A Need Analysis For Teacher Training Program Supporting Critical Thinking

This research seeks to identify the educational needs for “Teacher Training Program Supporting Critical Thinking” for the primary school teachers. The researcher has obtained the research data via structured observation form, which was conducted with descriptive survey based on quantitative research paradigm. The research study group consists of 24 teachers from Turkish, form teacher, science, math and social sciences teachers, who work in a private school in Ankara in 2014-2015 academic year. We have utilized IBM-SPSS 22 program for analyzing the research data. In assessing the data, the descriptive statistics (frequency, percentile, arithmetic mean, standard deviation scores) have been calculated. As a result of the research, we observed that teachers are unsatisfactory in showing the behaviors that support critical thinking within the classroom. When we evaluate all findings, we conclude that the teachers need training in subjects such as open- mindedness, high level questioning, questioning of the accuracy and reliability of information, and seeking for causes and evidence, which constitute the dimensions of behaviors that support the critical thinking. Accordingly, we suggest developing Teacher Training Program Supporting Critical Thinking in line with such needs of the teachers.