Critical thinking in primary science through a guided inquiry pedagogy

A semiotic perspective

Bibliographic Data

ID21688934
AuthorsMelinda Kirk (0000-0002-0058-6289, Deakin University, corresponding author), Russell Tytler (0000-0003-0161-7240, Deakin University), Peta White (0000-0002-0225-5934, Deakin University)
Year2023
Volume29
Issue6
Pages615-637
Publication date2023-08-18
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueTeachers and Teaching (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1354-0602 • E-ISSN: 1470-1278
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13540602.2023.2191181
OpenAlexW4327949008
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited38

Although education research in critical thinking is a rapidly emerging field, how teachers can facilitate, monitor, and support critical thinking in primary science remains a challenge. This paper builds on recent semiotics mediated scientific reasoning research to present a fresh perspective of critical thinking in primary science. Analysis of student and teacher interactions in an innovated semiotics grounded learning design and pedagogy demonstrates a recursive process of collaborative construction, reviewing and refinement of representational systems and models. The multimodal epistemic practices of the discipline, involving the generation, evaluation and refinement of the semiotic systems that frame scientific ideas and practices are presented to both stimulate and support generative critical thinking. How semiotic systems in primary science can provide a focus, stimulus, and tool, for not only students’ generative critical thinking but also teacher monitoring and support is presented

Critical thinking · Engineering ethics · Epistemology · Generative grammar · Mathematics education · Pedagogy · Semiotics · Sociology · Computer Science · Education and Critical Thinking Development · Educational Strategies and Epistemologies · Engineering · Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods · Psychology · Artificial Intelligence

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access