Digital Portfolio as a Tool to Enhance Pre-service Teachers Critical Thinking

Ivana Cimermanová, University of Presov, Slovakia

Abstract: Critical thinking, often connected with creativity, similarly as digital literacy belong among the skills defined as global skills q for the 21st century. Students-centred classes full of autonomous learners is the ideal many teachers would like to reach. This expects the learners are ready t take responsibility for meeting the set and/or agreed learning outcomes.  Expecting that learners at elementary and secondary schools will be led towards critical thinking indirectly expects that their teachers apply creative thinking and can ask questions that need critical perception and presentation. Critical thinking is the skill, and ability to think and solve problems clearly, effectively and rationally. The presentation, based on the experience presents how digital portfolio can foster critical thinking skills such as analysis, self-regulation, problem-solving or open-mindedness. The presentation offers samples from the portfolios of the student teachers from their teaching practice and the group interview realized after the teaching practice.

Keywords: portfolio, teacher training, self-evaluation, critical thinking, autonomy