article · Journal of Education and Learning
Critical thinking is vital for quality teaching and learning in higher education. An interpretive study investigated critical thinking among Post-Graduate Diploma in Education students at the University of Botswana. Data gathered from individual interviews with 59 teacher trainees and two focus group discussions revealed that most participants were not applying critical thinking during their training. Students initially offered basic descriptions of critical thinking, which became more refined during group discussions, and they demonstrated an awareness of factors limiting their critical thinking capabilities. The investigation identified practical strategies to foster critical thinking, focusing on adjustments to programme content, teaching and assessment methods, programme logistics, and personal attributes. These insights provide educational institutions, teacher educators, and students with actionable guidance to enhance critical thinking practices throughout teacher training programmes.
Equipping future teachers with critical thinking skills is essential for improving education quality. When trainee educators struggle to apply critical thinking, this gap affects subsequent classroom teaching. Identifying the barriers students encounter during their training enables universities and teacher educators to adapt curricula, assessments, and pedagogical approaches to cultivate analytical and reflective educators.
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Critical thinking is recognised as an influential attribute to achieve quality learning and teaching in higher education institutions world over. This interpretive research study explored the critical thinking among PGDE students at the University of Botswana. The aim of the study was to identify factors contributing to the application of critical thinking among teacher trainees. Data was collected from Cohort 2015/16 PGDE students, through one on one interview with 59 students and 2 focus group discussions comprising five students in each focus group between April to June 2016. The findings revealed that the teacher trainees had a lower description of critical thinking during interviews, but refined during focus group discussions; however, the students were wide aware of factors influencing their inabilities to think critically during their training. These finding clearly indicated that most students were not applying critical thinking during their training. Through the interviews and focus group discussion, the study also identified strategies to promote the application of critical thinking in areas of programme content, teaching and assessment methods and techniques, programme logistics and personal attributes. The findings are instrumental to various key stakeholders. Specifically, the findings inform education institutions, teacher educators and students on how to promote critical thinking during teacher training. The study was qualitative, as such the findings will not be generalised. As such a similar study is recommended among the PGDE and other students but using quantitative and or mixed methods to allow inferences and generalisations.
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DOI: 10.5539/jel.v6n2p13
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