Meta-analysis of studies on pre-service teachers’ critical thinking skills in Nigeria public universities

Abstract

This meta-analysis aimed to examine the studies on pre-service teachers of critical thinking skills. We conducted a meta-analysis to synthesize the extant literature on critical thinking and pre-service teachers. The method used in the study was based on the search of relevant literature through an online database such as IEEE Explore, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, and ResearchGate. The keywords in the search for the relevant literature include critical thinking skills in teacher education and pre-service teachers' critical thinking skills. After systematically searching the relevant literature through electronic databases using various search terms, we screened studies and reviewed them for inclusion. From 22 studies (27 samples, N= 3726), we found that critical thinking was moderately related to pre-service teachers' success, especially with the intervention’s studies on critical thinking. The relationship between pre- service teachers' achievement and levels of critical thinking skills was found to be significant. However, pre-service teachers' stories of critical thinking skills tests have been trending in teacher education worldwide. Still, most of the studies on pre-service teachers’ critical thinking were conducted in Turkey. The questionnaire used to measure pre-service teachers’ necessary thinking skills was found to be California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory by Facione. Implications for this study include the importance of teaching critical thinking skills in a teacher education program and the inclusion of components of critical thinking in the curriculum across the board.