This study analyzed pre-service teachers’ learning conceptions, changes in these during a study unit and the ways in which they theoretically conceptualized learning. The data (N= 79), texts reflecting learning, were gathered at the beginning and at the end of a pedagogical studies’ study unit at a Finnish university.

The research questions were 1) what kinds of learning conceptions do student teachers hold, 2) how student teachers theoretically conceptualize their understanding of learning 3) to what extent, and in what ways, do student teachers’ learning conceptions change over the duration of a study unit focused on examining learning.

University students’ conceptions of learning, together with their epistemic profiles, have been associated with academic achievement (Lonka, Ketonen, & Vermunt, 2021) and their views on the nature of knowledge (Lonka et al., 2008). In teacher education, examining conceptions of learning is particularly significant, as previous studies have shown that teachers’ beliefs about learning and the nature of knowledge shape their pedagogical decisions (Lammassaari et al., 2021; Rozhenkova et al., 2023). Students’ conceptions of learning have also been described as intertwined with various dimensions of self-regulated learning (Tarchi et al., 2024). The prior research on university students’ conceptions of learning revealed gender differences in these (Mahanesh, 2018; Vezzani et al., 2018) and differences in relation to the students’ fields of study (e.g. Lonka et al., 2021).

In previous research ( e.g. Bahçivan, 2014; Lonka et al., 2021; Mahanes, 2018¸ Paakkari, Tynjälä & Kangas, 2011), the following categories of conceptions of learning has been identified: 1.learning as the direct acquisition and reproduction of knowledge; 2. learning as the practical application of knowledge; 3. learning as understanding and the personal construction of knowledge; 4. learning as a transformation of personal thinking; 5. learning as personal growth, and 6. learning as the collaborative construction of knowledge.

Although comparisons have been made, for example, between students at the beginning and at the end of their university studies (Huang, Li, & Tsai, 2022), previous research on university students’—and particularly student teachers’—conceptions of learning has typically focused on examining students’ views at a single point in time. Studies have seldom investigated how the conceptions of the same students may change, for instance over the course of one study unit or a longer period.

While university teaching generally emphasizes learning to analyze phenomena from theoretical perspectives, pre-service teachers’ conceptions of learning have usually been examined without connecting them to theoretical frameworks of learning. However, theoretically structuring learning and teaching, and critically reflecting on one’s own beliefs, are often key components of university-level teacher education. This study aims to address these gaps in earlier research by examining potential changes in student teachers’ conceptions of learning during a study unit that approaches learning from various theoretical perspectives.

While theory-practice gap has often been identified as a challenge in teacher education both in European countries and internationally, there have been only a few studies on student teachers’ theory learning (Yan & He, 2021). Yet the ways in which teachers understand theories and conceptualize knowledge, affect how they select and present knowledge and theories to their students and what kinds of pedagogical practices they apply (Sing, Allen & Rowan, 2018). Regarding university students, Lonka, Ketonen and Vermunt (2021) showed that conceptions of learning and epistemic profiles were linked with students’ learning and achievement in higher education. The study by Mahanesh (2018) showed that the student teachers who hold the idea of certainty of knowledge were often dependent on teacher expertise and showed more traditional, teacher-centred conceptions of teaching and learning.

The data consisted of 79 texts in which student teachers reflected on their understanding of learning. The first text was written at the beginning of a study unit and the second at its end. The data were collected at one Finnish university from 40 students studying to become secondary school teachers. Participation in the research was voluntary: students provided informed consent for their texts to be used as data. The full dataset comprised approximately 35,000 words. Both texts were obtained from 37 students, and only the first text from two students, and only the second text from three students. Because the second text was a mandatory, assessed assignment within the study unit, an official request was submitted to the university to use these as research data. Students were informed about the aims of the study, processing and handling the data and the voluntary nature of participation. Their decision to participate did not influence their assessment. The researcher who was mainly responsible for the analysis was not the course teacher. The teacher of the study unit introduced the study to the students, collected and anonymized the texts. In the first text, students were asked to reflect on the meaning of learning and on how people learn. In the second text, they were asked to discuss learning and teaching by applying concepts and theoretical perspectives covered during the study unit. They were also instructed to reread their first text and consider whether their conceptions had remained stable or changed, and in what ways. In addition, they were asked to reflect on which theoretical perspectives they might apply in their future teaching. Before analysis, all texts were read to gain an overall understanding of the data. A qualitative, abductive analytical approach was employed (Vila Henninger et al., 2022; Timmermans & Tavory, 2012), combining theory driven coding with themes emerging from the data. First, a deductive coding frame based on six learning conception categories identified in earlier research was developed and tested on a subset of the data. Following the methodological guidelines of Vila Henninger et al. (2022) and Timmermans and Tavory (2012), additional data driven themes related to conceptualizations of learning and theoretical understanding were also identified. To examine potential changes in students’ learning conceptions, both texts were analyzed together for those students who had provided both.

The analysis of teacher students’ conceptions of learning shows that the most common view was learning as understanding and the personal construction of knowledge (20 students), followed by learning as the direct acquisition and reproduction of knowledge (17 students). These two conceptions were frequently accompanied by the idea of learning as the practical application of knowledge. In contrast, the conceptions of learning as personal growth and as the collaborative construction of knowledge were expressed far less often (five students each), although students often acknowledged the importance of collaboration and joint discussions for their own learning during the study unit. Most students reported that their understanding of learning had broadened during the study unit, and this was partly reflected in their written work, where some were able to incorporate theoretical concepts into their reflections. However, students who felt that their views had not changed tended to reproduce the same initial ideas and showed limited ability to apply theoretical perspectives. Only a small number of students demonstrated a capacity for critical analysis of how their conceptions evolved during the study unit, drawing on several theoretical perspectives to support their reasoning. The findings indicate that many teacher students struggled to differentiate between learning theories or to understand the nature of scientific theories more broadly. Learning theories were often interpreted instrumentally as teaching methods, and students commonly suggested that different theories are suitable for specific subjects, groups, or should be matched with individuals’ learning styles. Several students also proposed combining various learning theories in teaching, for example by integrating behaviorist and constructivist perspectives. These interpretations suggest that the students had not fully grasped the fundamental differences between the theories. The findings indicate that teacher education could place particular emphasis on developing students’ understanding of the purpose of theories and the distinctions between them.

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