University teaching staffs' pedagogical awareness displayed through ICT-facilitated teaching

This article focuses on how the teachers' pedagogical awareness is displayed and shaped while they learn to use information and communication technology (ICT) in their teaching and the aim here is to increase our understanding of university teachers as learners and as developers of their pedagogical awareness. The pedagogical awareness of teachers is examined through analysis of their thoughts on student learning and as displayed in their written weblog accounts during a course they took on how to use ICT to support learning. In this study 26 teachers assumed the role of students, i.e. as learners of how to use technology to boost their teaching and to facilitate the learning of their students. The objective of this course at the University of Helsinki was to enhance both the pedagogical and technical skill of teachers. The pedagogical awareness of the teaching staff was analysed by applying the theoretical model of meaningful learning. The results of the present study indicate that while contextuality and the transfer of knowledge was not well elaborated, the teachers particularly emphasized collaboration as a pedagogical means to facilitate learning. Furthermore, teacher reflection was an emerging theme in a few accounts, but this reflection appears to facilitate student learning in a slightly different manner than the elements of meaningful learning, which directly impact the learning situation. This increased understanding of how the new media are adopted into teaching can be used to design ICT training schemes for university teaching staff.