Exploring Elementary Science Teachers’ Perceptions for Incorporating Students’ Critical Thinking Skills in Lesson Plans

Author

Dalal Alasmar Alshammari, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

12-1-2021

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

First Advisor

McIntyre, John

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the patterns of Saudi Arabian elementary female science teachers’ understanding and knowledge of critical thinking, as well as their perceptions towards critical thinking guidelines in the course of their lesson plans. The research questions that guided this study were: 1. How female elementary science teachers perceive the role of critical thinking in science education? 2. How do female science teachers perceive students’ abilities to use critical thinking skills in the classroom? 3. How do female science teachers incorporate and implement critical thinking as an essential objective in lesson planning? This research contains background information about student centered learning and developing critical thinking skills in the classroom. It is becoming increasingly apparent that critical thinking is an important aspect of intellectual development among students. Critical thinking is a crucial skill for students, especially in the STEM fields where problem solving is a large part of the discipline. The sample of this study was three Saudi Arabian elementary female science teachers. I conducted semi-structured interviews and used documents to collect data as well as answer the research questions. The findings revealed that all participants believed of the importance of using critical thinking skills in the classroom. However, the participants had a lack understanding and perception of incorporating students’ critical thinking in their lesson plans.