Strategies for fostering critical thinking dispositions in the technology classroom

Abstract

Critical Thinking (CT) consists of two components, namely, skills and dispositions. Although there is a fair amount of literature focusing on CT and the development of CT skills, the literature on CT dispositions and, in particular, strategies to promote the dispositional component of CT is lacking. This means that there is insufficient literature available to guide teachers in their practice regarding the ways in which they could foster CT dispositions. This is particularly problematic for technology teachers as they may not be fully informed on how to use the opportunities offered by the design process, as prescribed by the South African Department of Basic Education. This study thus aimed to investigate and describe how technology teachers use the opportunities presented by the design process to foster CT dispositions. This study engaged in a qualitative research approach and a case study design. Ten purposefully sampled teachers were interviewed, 5 of whom were observed for one design-based lesson. As reported by (Facione in Critical thinking: What it is and why it counts, The California Academic Press, Millbrae, 2011) 7 Dispositions toward CT were used to guide the inquiry. The analysis of the data indicated that the participants used 4 main strategies that acted as a platform for, or led to the use of another 4 supporting strategies. The 4 main strategies are: assessments, questioning, examples, and the classroom environment. The 4 supporting strategies are: discussions, modelling, feedback, and resources. The results and conclusions of this study are not considered as the final answer to the lack of literature, but they provide a starting point for further investigation and development.