Higher education has been challenged to develop pedagogy that promotes high-quality learning, supports studying in various learning circumstances and utilizes Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching. These challenges are derived from the changes in society and working life during the 21^st century and from recent research on learning and teaching (Binkley et al., 2010; Bransford et al., 2006). Learning-theory-based environments can, at their best, trigger changes in learning culture (Häkkinen & Hämäläinen, 2012).

Typical features of technology-enhanced learning environments in the 21^st century include learner-centered, inquiry-based and collaborative learning approaches (Hmelo-Silver et al., 2013). For example, the literature provides evidence of the beneficial effects of inquiry-based learning (McElhaney & Linn, 2012) and computer-supported collaborative learning (Stahl et al, 2006). However, several challenges have also been recognized, and effects of these approaches have been questioned (Kirschner, Sweller & Clark, 2006; Kobbe et al., 2007). Today’s learning environments are complex entities, in which students use multiple tools for the individual access, manipulation and analysis of information, as well as for communication, sharing and joint knowledge construction with peers. Furthermore, mobile technology and context-aware devices provide ubiquitous and contextualized learning opportunities by enabling access to and the sharing of knowledge in its context of use (Sharples, 2014).

Higher education teaching staff play a key role in developing learning arrangements that utilize ICT. The relationship between ICT and learning can be argued, on the one hand, from the perspective of practicality (e.g., flexibility in organizing teaching) and, on the other hand, from the perspective of pedagogical reasons (e.g., promoting individual thinking or collaborative knowledge construction). Especially in the latter case, it is important to obtain knowledge about teachers’ beliefs, attitudes and pedagogical thinking concerning the relationship between ICT and learning.

Earlier research has indicated that pedagogical beliefs play an important role when teachers choose teaching arrangement priorities and the ways in which they want to facilitate learning (e.g., Ertmer, 2005). For example, teacher-centered beliefs represent traditional teaching methods, whereas learner-centered beliefs emphasize the learner’s responsibility for his or her own learning, as well as learning and building knowledge in collaboration (Meirink, Meijer, Verloop, & Bergan, 2009). It can be argued that teacher beliefs become especially evident in the context of technology use for learning.

The present study aims to obtain knowledge about university lecturers’ pedagogical beliefs concerning the role and use of ICT in promoting learning in higher education. We are especially interested in the relationship between the lecturers’ pedagogical aims in terms of promoting learning and their beliefs regarding the use of ICT for that purpose. In addition, we see that studying lecturers’ attitudes towards the role of ICT in higher education could provide valuable information to understand the lecturers’ pedagogical reasons for integrating ICT into learning. Thus, the following research questions were addressed:

1. What do the university lectures regard as the main pedagogical aims of learning in their project?
2. How do the university lectures view the role of technology in achieving the pedagogical aims of their project?  
3. How do the lecturers’ describe the possibilities of technology in the development of teaching practices in their discipline?

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