Quality Enhancement of Pre-Service Teacher Education Using Philosophy for Community (P4C) as a Teaching Maneuver

Abstract

The study's aimed to identify the effect of the P4C teaching maneuver on the critical thinking skills (CTS) of teacher candidates by using a quantitative, quasi-experimental approach. The population comprised of teacher candidates of B.Ed. (Hons) programmes of University of Education whereas the sample was intact two sections of 5th-semester candidate teachers in Division of Education, UE Lahore. CTS were assessed through Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA). The results of the t-test suggested that P4C significantly improved the CTS (Inference and Overall CTS) of teacher candidates in the experimental group as compared to the control group. However, both groups' teacher candidates were equally skilled in the remaining WGCTA sub-scales (Recognize Assumptions, Deduction, Interpreting Information, and Evaluation of Arguments). It is suggested that a comparable study be carried out at all educational levels (primary, secondary, higher education) in both public and private sectors as well as in other disciplines by adopting a mixed-method approach.