Effect of Critical Thinking on the Adaptation of a Young Science Teacher

AIP Conference Proceedings. 2022. Vol. 2647. Article 020004.

Odintsova N. I., Odintsova E. E., Solodikhina A.

Many young science teachers who start their career in schools are dissatisfied with their work there, which leads to major problems on the governmental scale. Hypothesis states that one of the important factors influencing the level of adaptation for novice teachers is critical thinking. There were four main factors of critical thinking valuable for novice teachers established. They include: logic, rational, creative and reflective thinking. Diagnostic tools with scientific content and a young teacher survey were developed for each factor of critical thinking. On different stages of the study there were total of 470 students and science teachers participating. The result of the study conducted via different diagnostic tests supports given hypothesis. The development of each component of critical thinking is affected by activities that a novice teacher performs. Activities include selection of the study materials for classes, creation of questions and possible answers for student and etc. Reflexive thinking was revealed to have a dominant role in school activities performance and general satisfaction of teachers with work at school.

Keywords: critical thinking, adaptation, young teachers, academic adaptation, higher schools, young science teacher, science teacher