AD ALTA
JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
THE INTEGRATION OF CRITICAL AND MORAL THINKING: THE ATTITUDES OF THE
TEACHER STUDENTS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR CRITICAL AND MORAL THINKING
a
MARTINA KOSTURKOVÁ
Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Humanities and Natural
Sciences, University of Prešov in Prešov, 17. November 1, 081
16 Prešov, Slovakia
email:
a
martina.kosturkova@unipo.sk
The paper was developed with support of projects: VEGA 1/0174/20 The integration
of moral judgement and critical thinking into undergraduate teacher training. KEGA
025PU-4/2020 Developing the moral and critical thinking in students learning
programs.
Abstract: In this study we present partial results of extensive research focused on the
development of moral and critical thinking. The aim of the study was to find out
whether there is a difference in students' perception of innovative and traditional
teaching. Three balanced groups of teacher students of the University
of Prešov in Prešov took part in the experiment (control group – n = 21; experimental
group 1 – n = 21; experimental group 2 – n = 20). The basic method of evaluation of
seminar lessons was a two-factor semantic differential with 15 scales, 6 of which
measured the evaluation factor and 9 the energy factor. The results showed a
significant difference between the control group and the experimental groups. The
groups purposefully focusing on development of moral and critical thinking evaluated
the teaching process (in the evaluation factor) as better, more pleasant, stronger, with
a relaxed atmosphere, more interesting and nicer; in the energy factor as more
demanding, stricter, heavier, much more active, less problematic, more valuable, a
little louder and shorter. In order to achieve healthy development of an individual
with moral autonomy, we consider it necessary to support the integrity of moral and
critical thinking.
Keywords: integrity of moral and critical thinking, semantic differential, evaluation
factor and energy factor.
1 Introduction
Global trends in the field of education have also made Slovak
experts think about achieving more effective educational
results. Our country started to deal with the issue of critical
thinking only a few years ago. This requirement mainly arose in
2003, when Slovakia participated in the international OECD
PISA measurement for the first time. The results showed
insufficient ability of 15-year old Slovak students to think
critically and think at the level of higher cognitive
processes. This was followed by other unflattering findings from
several groups in the educational environment, including teacher
students and teachers in primary and secondary schools
and universities. This prompted the efforts of many Slovak
experts to delve deeper into the problem at the scientific
level. Since recent years our country has embarked on a new era
of education in the Slovak Republic, namely the integrity of
critical thinking and character education. We are inspired by
many effective Character Education Programmes from
abroad. The
Ministry of Education, Science, Research
and Sports of the Slovak Republic has supported several grants
in an effort to change mainly university teacher training. Our
long-term goal is to change undergraduate teacher training with
an orientation towards the quality of educational outcomes in
the area of critical and moral thinking.
A part of the extensive research focused on the critical and moral
thinking of teacher students was an experimental
intervention. One of the goals of the experiment was to find out
the opinions of experimental groups on traditional
and innovative ways of teaching. The innovative programme was
focused on the targeted development of critical and moral
thinking of students in undergraduate teacher training. The basic
measurement tool was a scheme of a two-factor semantic
differential, which provides information about the
evaluation factor and the energy factor for the monitored
component. In this study, we present the evaluation of the
subjects of the experiment for the course of the lesson, the so-
called seminar. The starting point for formulating a scientific
problem was the theories of world experts such as P. Facione,
R.W. Paul, L. Elder, G. Lind.
2 Starting point in formulating the problem
Until recently critical thinking and moral reasoning in Slovak
professional field were dealt separately, although the
connection between the two domains is implicitly indicated. The
concept of critical thinking is based on the original definition of
the Delphi Report, which defines cognitive abilities and affective
dispositions (Facione, 1990) and conceived standards of a good
critical thinker with the necessary intellectual virtues (Paul &
Edler, 2006).
From the point of view of moral reasoning, we rely on Lind´s
theory (2013), who grasps Kohlberg and Habermas's definition
and complements it with an element of conflict and dilemma
(implicitly indicated by Kohlberg). We also find this integrity
in
Lajčiaková's (2008) definition, who considers moral
competence to be a kind of a bridge between moral attitudes or
moral values on one hand and moral behavior on the other. It is
the capability of an individual to reach moral judgments based
on his or her internal principles and then to act in accordance
with those judgments. This means that moral competence as a
sign must be reflected not only in thinking but also acting. A
morally competent person thus makes moral decisions and acts
morally. Her or his thinking is reflected in her or
his behavior. Lind (2013) suggests that moral competence
includes, besides the ability to judge which action is correct in
relation to a moral principle, the ability to solve dilemmas
and conflicts between morally equal alternatives of
action. Kaliská, Kaliský and
Čižmáriková (2013) state that
morally competent judgment means that both parties will try to
resolve the conflict on the basis of general moral principles (e.g.
the principle of justice, free expression, etc.) through thinking
and discussion. Here we can see great space for the integrity of
critical and moral reasoning, in which cognitive abilities,
affective dispositions overlap with the virtues of a critically and
morally responsible thinker.
The most concise integrating understanding of the critical
and moral aspects can be registered with Paul (2020). Critical
thinking understood as an individual skill separated from values,
is often used to rationalize prejudice and interest. Moral integrity
and responsible citizenship, only understood as a good heart, are
themselves more likely to be manipulated by
propaganda. Human mind, whether it is its conscious goodwill,
is a subject of a strong, self-deceptive, unconscious egocentric
mind. The full development of each characteristic - critical
thinking, moral integrity and responsible citizenship - in its
strong sense requires and develops other ones in a parallel strong
sense. The three mentioned are only developed together in an
atmosphere which encourages intellectual virtues: intellectual
courage, intellectual empathy, intellectual goodwill or integrity,
intellectual perseverance, intellectual justice and faith in
reason. The intellectual and moral virtues themselves are
interdependent.
3 Research methodology
The basic goal of this part of the research was to find out how
the students included in the experiment evaluated the
development of critical and moral thinking during the teaching
process on their seminar.
3.1 Research Design
We used the Semantic Differential method to measure the
attitudes of teacher students to the development of their critical
and moral thinking during the seminars. We created a record
sheet (study appendix) with the individual meanings of selected
terms measured. At the end of the experiment, the students
assessed 9 concepts (lecture, seminar, homework, experience,
memorization, reflection, classmates, evaluation, I as a critically
thinking person - self-reflection) with 15 scales of a two-factor
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