The Critical Thinking Skills, Dispositions and Teaching Methods in Curricula

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate skills, dispositions and teaching methods of critical thinking based on the results of related researches. The research approach is qualitative and its method is research synthesis in which related researches are systematically selected, content analyzed and categorized. The study subject has been articles on critical thinking in English since 2014. Out of 120 articles obtained by a purposive sampling, based on data saturation, 31 studies on critical thinking teaching were screened and selected.  After analyzing the data by qualitative content analysis, all the skills and dispositions of critical thinking are arranged according to a new division. Thus, skills are divided into six main categories: recognition, information gathering, analysis, contemplation, presentation, assessment and self-criticism, and dispositions are divided into eight categories: rationality, creativity, flexibility, transparency, organization, self-reliance, exploration and interaction. Then, the teaching methods for reinforcement of critical Thinking’s skills and dispositions has been examined. The research results show that simulation, cooperative, playgroup, group work, six thinking hats, role-play, problem-based, discovery, project-based, Inquiry-based, brainstorming and concept mapping teaching methods have made a significant contribution in most researches on development of skills and dispositions of critical thinking.