Do Prospective Teachers Think Critically About Pedagogical Situations and Which Information Do They Use?

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: Division K Roundtable Session 5

Abstract

(Prospective) teachers are permanently confronted with challenging and uncertain pedagogical situations during everyday work and need to make the best available information-based decision in order to improve instruction and learning. These competences can best be summarized under the concept of critical thinking Within our study, we examine if prospective teachers are able to think critically about pedagogical situations, which information they use and if they derive information-based decisions out of critical thinking processes. Results indicate that prospective students mostly do not integrate contradicting positions when thinking about pedagogical situations, for the most parts use external information like text books and practical guides, and less than half of the students derive practical conclusions out of their arguments.

Authors

• Kati Trempler, Bergische University Wuppertal

• Ulrike Hartmann, University of Wuppertal