Promoting critical thinking in student teaching practice

Abstract

MOSt colleges of education try to produce graduates who think critically and can make effective and timely decisions, using sound reason, adequate evidence, and articulated values (Kurfiss, 1988). According to Bowen (1977), most colleges and universities have identified critical thinking as a major component of professional education. Bowen defines critical thinking as the ability to:(l) think logically on the basis of useful assumptions;(2) be objective;(3) weigh evidence, evaluate events and ideas critically;(4) think independently; and (5) analyze and synthesize information (Bowen, 1977). Critical thinking is an essential part of professional preparation and, in the context of this article, is paramount in student teaching practice. Professional preparation goals often include the development of student teachers' critical thinking abilities, possibly to reflect a faculty consensus that helping student teachers to think critically …