Abstract:
This is a qualitative case study, conducted in an English teacher education in the National University (pseudonym), East Java, Indonesia. This study focuses to uncover contextual factors that influence the conceptualisation and practices of critical thinking in EFL classes. The data gathering was done through a questionnaire, interviews, and document analysis.
Teachers’ practices in the classroom do not always concur with their cognition due to the mediating contextual factors around and inside the classroom. Sociocultural perspective is employed to explain the relationship between teacher activities and the macrostructure such as the social, cultural, and historical factors that constitute teacher professional world. The findings reveal six factors influenced the conceptualisation and practices of critical thinking in EFL classes for the PSETs. First, the policy of critical thinking for higher education is not clear, and there was discrepancy among the national policies in addressing critical thinking as it is implicitly stated and are not elaborated into framework as its guidance for the enactment. Different understanding of critical thinking as a compulsory or optional target-learning outcome was found among the study programs in the National Univesity. Second, the traditional value of silence that stemmed from the culture shaped the PSETs’ anxiety attitude toward critical interaction and critical arguments. Third, the PSET compliant characteristic was formed by the tradition of obedience in the education within the family, Islamic boarding school (pesantren) and the National University. Fourth, religious values were found in the conceptualisation and practices of critical thinking. Fifth, the students’ low academic competency, especially their low English proficiency and lack of reading make them lack of knowledge, impacts their ability to perform critical thinking in (English as Foreign Language) EFL classes. At last, the finding signified the English Teacher Educators (ETEs)/The Leaders’ role as the authority to support the Pre-Service English Teachers (PSETs)’ critical thinking development despite the challenges from the traditional cultural and religious values. The implication of the study is that the policy of critical thinking as university graduate competence should be more explicit as written policy. There was sensitivity to criticism among the participants; the PSETs’ obedience contributed to their silence to cope with ignorant and strict ETEs. The PSETs’ demand the ETEs’ professionalism and accountability as the source of knowledge and role model for their future teaching. Also, the PSETs need the ETEs’ flexibility that encourages the PSETs’ critical thinking development.
Teachers’ practices in the classroom do not always concur with their cognition due to the mediating contextual factors around and inside the classroom. Sociocultural perspective is employed to explain the relationship between teacher activities and the macrostructure such as the social, cultural, and historical factors that constitute teacher professional world. The findings reveal six factors influenced the conceptualisation and practices of critical thinking in EFL classes for the PSETs. First, the policy of critical thinking for higher education is not clear, and there was discrepancy among the national policies in addressing critical thinking as it is implicitly stated and are not elaborated into framework as its guidance for the enactment. Different understanding of critical thinking as a compulsory or optional target-learning outcome was found among the study programs in the National Univesity. Second, the traditional value of silence that stemmed from the culture shaped the PSETs’ anxiety attitude toward critical interaction and critical arguments. Third, the PSET compliant characteristic was formed by the tradition of obedience in the education within the family, Islamic boarding school (pesantren) and the National University. Fourth, religious values were found in the conceptualisation and practices of critical thinking. Fifth, the students’ low academic competency, especially their low English proficiency and lack of reading make them lack of knowledge, impacts their ability to perform critical thinking in (English as Foreign Language) EFL classes. At last, the finding signified the English Teacher Educators (ETEs)/The Leaders’ role as the authority to support the Pre-Service English Teachers (PSETs)’ critical thinking development despite the challenges from the traditional cultural and religious values. The implication of the study is that the policy of critical thinking as university graduate competence should be more explicit as written policy. There was sensitivity to criticism among the participants; the PSETs’ obedience contributed to their silence to cope with ignorant and strict ETEs. The PSETs’ demand the ETEs’ professionalism and accountability as the source of knowledge and role model for their future teaching. Also, the PSETs need the ETEs’ flexibility that encourages the PSETs’ critical thinking development.