Paper presented at the 1st International Conference on Technology and Innovation in Learning, Teaching and Education (TECH-EDU 2018), June 20-22, 2018, Thessaloniki, Greece. Read more at: http://bit.ly/techedu2

1. Facilitating Primary Student Teachers’
Development of Critical Thinking
Through a Nanotechnology Module
Anna Spyrtou
Leonidas Manou
George Peikos
Panagiota Zachou
University of Western Macedonia
TECH-EDU 2018 International Conference on Technology and Innovation in Learning, Teaching and
Education, June 20-22, 2018 - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

2. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
• Critical Thinking
• Inquiry Learning
• Nanotechnology
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
• The context of the research
• Dara sources
• Data analysis
RESULTS
CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK
REFERENCES
Outline

3. Inquiry learning environment for promoting critical
thinking
Theoretical
Background
1st pylon
Aspects of
Critical Thinking
Aspects of Inquiry
Learning
Environment

4. Critical Thinking Theoretical
Background
“Human beings are more than thinking machines”
Skills Dispositions
purposeful thinking,
analyzing data/arguments,
formulating inferences,
justifying explanations,
solving problems…
truth-seeking,
self-confidence,
willingness to plan,
flexibility,
open-mindedness…
(Facione 2011, Halpern 2014)

5. Inquiry learning environment
Theoretical
Background
A form of active learning enabling posing questions and discussing
problems or scenarios to students that have to identify research
issues and questions
to develop their own knowledge or provide their own solutions
(Lederman & Lederman, 2012)

6. Inquiry learning environment for promoting critical
thinking
Theoretical
Background
Model-based inquiry environment:
an example
• Students to think about the
usefulness and credibility of
models
Promotes evaluation skills
learning outcomes of
inquiry environment
Scientific
skills &
Knowledge
Critical
Thinking
Combine
(Soulios & Psillos 2016)

7. Nanotechnology education as a platform for the
promotion of critical thinking
Theoretical
Background
2nd pylon
“Nanotechnology [..] demands not only public support but public skepticism and critical thinking as well”
• How the abstractness of the nanoscale, the interdisciplinary nature of nanotechnology, the risks
and benefits, emerging from this new field and the myriads of practical applications may justify
the promotion of CT?
• ……..
(David & Thompson,
2008)
Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)
Crucial Questions are revealed

8. Nanotechnology education as a platform for the
promotion of critical thinking skills
Abstractness of the nanoscale
Theoretical
Background
2nd pylon
How do we
know what
is real when
we see a
picture of a
nanoscale
object?
Evaluation skill (Toumey & Cobb 2012)

9. Nanotechnology education as a platform for the
promotion of critical thinking dispositions
Interdisciplinary nature
Theoretical
Background
2nd pylon
Open - mindedness (European Commission 2015)

10. How nanotechnology can be a vehicle for
promoting CT to students?
Open
question

11. The purpose of this study
We present a module that was designed and implemented
for introducing concepts and phenomena of nanoscale
Research
Question
RQ: Which CT skills and dispositions are expected to be
developed by engaging PTs in specific educational tasks
concerning nanotechnology content?
Within the educational materials of the nanotechnology
module we seek to identify CT aspects (skills or dispositions)

12. Research Methodology
The
context
of the
research
Nanotechnology
Module
Primary Student
Teachers
One-semester
Course
• 6 units
• Two-hour
Interdisciplinary
Phenomena
Science
Technology
Engineering
Relations
Tools
Size-
dependent
properties
Size
Science-
Technology-
Society
Models
Interdisciplinary
Concepts

13. Research Methodology Data
Sources
The poster6 lesson plans
8 worksheets
1 poster

14. Research Methodology Data
Analysis
Top-down qualitative content analysis
6 Skills
7
Dispositions
The most
appropriate
framework
Descriptions
Fire-up
questions
(Elo & Kyngäs 2008, Facione 2011)

15. Research Methodology: analysis of
dispositions
Data
Analysis
• Truth-seeking
• Open-mindedness
• Analyticity
• Systematicity
• Self-confidence
• Inquisitiveness
• Cognitive maturity
Dispositions
Educational tasks of
the nanotechnology
module
(Facione 2011)
“Was I courageous enough to ask
tough questions about some of my
longest held and most cherished
beliefs?”
(Truth-seeking)
Fire-up Questions
(FUPQ)

16. Research Methodology: analysis of
dispositions
Data
Analysis
• Truth-seeking
• Open-mindedness
• Analyticity
• Systematicity
• Self-confidence
• Inquisitiveness
• Cognitive maturity
Dispositions
Framework’s Fire-up Questions
(FUPQ)
“Was I courageous enough to ask
tough questions about some of my
longest held and most cherished
beliefs?”
(Truth-seeking)
Educational tasks of the
nanotechnology module

17. RESULTS: QUESTIONS TO FIRE-UP CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IN
THE NANOTECHNOLOGY MODULE
CT Skills Fire-up Questions
Interpretation What is the best way to classify or characterize the three worlds, macroworld,
microworld, nanoworld?
Analysis Why do you think some surfaces show the super-hydrophobic property?
Inference Purifying dirty water with nanofilter, what are the consequences to human health
and economy in Africa? What does this experiment about testing different size pores
imply?
Evaluation Why do you think we can accept this model as an appropriate representation of
these nanoscale objects?
Explanation How would you explain your reasoning about your classification of macroworld,
microworld, nanoworld?
You have concluded that the most effective water filter should consist of nanopores.
How do you explain this conclusion?
Self-regulation Before we create our model, what are we missing?
How good is my evidence in order to teach my homegroup classmates about the
super-hydrophobicity of plants and materials?

18. Analysis skill: To identify the inferential relationships among
concepts and descriptions…
Results
Aim: identification of existing relation among the concept of superhydrophobicity, the
nanoscale structures (nanobumps) and the self-cleaning phenomenon
Why do you think some surfaces show the super-hydrophobic property?FUQ

19. Explanation skill: Being able to present in a cogent and
coherent way the results of one’s reasoning…
Results
You have concluded that the and the phenomena of the nanoscale affect
the macroworld of scale. How do you explain this conclusion?
FUQ
People
(macroscale)
Cells
(microscale)
Virus
(nanoscale)

20. QUESTIONS TO FIRE-UP CT DISPOSITIONS
IN THE NANOTECHNOLOGY MODULE
Dispositions Fire-Up Questions
Truth-seeking Was I courageous enough to ask what is real when we see a
picture of a virus?
Open-
Mindedness
Have I showed tolerance towards the divergent representations of
the virus that describe the same aspect of it?
Inquisitiveness Have I read a newspaper article about how could athletic shoes
be superhydrophobic?
Have I read online sources whether there are water flasks
including nanofilter that we may use in our everyday life?
Results

21. Truth-seeking disposition: To seek the best knowledge in a given
context, being courageous about asking questions, honest & objective
about pursuing inquiry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rpj0emEGShQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHp6iYDi9ko
How do we know what is real when we see a picture of a virus?FUQ
Results

22. Directions of Nanotechnology to promote CT
Skills & Dispositions
The abstractness of
the nanoscale
The interdisciplinary
nature of
nanotechnology
The myriads of
applications
Responsible Research
and Innovation (RRI)
6 Skills
3 Dispositions
Conclusions
CT Skills CT Dispositions
Interpretation Truth-seeking
Analysis Open-Mindedness
Inference Inquisitiveness
Evaluation
Explanation
Self-regulation

23. Further research: Interdisciplinary nature of
Nanotechnology
The abstractness of
the nanoscale
The interdisciplinary
nature of
nanotechnology
The myriads of
applications
Responsible Research
and Innovation (RRI)
6 Skills
3 Dispositions
Conclusions
Not emphasized
An open question
How we can build on the inherent interdisciplinarity
of nanotechnology to facilitate learners’ CT?

24. Further research: RRI - Nanotechnology
The abstractness of
the nanoscale
The interdisciplinary
nature of
nanotechnology
The myriads of
applications
Responsible Research
and Innovation (RRI)
6 Skills
3 Dispositions
Conclusions
Risks – Benefits
of
Nanotechnology
An open question
How can the perceptions of RRI, increased through the advent of
nanotechnology contribute to the promotion of the learners’ CT

25. End