students' critical thinking. However, existing studies have paid little attention to teachers, especially middle school teachers' knowledge and understanding of critical thinking. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the perspectives of ten Chinese middle school chemistry teachers on critical thinking using concept maps, thinking aloud, and in-depth interviews based on concept maps. Results showed that most of the teachers believed that critical thinking means reflection and questioning and requires evidence awareness. All teachers had a positive attitude towards critical thinking and believed that it can promote evidence awareness, problem solving, decision making, teaching evaluation, logic, and systematisation. Teachers recognised that critical thinking can be taught, and the major factors affecting the development of students' critical thinking were the environment, students themselves, teachers, evaluation, subject characteristics, and types of knowledge. Several strategies for developing students' critical thinking in chemistry teaching were proposed, including setting diversified and different types of chemistry courses, developing controversial curriculum themes in real situations, and implementing experimental, project-based, problem solving, and history-based teaching. In addition, this study showed that teachers and students promoted the development of critical thinking within one another. Further, this study demonstrated an effective methodology for probing individual subjective thoughts. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Royal Society of Chemistry. Thomas Graham House, Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WF, UK. Tel: +44-1223 420066; Fax: +44-1223 423623; e-mail: cerp@rsc.org; Web site: http://www.rsc.org/cerp
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01