Building a framework of a supportive pedagogical culture for teaching and pedagogical development in higher education

Abstract

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.