Search

The teaching and pedagogical development of academic communities is influenced by different contextual elements, which may not be apparent in everyday community practices, but may become evident through deeper reflection of the context. This study approaches these elements from the perspective of a supportive pedagogical culture for teaching and pedagogical development. The data consist of Finnish university teachers' descriptions of teaching and its development in their work communities through thematic interviews (N = 51). Through inductive qualitative content analysis, meaningful elements of the communities' pedagogical culture were identified, which represent (a) values and attitudes, (b) norms and principles, and (c) practices and structures in the community. The study proposes a framework of supportive elements of pedagogical culture that should be acknowledged when promoting the development of teaching in university communities. Based on the findings, it is especially important to establish "a culture of sharing" and to promote the value of teaching through various cultural elements.

The study aims to clarify how Finnish teacher educators integrate research and teaching to support their approaches to teaching. Research questions cover teacher educators' forms of research-teaching integration, approaches to teaching, and the relationship between them. With a survey methodology, the study obtained 101 responses with a questionnaire. Six forms of research-teaching integration were identified with a qualitative content analysis. Integrating research with teaching content was mentioned most often, whereas integrating research with teaching methods and applying inquiry-oriented methods in teaching were reported less. Three kinds of approaches to teaching were found by cluster analysis. The participants with different approaches differed in their ways of research-teaching integration. However, the differences were not statistically significant in Chi-square tests. The study contributes to the international research on teacher educators and the variety in research-teaching integration in teacher education. Future research could further explore the individual and contextual factors influencing their research-teaching integration.

The Students' Approaches to Learning (SAL) tradition comprehends an approach to learning as a combination of students' aims for learning and the processes used to achieve them. The tradition values a deep approach to learning; this is the case also in the context of university mathematics, where a deep approach is seen as a requirement for learning proof-based mathematics. However, supporting a deep approach through learning environments has turned out to be a complex endeavour. The present study addresses this complexity by qualitatively contrasting the same students' approaches learning in two pedagogically different undergraduate mathematics learning environments. The study is a follow-up on a quantitative study and reports on 16 student interviews aiming to connect the students' quantitatively determined approaches to learning with their aims for learning and the actualized learning processes within the learning environments. The results suggest that student subgroups with different approaches to learning are distinguished by their aims for learning, and based on the students' own reporting, by the ability to reflect on learning and utilize student collaboration. We discuss the results and conclude that a sequence of courses with well-aligned instructional practices is needed to support the development of a deep approach to learning.

The aim of the study was to explore whether short online pedagogy courses can have an effect on university teachers' interpretations of teaching-learning situations. Before and after participating in a short online pedagogical training programme, a total of 66 participants wrote their interpretations of two short video clips, which depicted a content-focused teacher and a learning-focused teacher, respectively. The training was successful in changing participants' interpretations from a knowledge-transmission view to a learning-facilitation view of teaching. This result indicates that even short online training programmes have the potential to affect participants' interpretations of teaching-learning situations, especially when participants are not very experienced in teaching. Therefore, pedagogical training should be offered already at the early stages of teaching careers.

Prior research acknowledges the need to further develop undergraduate mathematics instruction. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between instructional design and quality of learning. This quantitative study approaches the learning environment by comparing students' approaches to learning, self-efficacy, and experiences of the teaching-learning environment in two undergraduate mathematics courses using different pedagogical approaches. The first course functioned within a traditional lecture-based framework with the inclusion of student-centred elements, and the second course was implemented with Extreme Apprenticeship, a novel student-centred teaching method. The analysis is based on the same cohort of students in these two contexts (N = 91). Students were clustered based on their deep and surface approaches to learning and three clusters were identified: students applying a deep approach, students applying a surface approach, and students applying a context-sensitive surface approach. The results show that the more student-centred course design succeeded in supporting more favourable approaches to learning, higher self-efficacy levels, and more positive experiences of the teaching-learning environment. In addition, all three clusters benefited from the more student-centred course design, with students applying a context-sensitive surface approach benefiting the most. Overall, the results suggest that it is possible to promote the quality of university mathematics learning with instructional designs that, besides content, take a holistic approach to the learning environment.

In recent decades, a constructivist view of learning has triggered a change in teaching-learning environments (TLEs). Teacher-centred TLEs have been replaced by student-centred ones where the teachers' approaches to teaching are more learning- than content-focused. Previous research exploring the relationship between student-centred TLEs and the quality of learning has shown contradictory results. Previous studies also indicate that various elements of TLEs may influence students' learning. This study explored course-level types of elements, enhancing or hindering, related to TLEs, which the course students described. The TLEs of the courses varied because the teachers adopted different types of approaches to teaching. The data for this study were collected through semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students (N = 33) from three compulsory courses. The interviews were designed so that students could describe their perceptions of the course as well as their learning experiences and processes. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results revealed that when the teacher employed a consonant learning-focused approach to teaching, the students perceived almost all elements of the TLE as enhancing. When the teacher's approach to teaching was identified as dissonant, the students perceived several elements of the TLE as hindering. This study revealed that inclusion of student-activating teaching-learning activities is important when designing TLEs, but that it is also crucial to design elements which guide and structure students' learning.

The interaction between approaches to teaching and students' learning has been the focus of research for more than 20 years. Previous studies concerning approaches to teaching in higher education have identified two broad categories: content- and learning-focused approaches. Some studies indicate that teachers do not always adopt a consonant teaching- or learning-focused approach, but might employ elements of both, which results in a dissonant approach. Research on how dissonant approaches to teaching and students' quality of learning are related is scant. This study explored relationships between how teachers' approaches to teaching and undergraduate students' self-reported approaches to learning and learning outcomes. The data for this study consisted of 33 semi-structured interviews with students from three courses. Interviews were analysed with qualitative content analysis. The results demonstrated that, when the teacher used a consonant learning-focused approach to teaching, students' learning outcomes and approaches to learning were of a slightly higher quality than when the teacher employed a dissonant approach to teaching. However, a dissonant approach to teaching did not always result in a lower quality of approaches to learning and learning outcomes.

Teacher educators' approaches to teaching, and their experience of burnout and self-efficacy beliefs, are related to how they are able to facilitate student teachers' learning. In this study, 115 Chinese teacher educators responded to a questionnaire in 2015. Based on the previous study investigating the teacher educators' approaches to teaching, the present study explored how these approaches were related to their self-efficacy beliefs in teaching and burnout. Burnout was measured through inadequacy in teacher-student interaction and exhaustion subscales. The analyses revealed that a student-focused approach to teaching among teacher educators was positively related to their self-efficacy beliefs in teaching. Both student- and teacher-focused approaches to teaching were positively related to the educators' experience of inadequacy in teacher-student interaction. However, the study revealed no relationship between teacher educators' approaches to teaching and the experience of exhaustion. To prevent feelings of inadequate interaction with their students, pedagogical training should provide these teacher educators with efficient guidance on how to interact with student teachers. The present study provides new insights in the teacher educators' adoption of the student- and teacher-focused approaches to teaching.

Teaching approaches in higher education are at the general level well researched and have identified not only the two broad categories of content-focused and learning-focused approaches to teaching but also consonance and dissonance between the aspects of teaching. Consonance means that theoretically coherent teaching practices are employed, but dissonance occurs when two broad approaches are combined. Previous studies researched teaching approaches at the general level, whereas the present study, researched approaches to teaching at the course level. Three university teachers were interviewed in depth about their teaching approach to one particular course. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. While previous studies have found that dissonance occurs between different aspects of teaching, this multi-case study revealed that dissonance can also be found within a single aspect. The present study suggests that neither content- nor learning-focused approaches to teaching are mutually exclusive and therefore may co-exist in individual teachers' practices.

Teaching is connected with a variety of emotions, but research on this area is scarce in the field of higher education. The present study explores the role of emotions and confidence within six different teacher profiles. Furthermore, the study aims to analyse emotions that arise during participation in courses on university pedagogy. Altogether 97 university teachers were interviewed. The method of content analysis was used to identify descriptions related to emotions and confidence. The results implied that teachers with consonant learning-focused profiles had the most positively charged emotions regarding teaching. However, those with consonant content-focused profiles had neutral or negative feelings about teaching and about the development of teaching. Confusion characterised those who were in a developmental phase in their teaching. Furthermore, the results showed that the emotional aspect was evident in the pedagogical training of university teachers. (Contains 2 tables.)

The present follow-up study examines the effect of university teachers' pedagogical training on approaches to teaching and self-efficacy beliefs measured by Approaches to Teaching Inventory and an additional part measuring motivational strategies. The effect of pedagogical training on teaching is analysed among 35 teachers who had not participated in pedagogical courses after the first measurement in 2004 as well as among 45 teachers who had acquired more pedagogical training after the first measurement. The results showed that there were more positive changes in the measured scales among teachers who had acquired more credits of pedagogical courses since the year 2004 than among teachers who had not acquired more credits. The results of the first and second measurements are compared.

In the present study 71 university teachers from several disciplines were interviewed in order to capture the variation in descriptions of teaching. Two broad categories of description were identified: the learning-focused and the content-focused approaches to teaching. The results showed that the relationship between the two approaches was complex and variation could be captured in detail only after considering the purpose of teaching. Within both of these categories 10 aspects of teaching were identified, which were further grouped into four broader ones, namely teaching process, learning environment, conception of learning, and pedagogical development.

Studies on teachers' approaches to teaching have identified two qualitatively different categories of approaches. The learning-focused approach is about teaching as facilitating students' learning and learning as knowledge construction, while the content-focused approach concerns teaching as transmission of knowledge and learning as absorbing the transmitted information. The aim of the present study is to explore consonance and dissonance in the kinds of combinations of approaches to teaching that university teachers adopt. Ninety-seven academics from a wide variety of disciplines were interviewed. The themes of the interviews dealt broadly with issues related to teaching in higher education. The results showed that some teachers were clearly and systematically either learning or content focused. On the other hand, profiles of some teachers consisted of combinations of learning and content focused approaches or conceptions, making their profiles dissonant. Three types of dissonance were identified. Explanations for the dissonance and implications of dissonant and consonant teaching profiles are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)

This article reports a study on the impact of university teachers' pedagogical training on approaches to teaching and self-efficacy beliefs (measured by Approaches to Teaching Inventory and an additional part measuring motivational strategies). The participants were 200 teachers of the University of Helsinki, who were divided into four groups depending on the amount of pedagogical training they had. The results indicated that pedagogical training had an effect on scales measuring conceptual change/student-focused approach and self-efficacy beliefs. Even when the effect of teaching experience was held constant, in order to find out the unique effect of pedagogical training, the results remained the same. In addition, twenty-three interview transcripts were analysed. The teachers mentioned only positive effects of pedagogical training on teaching.

Seeking ways to support the work of higher education teachers is important. One of the tools that can be used to support teachers' work is the promotion of reflection. Thus, the current study aimed to explore higher education teachers support opportunities provided by self-reflection. In the study, Finnish higher education teacher educators (N = 20) reflected their teaching by using a research-based self-reflection tool HowUTeach, which consists of items measuring teaching processes and well-being. The teachers responded to the items and then received feedback based on their responses. The teachers then participated in group interviews, which form the data for the present study. Thematic analysis of the interviews focused on teachers' experiences of the self-reflection and aimed to identify support opportunities the self-reflection and feedback may offer for teachers. Based on the findings, the teachers (1) experienced an enhancement and enrichment of self-reflection, (2) were expecting a more situation-specific approach to self-reflection, and (3) noted support opportunities through the deepening of reflection during collegial interaction. The study highlights that in order to support higher education teachers by promoting self-reflection, it is also crucial to provide teachers with opportunities for dialogical reflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to analyse the development of university teachers' pedagogical expertise during a five-month, 10-credit pedagogical development course. The data consists of reflection diaries of 18 participants who participated in the course. The method of content analysis was applied to identify different development paths from the reflection diaries. The paths differ from each other in terms of development in teaching practices, conceptions and teacher identity. The results suggest that some teachers resist changing their understanding about teaching and learning while others describe strong changes both in their conceptions of teaching and learning, as well as in their teacher identity. These results are reflected in light of boundary crossing theory presented by Akkerman and Bakker (2011). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]