Critical thinking skills of teacher education students: A comparative study across study programs

Abstract

This study assessed the critical thinking (CT) proficiency of undergraduate students in the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education at Universitas Al Washliyah. This cross-sectional study included 190 undergraduate students from four study programmes: Biology Education, Mathematics Education, English Education, and Indonesian Language Education. The Indonesia Critical Thinking Skills Test (INCRITS) was used to assess CT skills. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, a one-sample t-test, an independent-samples t-test, Pearson’s correlation, and one-way ANOVA in SPSS version 22. Statistical significance was set at p < .05. Of the 190 participants, 189 had valid total CT scores. The mean CT score was 12.71 (SD = 3.49), which was significantly lower than the predetermined reference value of 17.10, t(188) = −17.29, p < .001. A one-way ANOVA showed a statistically significant difference in CT scores among the four study programmes, F(3, 186) = 12.30, p < .001, η² = .166. Overall, students’ CT performance was below the predetermined reference level. These findings underline the need to strengthen CT development in teacher education, and future research should examine the variables associated with CT among pre-service teachers.