Examination of the positive thinking skills and metacognitive thinking skills of preschool teacher candidates in terms of various variables

This research was conducted to examine the positive thinking skills and metacognitive thinking skills of preschool teacher candidates in relation to various variables such as gender, parental education level, parental income level, overall weighted GPA, perception of happiness levels, reading habits, and the university attended. The study group consisted of 300 pre-service preschool teachers studying at various universities in Turkey during the 2023-2024 academic year. A descriptive survey model was used in the research. The data were collected using a "Personal Information Form" developed by the researchers, the "Positive Thinking Skills Scale" adapted into Turkish by Akın, Uysal, and Akın (2015), and the "Metacognitive Thinking Skills Scale" developed by Tuncer and Kaysi (2013). Data analysis was conducted electronically. Frequency, percentage, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, and Spearman rank correlation coefficient calculations were used in the data analysis. According to the results of the study, the positive thinking skills and metacognitive thinking skills of teacher candidates do not vary by gender. Positive thinking skills do not vary according to the university they attend, but metacognitive thinking skills differ. Positive thinking skills vary according to mothers' education level, while metacognitive thinking skills vary according to fathers' education level. Positive thinking skills do not vary by parental income level, but metacognitive thinking skills, along with sub-dimensions such as reflective thinking, alternative evaluation, and decision making related to problem-solving, differ. It was found that positive thinking skills and metacognitive thinking skills vary according to reading habits and perception of happiness levels. Additionally, a significant positive relationship was found between the positive thinking skills and metacognitive thinking skills of pre-service preschool teachers. Keywords: Metacognitive Thinking Skills, Positive Thinking Skills, Preschool Teacher Candidate.