Exploring Teachers’ Views on Early Childhood Critical Thinking

Objectives: This study aimed to examine how parents’ beliefs about children are associated with parents’ perceptions of young children’s self-regulation through their discipline styles, focusing on actor and partner effects that reflect parental interdependence.Methods: A total of 209 children aged 3-5 years and 209 mother-father pairs participated. Data were analyzed using SPSS 29.0 for descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and Pearson’s correlation, and MEDYAD Beta v1.1 for the actor-partner interdependence mediation model (APIMeM).Results: Both mothers’ and fathers’ beliefs about children were positively associated with their own perceptions of young children’s self-regulation (actor effects), and mothers’ beliefs were significantly related to fathers’ perceptions of young children’s self-regulation (partner effect). The rational discipline styles of both parents did not significantly mediate the relationship between parents’ beliefs about children and their perceptions of young children’s self-regulation. Emotional style partially mediated this relationship, but through actor effects only. Overly permissive styles partially mediated the relationship through both significant actor and partner effects. Notably, overly permissive fathers’ styles mediated the effect of mothers’ beliefs about fathers’ perceptions of their young children’s self-regulation. No other significant partner effects were found in the pathways from parents’ beliefs about their children through discipline styles to parents’ perceptions of their young children’s self-regulation.Conclusion: This study is significant as it confirmed that both mothers’ and fathers’ beliefs about children had not only direct effects on parents’ perceptions of young children’s self-regulation, but also indirect effects mediated by discipline styles, through actor and partner effects. These findings may serve as foundational data for developing effective strategies in parental education, counseling, and early childhood guidance to support parents’ positive perceptions related to the optimal development of young children’s self-regulation.

BackgroundWhile consumption of alcohol does not often begin until early adolescence, young children are highly capable of internalizing normative information through observational learning. We used a longitudinal multiple‐informant family study to examine the impact of exposure to mothers' and fathers' drinking on young children's normative perceptions of who drinks alcohol.MethodsThree hundred twenty‐nine children (4 to 6 years old at baseline [Mage 4.78 (SD = 0.725)], 51% girls) completed the Dutch electronic appropriate beverage task [eABT] where they attributed alcoholic beverages to a variety of persons depicted in an illustrated scenario. Their parents completed an online survey that included information on alcohol use and exposure.ResultsChildren more frequently exposed to their mothers' drinking provided females shown in the eABT illustrations with alcohol significantly more often than children less frequently exposed to mothers' drinking. There was no effect of mother's exposure on providing males in the eABT with alcoholic beverages. Similarly, children more frequently exposed to their fathers' drinking provided fathers with alcoholic beverages significantly more often than children less frequently exposed to their fathers' drinking. There was no effect of father's exposure on providing the females with alcoholic beverages, nor was there an effect of father's exposure on providing “other males” with alcohol. These patterns held after adjusting for age and sex.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that there are gender‐specific effects of exposure to parents' (particularly mothers') drinking on young children's perceptions of person‐specific drinking norms. The findings provide unique evidence in a young population group of effects on an understudied dimension of alcohol‐related perceptions with implications for future drinking behavior.

Critical thinking (CT) is widely regarded as an important competence to obtain in education. Students’ exposure to problems and collaboration have been proven helpful in promoting CT processes. These elements are present in student-centered instructional environments such as problem-based and project-based learning (P(j)BL). Next to CT, also higher-order thinking (HOT) and critical-analytic thinking (CAT) contain elements that are present in and fostered by P(j)BL. However, HOT, CT, and CAT definitions are often ill-defined and overlap. The present systematic review, therefore, investigated how HOT, CT, and CAT were conceptualized in P(j)BL environments. Another aim of this study was to review the evidence on the effectiveness of P(j)BL environments in fostering HOT, CT, or CAT. Results demonstrated an absence of CAT in P(j)BL research and a stronger focus on CT processes than CT dispositions (i.e., trait-like tendency or willingness to engage in CT). Further, while we found positive effects of P(j)BL on HOT and CT, there was a lack of clarity and consistency in how researchers conceptualized and measured these forms of thinking. Also, essential components of P(j)BL were often overlooked. Finally, we identified various design issues in effect studies, such as the lack of control groups, that bring the reported outcomes of those investigations into question.

Critical thinking skills, often referred to as higher-order cognitive skills, are considered important for the Religious Culture and Ethics Course due to gains such as pupils’ taking responsibility of their own learning, actively constructing knowledge, supporting the development of other high-level thinking skills such as reflective and creative thinking. As students’ critical and inquiring thinking skills increase, they can also develop a number of related skills, such as the ability to explain issues in more detail, evaluate learning topics in relation to their own lives, become aware of different perspectives on problem situations, and question the reliability of information resources. One of the effective approaches for pupils to acquire critical thinking, inquiry and questioning skills is the 'Philosophy for Children' approach, which was developed by Matthew Lipman in the early 1970s’ and has been applied in many countries, for different school subjects since then. The main aim of this approach is to develop students' thinking and reasoning skills through philosophical discussions in the classroom. The 'Philosophy for Children' model stands out as an effective approach in religious education by creating dialogic and collaborative teaching-learning environments, encouraging students to inquire and question, and developing critical and reflective thinking skills. In our country, Religious Culture and Ethics Course curriculum, which highly considers inquiry and questioning in learning, aims to ensure that students learn by making sense of the content and using high-level thinking processes. Instead of a traditional, teacher-centred and rote religious education, it is aimed for students to become learner agents who inquire, question, strive to reach the source of knowledge, and actively construct knowledge. Therefore, Religious Culture and Ethics course requires teachers to use strategies, methods and techniques that enable students to develop and use high-level thinking processes. ‘Philosophy for Children’ approach has also been used in religious education in England and in Islamic religious as well as ethic courses in Malaysia. The studies undertaken in these countries have provided important contributions to students' active participation in the lessons, development of critical thinking and reasoning skills, self-confidence, self-esteem and social relations. This study is a literature review examining the theoretical foundations of the 'Philosophy for Children' approach, its application and evaluation processes, as well as its use in religious education by looking into both international and national literature. The aim of the study is to examine the 'Philosophy for Children' approach, which is thought to be useful in developing effective learning skills such as inquiry, questioning, problem solving and critical thinking related to concepts and problems of religion and morality in the primary and secondary Religious Culture and Ethics Course curriculum. Besides recommendations and implications are made for this course.

Wordless picturebooks have attracted growing interest for their potential to support children’s imagination, visual literacy, and narrative development. However, how these books contribute to the emergence of thinking skills in early childhood remains underexplored. Grounded in a critical thinking framework, this qualitative case study examines how young children engage in critical thinking through interactions with wordless picturebooks. The study was conducted over 11 weeks with 18 children aged 60–72 months in a public preschool classroom in Istanbul. Sixteen wordless picturebooks were explored through structured dialogic reading sessions. Data were collected via video recordings and anecdotal field notes. Analysis was guided by a six-dimensional critical thinking framework comprising interpretation, inference, analysis, evaluation, explanation, and self-regulation. Children’s responses reflected a broad range of thinking processes. The analysis revealed that children interpreted emotions and events using their own words (interpretation), identified causal links and connections within visual narratives (analysis), predicted outcomes and imagined unseen but plausible story elements (inference), and evaluated character behavior by questioning the logic and plausibility of events (evaluation). More selectively, children articulated broader messages or lessons derived from narrative outcomes (explanation) and, in some instances, revised their own ideas in response to peer dialogue and evolving story cues (self-regulation). These findings illustrate the multifaceted nature of early thinking skills in visually mediated, collaborative storytelling contexts. As an emerging area of research, this study offers empirical evidence for the pedagogical value of wordless picturebooks in fostering critical thinking skills in early childhood.

Education in the 21st century requires not only content mastery but also the development of higher-order thinking skills to address complex global challenges. This study investigates the effects of STEM Project-Based Learning (PjBL) and students’ critical thinking on creativity in English language learning. Employing a mixed methods approach with an explanatory sequential design, the study first gathered quantitative data through surveys and tests, followed by qualitative data from interviews and classroom observations. The participants consisted of 200 Grade X students from two senior high schools in Serang City, selected through purposive sampling. The quantitative findings revealed that both STEM PjBL and critical thinking significantly influence student creativity, with strong positive correlations (r = 0.867 and r = 0.889) and moderate effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.516 and 0.505). The qualitative data supported these findings, highlighting students’ increased engagement, collaboration, and reflective thinking during project implementation. These results suggest that integrating STEM-based projects in English learning can effectively foster critical and creative thinking skills, offering a promising interdisciplinary approach to language education. The study contributes to current literature by demonstrating the combined impact of PjBL and critical thinking in a language learning context, an area often overlooked in prior research. The findings hold practical implications for curriculum designers and educators seeking to promote 21st-century competencies through integrated, student-centered instruction.

The study aimed to identify the effect of a teaching strategy based on combining the 4MAT and Suchman models in developing reflective thinking and cognitive flexibility among students of the Early Childhood Department at Taif University. The researcher used the semi-experimental approach based on the experimental design of one group with pre-post measurement. The study's sample consisted of 50 students intentionally chosen from the Early Childhood Department at Taif University. To achieve the study's objectives, the reflective thinking scale of Kember and his colleagues, and the cognitive flexibility scale of Dennis and his colleagues were used after confirming its validity and reliability. The results of the study showed that there are statistically significant differences at the level of 0.05 in each of the two dimensions of contemplation and critical reflection from the dimensions of reflective thinking, and there are no statistically significant differences in each of the dimensions of familiar performance and comprehension, and the results of the study revealed that there are statistically significant differences a 0.05 in each of the two dimensions of flexibility The study concluded that there is a statistically significant direct correlation relationship at the level of significance a 0.05 between the variables of reflective thinking and cognitive flexibility. In light of the study's findings, the researcher presented several recommendations. The most significant of these include encouraging educators and faculty members to adopt teaching strategies that foster the development of reflective thinking and cognitive flexibility. Additionally, the researcher recommended that professional development programs for university faculty and general education training initiatives integrate strategies designed to cultivate learners who are capable of reflective thinking and adaptable problem-solving. Such programs should aim to prepare students to shift their thinking and approach challenges from multiple perspectives, ultimately leading to optimal solutions. The researcher also suggested conducting further studies to explore these themes in greater depth. Keywords: 4MAT Model, Suchman Model, Reflective Thinking, Cognitive Flexibility, Mathematical concepts

Teacher training process must stimulate reflective thinking skill because this skill is crucial to improve teaching and learning capability. Indonesian version of standardized instrument to assess the development of reflective thinking skill in teacher training program is still limited. This research aimed to adapt Reflective Thinking Questionnaire (RTQ) to Indonesian version, investigate its quality, probe pre-service chemistry teachers’ level of reflective thinking, investigate relationship between reflective thinking and GPA, and compare between 1st year and 4th year pre-service chemistry teachers’ reflective thinking skill. RTQ is a 16 items 5 point Likert scale questionnaire purposed to measure reflective thinking in 4 subscale levels: Habitual Actions (HA), Understanding (U), Reflection (R), and Critical Reflection (CR). Each subscale was assessed by 4 questionnaire items. With the help of four science education experts who are fluent in both languages, RTQ was first translated into Indonesian and then its empirical result was substantiated. The translated RTQ was given to 147 pre-service chemistry teachers from Department of Chemistry Education, Raja Ali Haji Maritime University, Indonesia. Data were analyzed using Rasch model method. Result indicated that the instrument and all 16 items nicely fit the Rasch model. The data also showed good reliability (Cronbach alpha .84). Result of this research also indicated that Understanding received the highest mean (17.70), followed by Critical Reflection (16.50), Reflection (16.48), and the lowest mean was Habitual Action (14.60). Non-parametric analysis was used because normal data distribution is not observed. Based on Wilcoxon Test result, significant difference between all subscales levels were detected, except for CR-R. Spearman Correlation result indicated that correlation between reflective thinking and GPA was not significant. Based on Mann-Whitney Test result, significant difference between 1st year and 4th year college students’ reflective thinking was only detected in CR. The implications relate to reflective thinking skill were discussed to improve the quality of learning process and its’ evaluation.

This paper reports the development of critical thinking of urban high school students in the Chinese city of Xi’an. It presents the assessment of the students’ two components of critical thinking: dispositions towards critical thinking and critical thinking skills, using the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and the California Critical Thinking Skills Test. Results show that the students’ dispositions toward critical thinking are at an average level while their critical thinking skills are very low. This research also shows that there is no significant difference between students from science classes and arts classes in their critical thinking dispositions while science students have a higher level of critical thinking skills. Students from advanced classes have a higher level of the two components of critical thinking than their counterparts from general classes. There are no differences between male students and female students in both components.

The purpose of this study is to compare the project-based learning model in the "Merdeka Belajar" curriculum and the inquiry learning model in terms of students' critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. The research question is whether there is a difference between these two learning models in terms of students' critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. The independent variable (X) is the project-based learning model (X1), while the dependent variables (Y) are critical thinking ability (Y1) and problem-solving ability (Y2). The research sample was taken from 10th-grade students at SMA Muhammadiyah 4 Surabaya, consisting of 4 classes with a total of 120 students. The research sample was selected from students who have a normal distribution, possess similar characteristics (homogeneous), and have the same average scores. Then, two groups (classes) of students were selected as samples, named as the experimental group and the control group. The analysis technique used was Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). Based on Pillai's trace, Wilks' lambda, Hotelling's trace, and Roy's largest root, the value obtained was 0.000. As 0.000 < 0.05, the null hypothesis (H0) is rejected and the alternative hypothesis (H1) is accepted. This indicates that there is a difference in critical thinking and problem-solving abilities between the project-based learning model and the inquiry learning model.

Critical discourse analysis and critical thinking: An experimental study in an EFL context

Preface I. Introduction 1. "Silent Voices of Knowing" in the History of Early Childhood Education and Curriculum, Debora Basler Wisneski 2. Curriculum and Research: What Are the Gaps We Ought to Mind? Nancy File II. Influences on Curriculum 3. The Relationship between Child Development and Early Childhood Curriculum, Nancy File 4. From Theory to Curriculum: Developmental Theory and Its Relationship to Curriculum and Instruction in Early Childhood Education, J. Amos Hatch 5. The Curriculum Theory Lens on Early Childhood: Moving Thought into Action, Jennifer J. Mueller 6. From Theory to Curriculum: The Project Approach, Judy Harris Helm 7. Using Critical Theory to Trouble the Early Childhood Curriculum: Is It Enough? Mindy Blaise and Sharon Ryan 8. Using Critical Theories in the Curriculum, Betsy J. Cahill and Tammy L. Gibson III. Examining Curriculum Approaches and Their Applications 9. Infant Toddler Curriculum: Review, Reflection, and Revolution, Diane M. Horm, Carla B. Goble, and Kathryn R. Branscomb 10. Creative Curriculum and High Scope Curriculum: Constructing Possibilities in Early Education, Sara Michael-Luna and Lucinda G. Heimer 11. Te Whariki - The Early Childhood Curriculum of Aotearoa New Zealand, Jenny R. Ritchie and Cary A. Buzzelli 12. A Situated Framework: The Reggio Experience, Andrew J. Stremmel 13. Publishers in the Mix: Examining Literacy Curricula, Mariana Souto-Manning IV. Conclusion 14. The Place of Play in Early Childhood Curriculum, Debora Basler Wisneski and Stuart Reifel 15. Early Childhood Curriculum as Palimpsest, Katherine Delaney and Elizabeth Graue 16. Strengthening Curriculum in Early Childhood, Nancy File, Debora Basler Wisneski, and Jennifer J. Mueller List of Contributors

<p>The purpose of this thesis was to investigate perceptions of young children's rights in early childhood settings and contribute to the expanding discourse about children's rights. The research focus canvassed teachers', parents', and young children's perceptions of their rights in early childhood settings: How did they understand children's rights, and what did these perceptions mean for them in the early childhood settings they participated in? A qualitative, interpretive approach to the research generated data through interviews with young children, teachers, and adults, focus groups with the adult participants, and observations of day-to-day life in the three case study centres. The early childhood centres selected represented three mainstream services and included a teacher-led creche for under-two-year-olds, a sessional state, teacher-led kindergarten for three- and four-year-olds, and a parent-led playcentre for mixed ages from birth to six years old. NVIVO, a qualitative data classifying computer program, was used initially to sort and categorise the data alongside more conventional methods for coding categories and identifying emerging themes. The research found that perceptions of children's rights were interwoven, interrelated, and interdependent. Provision rights, protections rights, and participation rights are recognised categories of children's rights. These categories were used to foreground participants' perceptions of rights in particular early childhood settings. Findings suggest that more in-depth awareness of children's rights in early childhood settings would support the development of a children's rights-based pedagogy. This thesis potentially contributes to a growing body of international research about children's rights with a particular focus on the early childhood sector in New Zealand Aotearoa. The contribution that this thesis makes is both theoretical and sociological. It combines sociocultural constructs and ecological perspective with an international human rights convention to understand more clearly what children's rights mean in an early childhood sector. The study of childhood sociology is relatively new and challenges universal definitions of childhood and child. This thesis highlights how different conceptual theoretical ideas intersect with diverse sociological constructs. The broad conclusion drawn by this thesis is that for children to participate fully in their early education, the ethos of the community of practice/learners must explicate what that participation entails in a particular context.</p>

BackgroundIn medicine, critical thinking is required for managing and tolerating medical uncertainty, as well as solving professional problems and treating diseases. However, the core of Confucianism, teacher-centered and exam-oriented settings in middle and high school education may pose challenges to developing critical thinking in Han Chinese or Taiwanese students. Students may be adversely affected by these pedagogies since student-centered settings were more effective in stimulating their critical and reflective thinking, as well as a sense of responsibility, in the ever-changing world. Therefore, guiding students with less stable foundations of critical thinking might require a different approach. A review article highlighted the potential utility of the Socratic method as a tool for teaching critical thinking in the healthcare field. The method involves posing a series of questions to students. More importantly, medical students and residents in clinical teaching are familiar with the method. Almost all healthcare students must complete a biochemistry laboratory course as part of their basic science training. Thus, we aimed to train students to develop critical thinking in the biochemistry laboratory course by using learning sheets and teacher guidance based on the Socratic method and questioning.MethodWe recruited second-year students from a medical school, of whom 32 had medical science and biotechnology majors (MSB), 27 had pharmaceutical science majors (PS), and 85 were medical undergraduate (MU) students. An exercise in critical thinking was conducted during a biochemistry laboratory course, which consisted of five different biochemical experiments, along with learning sheets that contained three or four critical thinking questions. Then, the teacher evaluated the students’ ability to think critically based on nine intellectual dimensions (clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, logic, fairness, and significance) based on the universal intellectual standards developed by Prof. Linda Elder and Richard Paul. In the following analysis, regression models and multivariate analysis were used to determine how students improved over time, and trajectory analysis were carried out in order to observe the trends in students’ critical thinking skills construction.ResultsClarity and logic dimensions were identified as the key elements to facilitate the development of critical thinking skills through learning sheets and teacher guidance in students across all three different healthcare majors. The results showed that metacognitive monitoring via Socratic questioning learning sheets have demonstrated potential encourage students to develop critical thinking skills in all dimensions. Another unique contribution of current study was present the heterogeneous learning patterns and progress trajectories of clarity and logic dimensions within classes.ConclusionUsing the Socratic learning model could effectively develop students’ critical thinking skills so they can more effectively care for their patients.

Artificial intelligence (AI), as a smart and connected technology, has significantly expanded the educational landscape.As more educators and learners begin to rely on GAI to assist with tasks such as instructional design and information generation, its potential to support problem-solving has gained increasing attention. However, the extent to which GAI contributes to the development of higher-order thinking skills-such as creative thinking, critical thinking, and metacognitive awareness-and how these thinking processes interact to influence problem-solving ability remains underexplored. A more comprehensive understanding of this relationship is needed to guide the effective integration of GAI in educational practice. The study encompassed 473 pre-service teachers from three distinct higher education institutions, with specialties in science, computer science, and mathematics, and included a four-week generative AI-supported instructional design training program. And a semistructured interview comprising open-ended questions was administered to 50 pre-service teachers within the experimental group to present their views on generative AI-assisted teaching. Assessments were conducted before and after this program using a higher-order thinking skills survey. The relationship between thinking and problem-solving ability development of pre-service teachers using generative artificial intelligence was analyzed with a moderated model. The study encompassed 473 pre-service teachers from three distinct higher education institutions, with specialties in science, computer science, and mathematics, and included a four-week generative AI-supported instructional design training program. And a semistructured interview comprising open-ended questions was administered to 50 pre-service teachers within the experimental group to present their views on generative AI-assisted teaching. Assessments were conducted before and after this program using a higher-order thinking skills survey. The relationship between thinking and problem-solving ability development of pre-service teachers using generative artificial intelligence was analyzed with a moderated model. This study confirms that training pre-service teachers using generative AI to foster creative thinking can elevate their critical thinking, thereby impacting their problem-solving abilities. Moreover, metacognitive thinking amplifies the impact of creative thinking on critical thinking, resulting in a moderated mediation effect.