Abstract

Welcome to the first Issue of Action Research, a collection of Joint Practice Development Research from the Learning and Skills Teacher apprentices here at the University of Sunderland.

Over the course of the 18-month programme, all apprentices are asked to engage in pedagogy-based research, highlighting areas of their practice they wish to further explore. This could be for a number of reasons such as supporting learner development and progression, engaging in continuous professional development (CPD) or putting into practice theory they have explored as part of their university sessions.
It is vital that this is a joint venture between their university tutor and work-based mentor, in order to ensure they fully engage with the research, have the space to explore ideas in both an academic and professional space, and to support and guide apprenticeship development.

Not only is it fulfilling seeing the confidence grow in an apprentice, but their hard work, outputs and research impact is a testament to their