International Journal of Pedagogics
369
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijp
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue06 2025
PAGE NO.
369-371
10.37547/ijp/Volume05Issue06-97
Improving The Methodology For Developing Logical Thinking
In Future Primary School Teachers
Kalekeeva Sarbinaz Turkmenbaevna
Basic doctoral student at Ajiniyoz Nukus State Pedagogical Institute, Uzbekistan
Received:
15 April 2025;
Accepted:
29 May 2025;
Published:
27 June 2025
Abstract:
The formation of logical thinking is considered a cornerstone of professional readiness for future primary
school teachers because it underpins lesson design, classroom decision-
making, and children’s cognitive
development. Although logic-oriented courses are present in most teacher-education programmes, many
graduates still demonstrate fragmented analytical skills that hamper their abi
lity to scaffold pupils’ reasoning. The
present study proposes and validates an integrative methodology that systematically intertwines formal logic,
problem-based learning, and metacognitive reflection across pedagogical disciplines. A mixed-methods design
combined a quasi-experiment with qualitative classroom observation in two universities. Quantitative data from
pre- and post-intervention tests (N = 124) revealed a statistically significant increase in composite logical-thinking
scores in the experimental cohort (t = 4.73; p < 0.01), while control-group gains remained modest and non-
significant. Qualitative findings corroborated the numerical trend: student
–
teachers who experienced the
integrative methodology displayed richer theorem-based argumentation, more consistent use of deductive steps,
and higher adaptability when modelling tasks for pupils. The article discusses curriculum implications,
emphasising the importance of iterative reflection sessions and authentic micro-teaching to consolidate logical
habits of mind. It concludes that a carefully scaffolded sequence of logic-embedded activities can elevate future
teachers’ professional reasoning and, ultimately, enhance the logical culture of primary classrooms.
Keywords:
Logical thinking; teacher education; primary school; integrative methodology; problem-based learning;
metacognition; professional reasoning.
Introduction:
Primary education is increasingly
expected to cultivate not only basic literacy and
numeracy but also coherent reasoning in young
learners. Teachers therefore require robust logical
thinking to design instructional trajectories that foster
cause
–
effect analysis, classify concepts, and model
problem-
solving procedures suitable for children’s
developmental levels. However, empirical studies
conducted in Central Asia and Eastern Europe show
that novice teachers often rely on intuitive judgements
rather than systematic deduction when planning
lessons or assessing pupil thinking (Ivanov, 2022;
Karimov, 2024). The deficiency is partly rooted in
fragmented university curricula, where logic is taught
as an isolated theoretical subject instead of an applied
professional tool (Petrova & Simakov, 2023).
Moreover, the rapid transition to competency-based
standards in Uzbekistan has intensified the demand for
instructional designs that stimulate independent
reasoning from the first years of schooling. Future
teachers must therefore master not only formal logical
operations
—
definition, comparison, classification,
inference
—
but also metacognitive regulation enabling
them to monitor their own reasoning processes while
guiding
children
(Smirnova,
2021).
Existing
methodologies
frequently
ignore
this
dual
requirement, treating logical thinking as a static
cognitive skill rather than a dynamic habit reinforced
through pedagogical action.
International literature proposes problem-based
learning (PBL) and reflective practice as vehicles for
cultivating professional reasoning (Schön, 2016;
Savery, 2019), yet empirical validations focused on
primary-teacher preparation remain scarce. Most
investigations involve STEM preservice teachers,
leaving a gap regarding early-years specialists whose
logic must align with young pupils’ concrete
-
operational thinking. Addressing this gap, the present
International Journal of Pedagogics
370
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International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
study formulates and tests an integrative methodology
that embeds logical-thinking development within core
pedagogical modules, practicum experiences, and
structured reflection sessions. The research asks:
1.
How does the integrative methodology
affect the logical-thinking proficiency of preservice
primary teachers?
2.
Which pedagogical mechanisms within
the methodology contribute most to observed gains?
3.
What
curricular
adjustments
are
necessary for sustainable implementation in teacher-
training institutions?
A convergent mixed-methods design was selected to
triangulate quantitative learning-outcome data with
qualitative insights from classroom dynamics. The
quantitative strand employed a quasi-experimental
pre-test/post-test
control-group
format.
The
qualitative strand used non-participant observation
and stimulated-recall interviews to capture the
evolution of reasoning strategies during micro-
teaching.
The sample comprised 124 second-year students
enrolled in the “Primary Education and Child
Development” bachelor programme at two public
universities in Uzbekistan (Universities A and B).
Cohorts were randomly assigned by intact class groups:
62 formed the experimental group and 62 the control
group. Baseline demographic characteristics (age, GPA,
prior logic coursework) were comparable (χ² = 1.37, p >
0.05).
The integrative methodology unfolded over one
semester (15 weeks) and featured three intertwined
components. First, a redesigned logic module
contextualised syllogistic rules and propositional logic
through primary-grade teaching scenarios. Second,
subject-specific didactics (mathematics, environmental
studies, language arts) incorporated weekly PBL tasks
requiring students to construct lesson fragments
grounded in deductive or inductive reasoning patterns.
Third, guided reflection sessions prompted students to
articulate their cognitive steps, evaluate peer
arguments, and plan refinements. University lecturers
received
a
two-day
workshop
to
ensure
methodological fidelity. The control group followed the
standard curriculum, which included a standalone logic
course unrelated to pedagogical practice.
Logical-thinking proficiency was measured with an
adapted version of the Lawson Classroom Test of
Scientific Reasoning validated for teacher-education
contexts (Lawson, 2000; Uzbek adaptation by
Tursunov, 2023). The instrument yields a composite
score (0
–
36) across proportional reasoning, control of
variables, probabilistic reasoning, and correlational
reasoning. Internal consistency for the present study
was satisfactory (Cronbach’s α = 0.82). Classroom
observations used an analytic rubric capturing explicit
logical operations during lesson planning and delivery
(scale 1
–
5 across seven indicators). Interview protocols
explored
perceived
cognitive
changes
and
methodological challenges.
Quantitative analysis applied paired-sample t-tests to
evaluate within-group gains and independent-sample
t-tests for between-group differences. Effect sizes were
calculated via Cohen’s d. Qualitative data underwent
thematic coding using NVivo 14, following an
inductive
–
deductive approach where initial codes
derived from the rubric categories were enriched by
emergent patterns. Triangulation ensured credibility by
cross-validating observer notes, interview excerpts,
and student artefacts.
At pre-test, mean logical-thinking scores did not differ
significantly between groups (experimental M = 17.6,
SD = 3.9; control M = 17.3, SD = 4.1; t = 0.39, p = 0.70).
After the semester, the experimental group’s mean
rose to 24.1 (SD = 4.2), whereas the control group
reached 19.1 (SD = 4.5). The gain of 6.5 points in the
experimental group was statistically significant (t =
4.73, p < 0.01, d = 1.0), indicating a large educational
impact. By contrast, the control group’s gain of 1.8
points did not reach significance (t = 1.54, p = 0.13).
Sub-domain
analysis
revealed
the
strongest
improvement in propositional reasoning (d = 1.12)
followed by probabilistic reasoning (d = 0.95). The
results corroborate earlier studies suggesting that
contextualised logic instruction facilitates transfer of
abstract rules to pedagogical decision-making (Petrova
& Simakov, 2023).
Observation data illuminated how the integrative
methodology catalysed cognitive shifts. Early in the
semester, many students resorted to authoritative
explanation when designing tasks. By week six,
experimental-group
participants
increasingly
articulated modus ponens structures (“If the story’s
main idea is X, then supporting detail must satisfy Y”),
displaying conscious regulation of deductive chains.
Reflective journals evidenced growing metacognitive
awareness: students reported monitoring the
sufficiency and necessity of premises before presenting
problems to peers.
Interviews identified three interrelated mechanisms
driving improvement. First, situational anchoring of
logical principles in primary-grade examples lowered
abstraction barriers. Participants described logic
lectures as “suddenly relevant” because each theorem
immediately translated into classroom practice.
International Journal of Pedagogics
371
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijp
International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
Second, iterative PBL tasks demanded continuous
argument
construction
and
critique,
forging
automaticity in logical sequencing. Third, reflection
sessions provided a social forum where cognitive
dissonance
—
exposing gaps between intended and
actual reasoning
—
motivated refinement. These
mechanisms align with Vygotskian views on the social
genesis of higher mental functions (Zinchenko, 2020)
and with contemporary metacognitive models
emphasising self-regulation cycles (Zimmerman, 2013).
The study suggests that logical-thinking development
should permeate rather than parallel pedagogical
coursework. University programmes might reallocate
contact hours from decontextualised logic lectures to
cross-disciplinary workshops where formal operations
are immediately employed in lesson design.
Additionally, assessment regimes need to value
evidence of reasoning processes, not merely the
artefacts of lesson plans. Digital portfolios enriched
with audio-recorded think-aloud protocols could
provide authentic indicators of logical habits,
encouraging students to externalise and refine their
thinking.
Logical thinking constitutes a vital professional
competence for future primary school teachers,
directly influencing their capacity to nurture coherent
reasoning in young pupils. Conventional curricula,
which isolate logic instruction from pedagogical
application, fall short of cultivating durable logical
habits. The integrative methodology presented here
—
interweaving contextualised logic instruction, problem-
based learning, and structured reflection
—
significantly
enhanced
preservice
teachers’
logical
-thinking
proficiency over a single semester. Quantitative gains
were large and educationally meaningful, while
qualitative evidence illustrated the internalisation of
deductive and inductive patterns within authentic
teaching scenarios. Implementation across teacher-
education
programmes
requires
institutional
commitment to curriculum redesign, lecturer training,
and assessment reform. Sustained adoption promises
to elevate the cognitive culture of primary classrooms
and better prepare children for a knowledge economy
that prizes disciplined reasoning. Further research
should extend the intervention over multiple
semesters and examine longitudinal transfer to in-
service teaching practice.
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