1.
USING STEM EDUCATION TO PROMOTE PRE-SERVICE
SCIENCE TEACHERS’ CRITICAL THINKING
DISPOSITIONS
Asli Koculu & Mustafa Sami Topcu
(Yıldız Technical University, Turkey)
aslkoculu@gmail.com
msamitopcu@gmail.com
ECER 2021, Geneva (online)
06 - 10 September 2021

2.
INTRODUCTION
 From past to present time, research showed that learners can have more
relevant, less fragmented, and more stimulating experiences thanks to
interdisciplinary or integrated curriculum (Frykholm & Glasson, 2005;
Furner & Kumar, 2007; Jacobs, 1989; Koirala & Bowman, 2003).
 The ‘separate subject approach’ to knowledge and skills in schools can
cause that students have difficulty in solving problems because they do not
grasp the context in which the problems are embedded (Frykholm &
Glasson, 2005).
 Interdisciplinary or integrated approaches prepare students as well-
qualified for both daily and professional life by improving their different
skills like critical thinking, problem solving, communication and
collaboration etc.
 STEM education (based on the integration of the science, technology,
engineering and mathematics disciplines) has been discussed a lot in the
recent times since it is considered that there are many different benefits of
using interdisciplinary or integrated education.


3.
INTRODUCTION
 The present century requires that individuals have 21st century skills for
the adaptation to the developments all over the world .The STEM
experiences provide for strengthening 21st century career and technical
skills (Beers, 2011; U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and
Improvement, 2016).
 At this point, STEM education has gained more critical and important role
in this age. 21st century skills refer to a set of abilities that people need to
develop in order to succeed in the information and technology age.
 The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2009) listed the skills as three
types: ‘Information, Media and Technology Skills’, ‘Life and Career Skills’
and ‘Learning and Innovation Skills’ (OECD, 2008).

4.
INTRODUCTION
Critical Thinking
 Critical thinking is one of 21st century skills under the ‘Learning and
Innovation Skills’ type and defined as “thinking that has a purpose
(proving a point, interpreting what something means, solving a problem)”
(Facione, 2015, p. 4).
 In order to succeed about solving problems and making decisions by
forming reasonable judgments, critical thinking skills are required in both
daily and professional life.
 According to Volmert et al. (2013, p. 14), critical thinking skills are “vital for
learning subjects, carrying out everyday activities, securing and
succeeding in a job and participating in and contributing to civic life”.

5.
INTRODUCTION
 STEM education develops higher level critical thinking skills through an
interdisciplinary approach (U.S. Department of Education, Office of
Innovation and Improvement, 2016; Volmert et al., 2013).
 Since the STEM Education includes more problem- and inquiry-based
learning, students have the opportunities to build valuable skills in
problem-solving and critical thinking. While making STEM practices, it is
focused on solving the real-life problems by using critical thinking skills.
 Therefore, it is especially focused on critical thinking dispositions in this
research. It is aimed to contribute to the current literature by using STEM
Education to develop PSTs’ critical thinking dispositions.

6.
INTRODUCTION
Research Question
 Is there a statistically significant effect of STEM education on pre-service
science teachers’ critical thinking dispositions?

7.
METHODOLOGY
Method
 A single-group pre- and post-test model, (measured or observed not only
after exposure to some sort of process but also it is also measured or
observed previously (Fraenkel, Wallen & Hyun, 2012).
Participants
 20 female pre-service science teachers enrolled ‘STEM Education’ course in
public university in Istanbul, Turkey.

8.
METHODOLOGY
Research Context and Implementation
 “California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI-T)” was applied to
PSTs as a pre- and post test to determine pre-service science teachers’
critical thinking dispositions before and after implementation.
Weeks Implementation Engineering Design Process
1st week General information, historical development and some
examples of implementations about STEM education
by instructor
2nd week ‘Space Vehicle’ which able to descend on Mars planet
without being damaged by using different materials
pipette, plastic bag, string, band and paper. Step 1: Identify need or problem
Step 2: Research need or problem
Step 3: Develop possible solutions
Step 4: Select best possible solution
Step 5: Construct a prototype
Step 6: Test and evaluate solution
Step 7: Communicate the solution
Step 8: Redesign
Step 9: Completion Decision
(Hynes et al. 2011).
3rd week ‘Spacecraft Milo’ which are capable of moving on
inclined surface of planets’ land without falling from
surface, having a sensor to perceive foreign objects in
front of it, and exploring on planets.
4th week ‘Earthquake Resistant Building’ by testing the effect of
balanced and unbalanced forces on objects’
movements.
5th week ‘Swing Bridge’ prototype.

9.
METHODOLOGY
Data Collection
 California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) developed by
Facione, Facione and Giancarlo (1998) and adapted to Turkish by Kökdemir
(2003) was used.
 6-digit Likert-type scale consisting of 51 items that measure individuals’
dispositions to engage problems and make decisions using critical thinking.
 CCTDI-T consists of six factors: "Analyticity", "Open-mindedness",
"Inquisitiveness", "Self-confidence", "Truth-seeking", and "Systematicity".
 The Cronbach alpha coefficient of CCTDI-T is .88.
 The highest score for each factor of the inventory is 60, the lowest score is
10. Therefore, a total score of 300 points or above obtained from the
inventory shows high level of critical thinking disposition levels while a
total score of 240 points or below obtained from the inventory indicates
low level of critical thinking disposition level.
Data Analysis
 Since the difference scores of pre- and post-test scores showed normal
distribution, a paired-samples t-test was used.

10.
RESULTS
 Results showed that there was a statistically significant difference
between pre- and post-test scores in favor of both PSTs’ post total test
scores (t (19) = -6.634, p<.05) and post sub-dimensions test scores.
Table 1. Pre- and Post-test Results Regarding Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Critical
Thinking Dispositions
Dimensions X
̄ N df t p
Analyticity Pretest 48.30
Posttest 50.30 20 19 -2.527 .021
Open-mindedness Pretest 46.92
Posttest 49.04 20 19 -3.329 .004
Inquisitiveness Pretest 46.22
Posttest 49.11 20 19 -2.894 .009
Self-confidence Pretest 39.93
Posttest 43.14 20 19 -2.339 .030
Truth-seeking Pretest 39.29
Posttest 42.86 20 19 -2.471 .023
Systematicity Pretest 41.83
Posttest 46.42 20 19 -3.871 .001
Total Scores of
Critical Thinking
Disposition
Pretest 262.49
Posttest 280.87 20 19 -6.634 .000

11.
CONCLUSIONS
 In present research, the effect of STEM Education on PSTs’ critical
thinking dispositions were examined.
 PSTs’ critical thinking dispositions improved with STEM practices.
 Similar to results of current study, Soros et al. (2018) in their research
found that 10th grade students’ post-test scores about critical thinking
were higher than their pre-test scores after using STEM Education
plan.
 NSTA (2018) stated that as an important component of 21st century, it
is given to priority to the critical thinking skills in recent years because
both educators and employers has become conscious about the
importance of critical thinking rather than memorization.

12.
CONCLUSIONS
 In today’s world, acquiring knowledge or skills is not only expected
outcome of science education. Individuals should be able to put their
knowledge or skills into practice and integrate them with daily or
professional life. This can happen with the promoting of critical thinking.
However, promoting individuals’ critical thinking skills are not easy task to
achieve.
 STEM Education develops critical thinking skills by giving opportunity to
students for tackling real-world problems through hands-on activities
(NSTA, 2018).
 Therefore, the current research is important in terms of presenting a
STEM-based approach to develop critical thinking dispositions of PSTs,
future science teachers having a crucial responsibility for enhancing their
students’ different skills including critical thinking.

13.
REFERENCES
Beers, S.Z. (2011). 21st century skills: Preparing students for their future. Diakses Dari. Retrieved from
https://cosee.umaine.edu/files/coseeos/21st_century_skills.pdf
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Facione, P., A., Facione, N., C., & Giancarlo, C., A., F. (1998). The California critical thinking disposition inventory.
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Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology, 3(3), 185–189.
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14.
REFERENCES
OECD (2008). 21st Century Skills: How can you prepare students for the new Global Economy?
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