Preservice Science Teachers’ Demonstration of Critical Thinking Dimensions in Addressing the Socio-scientific Issue of Implementing an Artificial Moon for Street Illumination

This chapter addresses one of the current concerns among teachers: how to effectively integrate classroom activities that foster critical thinking skills in students. The importance of designing and analysing experiences for critical thinking development in the classroom is discussed, using socio-scientific issues as the backbone and the ENCIC-CT model to understand these problems. The chapter presents an experience focused on a socio-scientific issue related to energy use, highlighting the significant role of the issue in enhancing different dimensions of critical thinking. Through the analysis of this experience with 80 Spanish preservice teachers, the possible contributions made by the preservice teachers to these dimensions are discussed. Additionally, statistically significant differences were found for primary school preservice teachers in the critical analysis information dimension and the skills domain, depending on whether the information was presented through detailed readings or a news headline. Finally, some considerations are made regarding the importance of designing and analysing such experiences and the need to include them in science teachers’ initial and permanent training.