Abstract

Context. Thinking styles are preferences of individuals in using their abilities. That is, for every single situation, individuals choose a form of controlling and expressing themselves. Styles are closely related to students’ individual conditions (age, sex) and socio-economic status (such as hobby, leadership experience, and work experience).In terms of improving the individual’s thinking structure, it is quite important to determine and develop thinking styles which are effective with respect to creative thinking, decision-making, problem solving, evaluating and reasoning. For an efficient teaching-learning process to take place, it is important to take students’ thinking styles into consideration. An education that is appropriate to students’ thinking styles would mean that education would be easier and more permanent. Thus, a student-centered learning would be realized. In order to account for a students-centered, long-lasting learning, it is necessary for teacher candidates to know their own thinking styles and the importance of thinking styles in terms of their students.

This study aims to determine the thinking styles of teacher candidates enrolled at non-thesis secondary education branch MA programs of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. Within this framework, the thinking styles of teacher candidates had been analyzed with respect to their sex, their branches and their choice of activities. The model of research is a survey form.