| Summary |
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between preservice teachers' levels of formal operational thought and the grade level they intend to teach. The Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT), developed by Tobin and Capie (1981), was utilized to measure logical (or formal) thinking abilities of collegiate elementary, middle grades, and secondary education majors. These cognitive abilities were correlated by statistical analysis with the preservice teachers' intended grade levels. Inter-group comparisons between the three major groups (elementary, middle grades, and secondary) were also conducted. The directional research hypotheses stated: 1) a significant positive correlation will exist between the level of formal operational thought as measured by the TOLT for preservice teachers and the prospective grade level they intend to teach; and 2) significant differences will exist between the observed and expected frequencies in the level of operational thinking as measured by the TOLT between the following groups of preservice teachers: elementary education majors, middle grades education majors, and secondary education majors; with generally a greater proportion than expected of elementary education majors at the concrete level and a greater proportion than expected of secondary education majors at the formal operational level. For data analysis, Product-Moment Correlational and ChiSquare statistical measures were utilized to compare the TOLT with the prospective grade level to be taught. Results of the correlational analysis indicated a significant, positive relationship (r = .29, p = .015). Significant differences existed between the observed and expected frequencies in the level of operational thinking as measured by the TOLT, and these differences were in the hypothesized direction as indicated by Chi-Square analysis (X2 = 9.554, p = .049). |
