The impact of critical thinking dispositions on tolerance and encountering differences: a study of RE teacher candidates in Turkey
British Journal of Religious Education, 2025 (AHCI, SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2025
- Doi Numarası: 10.1080/01416200.2025.2548521
- Dergi Adı: British Journal of Religious Education
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, IBZ Online, Periodicals Index Online, ATLA Religion Database, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: critical thinking disposition, Intercultural RE, quantitative research, tolerance
- Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study examines the relationship between critical thinking dispositions, tolerance levels, and experiences of encountering religious and cultural diversity among RE teacher candidates in Turkey. Data were collected from 513 prospective teachers enrolled in six theology faculties in 2023 using valid scales. Causal comparative and regression analyses were applied to test the indirect effect of critical thinking on tolerance. The findings revealed that critical thinking dispositions have a significant and direct effect on tolerance, while tolerance indirectly strengthens experiences of encountering differences. Gender emerged as an important variable, with female candidates scoring higher on both critical thinking and openness to differences. Class level did not create a significant difference in terms of critical thinking dispositions and tolerance, but a partial effect was observed in the experience of encountering differences. These results indicate that current teacher training programmes for religious education in Turkey do not fully reflect the competencies outlined in policy documents and that the curriculum needs to be systematically restructured to strengthen critical thinking and intercultural competencies.