Liisa Postareff

Emotions and confidence within teaching in higher education

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.

How do university teachers combine different approaches to teaching in a specific course? A qualitative multi-case study

ABSTRACT 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.

What constitutes the surface approach to learning in the light of new empirical evidence

ABSTRACT This study aims, firstly, to examine the nature of the surface approach to learning in today’s university context, and secondly, to explore the factors that explain variations in the use of this approach. The 61 participants were studying in six Bachelor programmes representing various disciplines. These students scored above average on a surface approach scale and volunteered to be interviewed. One compulsory course was selected from each programme. Five surface approach profiles emerged showing variation from a full surface approach to a deep approach with memorisation. Despite very similar high scores on the surface approach scale, students varied in their use of surface-level processes. Thus, the inventory data did not capture the full variation in the students’ use of the surface approach to learning. Rich research methods are therefore needed to better understand the nature of students’ personal aims as well as their study processes and practices.

First-year students’ approaches to learning, and factors related to change or stability in their deep approach during a pharmacy course

Research shows that a surface approach to learning is more common among students in the natural sciences, while students representing the ‘soft’ sciences are more likely to apply a deep approach. However, findings conflict concerning the stability of approaches to learning in general. This study explores the variation in students’ approaches to learning and aims to analyse factors that are particularly related to the deep approach. The participants were first-year pharmacy students who completed a questionnaire at the beginning and end of the course. The students were interviewed to determine factors related to changes in their deep approach. The results revealed significant changes in approaches to learning at the group level. Yet, closer analysis showed much more variation at the individual level. Findings based on the interviews indicated different factors, self-regulation skills among them, which seemed to explain both the changes in and stability of the students’ deep approach.

The Scholarly Question in Finland: To Teach or Not to Teach

Finnish universities have had a strong tradition in research. Attracting research funding, publishing the results of research in scholarly journals and being able to undertake research in a setting of academic freedom are perhaps the primary goals of Finnish academics. According to responses to the Changing Academic Profession (CAP) survey, the majority of Finnish higher education academics indicated a preference for research over teaching, but patterns in Finland differ from those in some countries. For example, contrary to patterns in many countries, junior academics in Finland are more likely to spend more time on research, because many Finnish academic careers start whilst student workers are undertaking a PhD. This chapter examines the research/teaching nexus, including a consideration of seniority and gender.

Teacher educators’ approaches to teaching and the nexus with self-efficacy and burnout: examples from two teachers’ universities in China

ABSTRACT 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.

Study-related exhaustion: First-year students’ use of self-regulation of learning and peer learning and perceived value of peer support:

This study examines the profiles of self-regulation of learning, peer learning and peer support among students. The study investigates whether the profiles differ in terms of reported study-related exhaustion. Students completed a questionnaire regarding their use of self-regulation of learning and peer learning and perceived peer support and study-related exhaustion. Four different student profiles were found. The profiles differed in terms of self-reported study-related exhaustion. Self-regulated students with a low level of peer learning and low perceived value of peer support reported the lowest levels of study-related exhaustion, whereas students with self-regulation problems, a high level of peer learning and high perceived value of peer support reported the highest levels of study-related exhaustion. The results showed that problems in self-regulation were positively related to self-reported study-related exhaustion. Identifying different student profiles helps to recognise students who may need more support in studying.

Relationships among Civil Engineering Students’ Approaches to Learning, Perceptions of the Teaching–Learning Environment, and Study Success

AbstractThis study examines the relationship among civil engineering students’ approaches to learning, their perceptions of the teaching–learning environment, and their study success. The aim was t...