Critical thinking in chemistry education: a study for practical application in secondary education based on questions, explanations, and arguments

This study attempts to insert critical thinking practices in the secondary chemistry classroom, specifically Years 9 and 10. Critical thinking is a concept elusive in nature, with several definitions, addressing both the disposition and the skills of an aspiring critical thinker. Through the theoretical exploration of CT, practical benefits emerge for acquiring CT within the scope of chemistry via the use of questions, explanations and arguments. The challenge of the study has been to conceptualise and implement CT in teaching and learning practices. Two Year 9 groups and one Year 10 group with their teachers participated in the study, each enriching the data with different approaches to critical thinking. Trends of teaching practices emerged within and across the groups of participants and influenced the learning practices of the students. As a definition for critical-thinking-as-praxis developed with the aim to provide applicable guidance to education practitioners for enhancing critical thinking in their practice. Resembling a loop of stages for the development of critical thinking for the learners and actions at each stage of development for the teachers. According to the analysis of the data, teacher attitudes had a direct impact on student attitudes and the success of using the praxis was based on frequent practice towards CT development