Abstract

Distance learning teacher education programmes face distinctive challenges in developing sustainable research cultures. Postgraduate students complete rigorous classroom-based research but often view this solely as assessment, taking valuable contextual knowledge with them upon graduation. Without physical co-location, building community and maintaining research engagement presents significant barriers (Hidson, 2024). Our Reflective Action in Education initiative addresses these barriers through an integrated conference, podcast, and open-access journal platform. Since 2021, it has published 40+ articles, produced 26 podcast episodes, and hosted four conferences. But these developments are still localised: requiring local funding and maintenance.
Collaboration within the teacher-research hub has proved transformational: embedding our initiative within a global infrastructure. From PGCE-focused origins, the collection now encompasses Master's research reports, staff scholarship, and school partnership research, creating a comprehensive practitioner-research ecosystem supporting staff and student research culture (Duffy, Hidson and Deacon, 2025).
By supportively tackling research anxiety and imposter syndrome, and positioning educators along a practitioner-research continuum, the initiative challenges traditional hierarchies whilst creating sustainable, accessible knowledge-exchange pathways. This presentation shares the vision, model and impacts so far.

Duffy, K., Hidson, E. & Deacon, L. (2025). Facilitating Practice-Led Research Culture in Initial Teacher Training: The Case of Agile Research Teams (ARTs). Exchanges: The Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 12(3), 113-132. https://doi.org/10.31273/eirj.v12i3.1831

Hidson, E. (2024). Developing a Research Culture with Trainee Teachers on International Initial Teacher Training Programmes. Exchanges: The Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 11(3), 30-38. https://doi.org/10.31273/eirj.v11i3.1527