CRITICAL THINKING AND ITS TEACHING: A CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW OF ALL DIMENSIONS AND ELEMENTS

Thinking, which determines the direction and form of our actions, is among the basic features that distinguish humans from other living things and affects our lives. Thinking having many types, is one of the basic skills necessary for human life. There are different numbers and types of thinking skills in the literature. One of the accepted and prominent thinking skills is critical thinking. This study, conducted with a qualitative research approach and document analysis method, was conducted to explain critical thinking and teaching with all its dimensions and elements from a conceptual perspective. In the study, firstly, what critical thinking is, its basic features and the characteristics of individuals and students who think critically are discussed. Critical thinking disposition, dimensions and strategies were explained and models and methods suitable for critical thinking teaching were included. The role of the teacher in teaching critical thinking and the factors that prevent critical thinking are also explained in the scope of the study. All dimensions and components of critical thinking were examined in detail and a general perspective was tried to be given to the subject in this study. The presentation of the concepts and information obtained and included in the literature on critical thinking in the form of a teacher's handbook and in a study reveals the originality of the study. In this respect, it is hoped that the study will contribute to the literature, teacher training and possible studies on the subject.