4. Discussion
In much of the literature on critical thinking we see that there is no significant improvement in all the sub-tests
during one year of learning (Barak & Dori, 2009; Ben-Chaim, Ron, & Zoller, 2000). In the sub-tests of our group
we did see a marked improvement in systematicity, analyticity, and maturity. On re-examining these sub-tests we
noticed that they consisted of a group of questions involving a certain experiment where all the information was
presented in the form of tables. During this learning unit we repeatedly worked with tables and we therefore came to
the conclusion that the familiarity of the students with the tables enabled them to deal with the statements made andanswer these specific questions more easily. The CCTDI is a self report of the students' beliefs, values, attitudes and
opinions consisting of seventy-five separate items. Questions or statements are posed to which the students have to
reply how strongly they agree or disagree ( on a scale from one to six). By studying the students' responses, a
profile of seven critical thinking sub-dispositions can be reached. The dispositions measured are: truth seeking,
which shows flexibility in considering alternatives and opinions; open-mindedness, which shows the understanding
of others' opinions; analyticity, which shows how persistent the student is in the light of difficulties encountered;
systematicity, which shows how diligently the student went about seeking relevant information; confidence, which
refers to the student's confidence is his/her own ability to reason; inquisitiveness, which shows how concerned the
student is to become and stay well-informed; and maturity, which shows how careful the student is in making or
changing his judgments. During the CCTDI we find we find the stages of the creative thinking by Ervynck (1991).
Ervynck suggested three necessary stages for the development of mathematical creativity: (i) a preliminary technical
stage, (ii) a stage of algorithmic activity, and (iii) a stage of creative (conceptual, constructive) activity. The first
stage refers to the practical application of mathematical rules and procedures without knowledge of the theoretical
source. The second stage emphasizes the use of procedures in order to perform a mathematical operation with the
knowledge of the theoretical source. Finally, the third stage involves activity that is unrelated to a known algorithm,
where it entails a new understanding of definitions or wording a new theorem and its proof.