Abstract

The Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) undertaken for the BERA Close-to-Practice (CtP) report of 2018 highlighted an absence of high-quality studies that ‘addressed the research of academics with responsibilities for initial teacher education (ITE)’ (Wyse et al, 2021, p. 1480). Put simply, no relevant studies were found that reported on CtP research done by teacher educators. Despite these academics being in a symbiotic relationship with schools, and despite them initiating, supervising, and assessing school-based research assignments on undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research courses, this uniquely positioned group of practitioner researchers does not typically produce CtP outputs that are recognised in terms of national or international reach and significance: their innovations are ‘below the radar’ (Perry et al. 2017, p. 28).
In seeking to attract recognition of initiatives that contribute to developing research culture , this presentation reports on the SunRAE project: an internationally-focused student research podcast, e-conference and e-journal community of practice integrated into the International Postgraduate Certificate in Education suite of initial teacher training courses offered via distance learning at the University of Sunderland. The aim is to promote and extend the culture of research-in-practice that trainee teachers have encountered in their MA-level initial teacher education research modules so that they are fully equipped to go out into schools ready to embrace careers as research-informed practitioners. The project won a Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Award 2021/22 and the funding was used to set up an open-access journal platform, university-hosted WordPress website, and develop a podcast series.
This session will share the project and show how it is being sustainably integrated within the suite International Initial Teacher Training programmes. We will also highlight the opportunities for alumni, staff development and inter-faculty collaboration that have resulted.
Keywords (up to five): practitioner research, student research, open-access, teacher training, research culture
References
Perry, E, Boylan, M., Booth, J. and Coldwell, M. (2017). ‘Connecting research and teacher education: quality enhancement for ITE Partnerships’. Cardiff: Welsh Government.
Wyse, D., Brown, C., Oliver, S. & Poblete, X. (2018) The BERA close-to-practice research project: Research report (London, British Educational Research Association).