Science or Pseudoscience? Examining the Awareness and Critical Thinking Tendencies of Pre-service Teachers
摘要
This study aims to reveal the extent to which prospective teachers understand the difference between science and pseudoscience and to deeply analyze the relationship between this awareness level and their critical thinking tendencies. The research was conducted with a mixed-methods design; quantitative data were collected through the relevant scale and evaluated with descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were obtained with open-ended questions and analyzed with content analysis. The findings show that the level of knowledge of prospective teachers about the scientific process is generally high, but they have limited awareness in distinguishing pseudo-scientific beliefs. In this context, it is recommended that the content based on interdisciplinary approaches and aimed at developing critical thinking skills in teacher training programs be structured more strongly.