Abstract:

– In this study teacher candidates’ learning styles and critical thinking dispositions were investigated. The study group is composed of 938 students attending class teaching and science teaching departments of Artvin Çoruh, Karadeniz Technical, and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Universities. Colb Learning Styles Inventory and California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) were used as a means of data-collection. The data were analysed with SPSS 17, and it was detected that there are some differences between the learning styles and critical thinking dispositions of teacher candidates in terms of the variables. It was also observed that 40,9 % of students have "assimilator", 31,2 % of students have "diverger", 15,9 % of students have "converger" , and 11,9 % of students have "accommodator" learning style. The teacher candidates got the highest score from the "being analytical" subscale. As for teacher candidates critical thinking dispositions according to the class levels, a statistically meaningful difference was seen for those attending the final classes only in "open-mindedness" subscale. Upon the analysis of whether teacher candidates critical thinking dispositions differ according to school type variable, a meaningful difference was detected at the subscales of curiosity and seeking for truth while a meaningful difference was not found at the subscales of being analytical, being systematical, and selfconfidence

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