This book examines the learning and development process of students’ scientific thinking skills. Universities should prepare students to be able to make judgements in their working lives based on scientific evidence. However, an understanding of how these thinking skills can be developed is limited. This book introduces a new broad theory of scientific thinking for higher education; in doing so, redefining higher-order thinking abilities as scientific thinking skills. This includes critical thinking and understanding the basics of science, epistemic maturity, research and evidence-based reasoning skills and contextual understanding. The editors and contributors discuss how this concept can be redefined, as well as the challenges educators and students may face when attempting to teach and learn these skills. This edited collection will be of interest to students and scholars of student scientific skills and higher-order thinking abilities.
Author(s): Mari Murtonen, Kieran Balloo
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Year: 2019
Language: English
Pages: 269
Tags: Scientific Thinking, Higher Education, Research Skills
Front Matter ....Pages i-xxi
Front Matter ....Pages 1-1
Broadening the Theory of Scientific Thinking for Higher Education (Mari Murtonen, Heidi Salmento)....Pages 3-29
The Roles of Epistemic Understanding and Research Skills in Students’ Views of Scientific Thinking (Heidi Salmento, Mari Murtonen)....Pages 31-57
Enhancing Scientific Thinking Through the Development of Critical Thinking in Higher Education (Heidi Hyytinen, Auli Toom, Richard J. Shavelson)....Pages 59-78
Evidenced-Based Thinking for Scientific Thinking (Rebecca Shargel, Lisa Twiss)....Pages 79-103
Front Matter ....Pages 105-105
Students’ Difficulties During Research Methods Training Acting as Potential Barriers to Their Development of Scientific Thinking (Kieran Balloo)....Pages 107-137
Threshold Concepts of Research in Teaching Scientific Thinking (Margaret Kiley)....Pages 139-155
The Acculturation and Engagement of Undergraduate Students in Scientific Thinking Through Research Methods (Anesa Hosein, Namrata Rao)....Pages 157-175
Front Matter ....Pages 177-177
Expertise Development and Scientific Thinking (Erno Lehtinen, Jake McMullen, Hans Gruber)....Pages 179-202
Developing Scientific Thinking and Research Skills Through the Research Thesis or Dissertation (Gina Wisker)....Pages 203-232
Developing Scientific Thinking Towards Inclusive Knowledge-Building Communities (Angela Brew, Lilia Mantai, Aprill Miles)....Pages 233-253
Back Matter ....Pages 255-261
