This study explores the effects of teaching and learning environments on student teachers’ approaches to teaching. The study also compares a lecture-based setting to a student-activating teaching environment. The participants were 852 Flemish students, who were in their first year of the elementary teacher training programme. Results confirm the hypothesis tested only for the increasing conceptual change/student-focused teaching approach, but not in the direction of decreasing information transmission/teacher-focused approaches to teaching. Moreover, the present study proves the majority of students in teacher education to be reflective, critical persons with the best intentions for their pupils.