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Considering science teachers’ conceptions of critical thinking pedagogy in several of Iran’s special gifted schools : a multi-phased study Ghahremani, Mehdi

Abstract

This research study examined Iranian science teachers’ conception(s) of critical thinking in gifted classrooms, in grades 7, 8, 9, and 10. Moreover, with the scope of a secondary science program, teachers’ instructional behavior in terms of critical thinking pedagogy were identified, observed, and assessed. The design was a multi-phased and mixed methods sequential design, including classroom observation (quantitative/qualitative); teachers’ survey questionnaire (quantitative); and in-depth interviews (qualitative). This research study took place in Iran during the 2012-2013 Winter Term 2. Various dimensions of Iranian science teachers’ conceptualization of thinking critically were explored as well as the teachers’ perspectives of a careful and conscientious thinker. The context is four Iranian exclusive gifted schools seen through the lenses of a “4+1classical elements” conceptual framework and a tension-based framework of inquiry. Despite the diversity of attitudes, applying the classical elements theory as a conceptual framework, this multi-phased mixed method study resulted in development of a pentagram of habits of mind. This study has the potential to contribute to gifted science programs and to frame recommendations for change, including historical approach to teaching science and simulating science history, problematizing public beliefs, real-life challenges in first-hand problem-oriented manner, inductive learning rather than deductive.

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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International