Creating a culture of research in teacher education: learning research within communities of practice

Abstract

In some international contexts, for example in South Africa, Norway, Australia and New Zealand, teacher education has recently shifted into the academy. Concurrently research performance funding measures have been introduced. Both changes have placed pressure on teacher educators to become 'research active'. The literature indicates that teacher educators can increase and deepen their research productivity with support in ways that build on, rather than break down, their existing identities. Our findings from interviews with research leaders in education faculties indicate that cultivating communities of research practice can assist teacher educators to learn alongside more experienced colleagues, and become fully fledged researching academics.

The changing work of teacher educators in Aotearoa New Zealand: a view through activity theory

“…Our analysis suggests that research is a key factor of university based ITE activity systems (Hill & Haigh, 2012;Livingston, McCall & Morgado, 2009;Toom et al, 2010). As we have shown, universities' have been creating new divisions of labour for some TEs that in turn have brought about different material conditions of work for all.…”

“…TEs' induction and professional development needs (Murray, 2005(Murray, , 2008Smith, 2003), and the place of research in TEs work (Hill & Haigh, 2012;Livingston, McCall & Morgado, 2009). Accompanying this is an emerging scholarship around the kinds of work that university based TEs do (Murray, 2008;Ellis, McNicholl & Pendry, 2012;Nuttall et al 2013).…”

The role of research education coordinators in building research cultures in doctoral education

“…Definitions of research cultures such as this, focusing on shared values, beliefs and practices of a community engaged in research (see also, e.g. Hill & Haigh, 2012;Lucas 2009;Rizzo Parse, 2007) Report (2002) and subsequent initiatives by the UK Research Councils, have generated considerable discussion within universities about how to build research capacity and the role of research cultures in strengthening research outputs (e.g. Billot, 2011).…”

“…Such work, importantly where this paper is concerned, does not mention the role of RECs in such developments. Much of the literature on building a research culture focuses on disciplines new to universities (Pratt, Margaritis & Coy, 1999;Hill & Haigh, 2012, McRoy, Flanzer & Zlotnik, 2012, institutions new to the university sector (Johnson & Louw, 2014) and early career researchers (Tynan & Garbett, 2007). In Australia, for example, an entire special issue of a journal has been devoted to how to build research cultures in education (Reid, Santaro, McMaugh & Saltmarsh, 2010 ) and in the US there has been considerable debate about whether the particular culture of educational research is such that its outcomes can influence educational policy (Feuer, Towne & Shavelson, 2002).…”

Building a Research Culture from Scratch at a University of Technology

“…Building research in "new universities" (Cheetham 2007;Lewis & Simmons 2010) such as polytechnics or in departments or faculties (Pratt, Margaritis & Coy 1999;Sunder 2008;Hill & Haigh 2012) lacking in a rich research tradition requires the vital development of a research culture. Emerging from a low research base, South Africa's universities of technology (UoTs) (similar to polytechnics in the UK), are challenged in their activation and development of a research culture.…”