University teachers’ experiences of change in their understanding of the subject matter they have taught

Abstract

This paper reports an analysis of teachers' experience of change in their understanding of the subject matter they have recently taught. Five qualitatively different categories were used to describe how approaches to teaching are experienced. The majority, 20, of the 31 participants interviewed did not describe an experience of change in their understanding. Those who did experience change in their understanding, where the change was more about re-interpretation or the questioning of problematic knowledge were more likely to experience teaching as student-focused.