Abstract:

In the present era, fostering individuals with 21st century skills, which are stated to support academic success, stands as a significant goal of education. This study aimed to examine the knowledge and skills of undergraduate students studying in the CEIT (Computer Education and Instructional Technology) department, and the educational processes they went through on the basis of CT skills which is one of the 21st century skills. In the study, quantitative and qualitative research techniques were carried out together by using convergent parallel design, which is one of the mixed research methods. The study group of the research consisted of a total of 67 undergraduate students. Within the scope of the study, activities that encourage CT, designed based on the literature, were included in the Communication and Message Design course. In addition to students' CT conceptualization and CT dispositions, evaluation data on the designed course and overall curriculum were also collected. The “Critical Thinking Dispositions Scale” and a questionnaire were used to collect the data. As a result of the analysis of the data, it was seen that the students conceptualized CT correctly and their CT performance was affected by the class variable. It is a remarkable result that CT disposition scores are higher in favor of early year classes. Considering the evaluations made by the students about the course process, it can be said that these skills are adequately supported within the scope of the planned course. It is thought that the findings obtained as a result of the study may be useful in terms of evaluating and developing the currently implemented education programs in terms of supporting critical thinking.

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