Investigation of pre-service elementary mathematics teachers' creative thinking skills and critical thinking dispositions

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of creative thinking skills and critical thinking dispositions of pre-service elementry mathematics teachers, and to compare their skills and dispositions according to demographic variables (gender, year and academic achievement level). In addition, the relationship between creative thinking skills and critical thinking dispositions of pre-service elementry mathematics teachers was examined. In this study, survey, causal-comperative, and correlational research models, which are among the quantitative research models, were used. 205 pre-service elementry mathematics teachers studying at a state university were determined as the sample of the study. Data collection tools of the research were "How Creative Are You?" Scale and "Critical Thinking Disposition Scale". In data analysis, descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, correlation and simple linear regression analysis were used. According to the findings of the study, pre-service teachers' creative thinking skill levels are "above medium" and their critical thinking disposition levels are "high". The results of the study showed that pre-service teachers' creative thinking skills and critical thinking dispositions did not differ significantly according to the gender variable. However, in terms of year and academic achievement level variables, pre-service teachers' creative thinking skills and critical thinking dispositions differ. In the study, it was determined that there was a moderate, positive and significant relationship between pre-service teachers' creative thinking skills and critical thinking dispositions. Regression analysis showed that creative thinking skill was the variable that explained critical thinking dispositions. It was found that creative thinking skill explained 23% of the variance related to critical thinking dispositions. In the light of the results of the study, suggestions for researchers and practitioners are presented.