Teachers' perceived achievement on complex thinking competence: a multicultural study

Abstract

To achieve significant changes in education in the era of globalization, continuous teacher training is essential, supported by cultural and institutional policies and the commitment of the academic community. Incorporating complex thinking in higher education is crucial to developing teaching competencies that respond to the challenges of contemporary learning and the world’s changing dynamics. This study analyzed Latin American teachers’ perceived achievement of complex thinking subcompetencies (systemic, scientific, critical, and innovative thinking). It also explored the differences in these sub-competencies by teachers’ countries of origin and gender. Four-hundred fourteen upper secondary and higher education teachers from seven Latin American countries participated: Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil. Peru and Chile had the highest proportion of participants in the study. The findings show that the teachers positively perceived their ability to apply systems thinking; however, they considered themselves less competent in complex thinking. Teachers from Guatemala and Peru attained the highest scores in the four subcompetencies of complex thinking. Statistically significant differences between men and women existed in all the sub-competencies of complex thinking, with men attaining higher means than women. These findings have important implications for teacher training, curricular design, and educational policy. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of teachers’ complex thinking sub-competencies.