Critical thinking in mathematics education: Elementary mathematics teachers'views

Critical thinking (CT) enables individuals to enhance their analytical and evaluative skills, and mathematics education is one of the key domains where CT prominently emerges. Teachers with CT skills can foster a classroom environment that promotes CT. In this context, the purpose of this study is to comprehensively examine the perceptions of elementary mathematics teachers regarding CT, the reflections of these perceptions within the context of mathematics education, and the meanings they attribute to the concept of CT. The research model is descriptive phenomenology, and the participants consist of 25 elementary mathematics teachers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The findings were structured around six main themes: the definition and significance of CT, the role of CT in mathematics teaching, the characteristics of students and teachers who think critically, the development of CT in mathematics classes, the evaluation of CT in mathematics classes, and the challenges and barriers in the CT process. Teachers defined CT as a process aimed at developing questioning, analytical, and creative problem-solving skills. It was emphasized that CT in mathematics teaching enhances analytical skills and deepens learning. Moreover, it was stated that individuals who think critically are more effective and creative in their learning processes. However, challenges in measuring and evaluating CT within the classroom environment were reported. Specifically, the intensity of curricula, limited time, exam-oriented systems, and student differences were identified as barriers to the development of CT.