Use of logic for improving the higher-order thinking skills of student teachers

Abstract

This paper is a report on the results of the intervention program designed for improving the higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) of Israeli Arab student teachers. The intervention program represents a series of webinars on the foundations of the Aristotelian logic, propositional logic, and some of the contemporary models of informal argumentation. Zoom application was used for the implementation of the webinars. This research project was designed as a pre-/post-test quantitative study with a qualitative component. A mixed-item questionnaire with two open-ended items was used to measure participants’ understanding of logical reasoning and argumentation. The results of the pilot showed good internal reliability of the scale (α<0.81). Tests of argumentation were performed to examine participants’ actual argumentation skills. The pre-intervention results indicated that many of the participants from both control and intervention groups had a vague understanding of logical reasoning and argumentation and weak argumentation competence. The post-intervention data suggested positive changes in the intervention group participants’ understanding of logical thinking and argumentation and an improvement in their actual argumentation skills. This study was planned as the first one in a series of studies aimed at using informal and formal logic to foster students’ HOTS.