Primary school teachers’ perceptions of critical thinking in general and in their teaching

Critical thinking (CT) is a key education goal internationally, and enables people to navigate the growing amount of information and make informed decisions on increasingly complex issues. The term CT is frequently used in educational policy documents and curricula, and teachers play a key role in delivering effective CT instruction. Studies indicate that although teachers recognize the importance of CT, many lack an understanding of what CT really means, and feel unprepared to teach CT. Further research is needed to obtain a deeper understanding of what CT in primary school implies. As teachers tend to teach in accordance with their perception of CT, it is important to gain an insight into how teachers understand CT. This exploratory qualitative study investigates how a group of Norwegian primary school teachers (n = 56) perceive the concept of CT, both in general and in their teaching. Using reflexive thematic analysis of reflection notes (n = 56) and semi-structured group interviews (n = 15), we found that skills are emphasized more than dispositions. Teachers primarily have a skills-disposition view of CT, with limited attention to its social dimensions. Dispositions seem to be excluded from their views of CT in relation to teaching, which is considered problematic, as dispositions can be seen as the driving force for CT. As an educational implication of our study, we can conclude that there is a need for professional development for teachers to be aware of the necessity of teaching dispositions as well as skills, and for them to include the social aspects of CT.