he aim of this doctoral dissertation is to explore how learning and teaching scientific thinking skills can be promoted at universities. The dissertation consists of four studies that aimed to examine how university students (study I) and teachers (study II) representing different fields of science comprehend scientific thinking and how it develops. In addition, the dissertation explores how university students understand the concept of theory in its scientific meaning (study III) and what phases are related to learning a scientific way of thinking (study IV).

According to the findings, university students and teachers see the following elements as essential for scientific thinking: 1) critical thinking and the basics of science, 2) epistemic understanding, 3) research and methodology skills, 4) evidence-based reasoning, and 5) contextual understanding (studies I and II). However, learning these skills is not easy, and students face problems, for example, in understanding the concept of theory in its scientific meaning (study III). In this dissertation, four phases for learning to think scientifically were recognised: a) understanding the difference between scientific knowledge and knowledge in general, b) understanding the basics of the scientific research process and research methodology, c) figuring out the idea of a scientific way of thinking: receiving readiness to think scientifically, and d) learning to express scientific thinking and identifying oneself as a scientific thinker (study IV).

In conclusion, it is suggested that the significance of scientific thinking skills should be clarified in the university context. To proceed the development of students’ scientific thinking skills, the development of scientific thinking should be more consciously paid attention to in curricular work. Instead of including scientific thinking skills in the curriculum as isolated components, scientific thinking could be integrated as a coherent main actor for the whole curriculum. The development of scientific thinking is a broad process in which the scientific community has a large role. The support of university teachers is irreplaceable, and more attention should be paid to explicitly supporting the development of students’ scientific thinking.