Critical thinking in national primary science curricula

Abstract

This research aims to identify elements of critical thinking that exist in primary science national curricula of several countries. Critical thinking is justified to be important in science teaching. It is considered a complex concept, which encompasses several skills. Science teaching is expected to promote the development and use of those competencies on behalf of the learners. The research around which of these elements are promoted in national curricula is still limited. Some models approach critical thinking as a concept comprised of five different groups of skills, which are basic clarification, decision, inference, advanced clarification and auxiliary skills. The model of Ennis was selected as appropriate for this study, which study examined the curricula of seventeen different countries. Through a content analysis approach, it investigated which of these groups and skills they mention. The data reveal that the majority of curricula refer to most of these skills.