Developing Multiple Identities: Collaborative research as a method of professional learning, in a team of teacher educators. Lin Savage Early Years Programmes Leader University of Cumbria

Context ‘New’ University aiming to develop education staff as researchers and Research Excellence Framework, previous heritage as a teacher training college, teaching intensive with less emphasis on research Team Leader, relatively new to middle management and keen to support staff in becoming active researchers Varied team with range of experience in School and HE, different strengths and areas for development Concerns over student expectations of HE and meaningful learning and teaching experiences link to NSS and NQT survey and Faculty aims

Research sample and data (A work in progress) Key research group: Seven lecturers in the Early Years Education Department of the Education Faculty at the University of Cumbria with varied experience in HE and at varied stages of academic career.(All female) Data gathered through Focus group meetings and individual semi – structured interviews Larger group to contextualise: Survey to 64 teacher educators in the Faculty which yielded a 37% return.

Research Questions? What place does research have in the identity of the teacher educators in the sample? How can team leaders best support their staff in becoming active researchers?

The Project Research by Murray at al (2009) and Boyd ( 2010), had identified some barriers to teacher educators engaging in research. Using this data the research project was set up with the intention of maximising success for the teacher educators by planning it to incorporate: Collaboration, working in pairs and threes, with research meetings built in to the regular team meetings Focus on a topic selected by the team which was felt to relate directly to work with students A collaborative research grant which included regular support from the University research co-ordinator This links to the Desforges formulae: Capacity=expertise x motivation x opportunity ( Desforges cited in Murray et al 2009)

Literature Review Key literature in the field informed survey questions and interview prompts and is currently being used to devise a coding system to analyse the interview data.

Some Key Concepts from Literature which Informed the Study Teacher educator identity ( Boyd et al 2010) Tensions in HE tutors working on professional degrees and the notion of Primary field and Secondary field credibility ( Murray 2006, 2007) Conflicting accountabilities- OFSTED, QAA, Status of professional research REF (Murray 2006) Expansive versus restrictive environment ( Fuller at al 2004) Evaluation of TERN ( Murray et al 2009)

Findings- Focus group and Individual Interviews Qualitative/Interpretive Themes: Wider Context: HE Expectations and values around research ( Externally and Institutionally) Motivators: Credibility as an Academic Modelling being a teacher/researcher for students Teacher educators value self study to reflect on and improve practice Barriers: ‘Restrictive’ environment –time, workload Perceived lack of confidence/competence Tensions between tutors interest and what HE external and institution value

Findings- Focus group and Individual Interviews Qualitative/Interpretive Supportive: Collaborative work in teams that work together and bring varied levels of expertise Importance of selecting a research focus which is relevant to work with students for all the staff and could be examined from different perspectives. A shared agenda for debate about the content and methods of research Input from approachable research mentors with expertise who understand the tutors wider work life A leader who keeps an eye on the time-line and arranges meetings and ‘chivvies along in the nicest possible way”

Focus group I feel that with this group I know them more than I have any other group, and it’s not like ‘me up there’, it’s not teacher and pupil it’s like we are really learning alongside each other, it’s like we are a community of practice working towards the same ends” ( Tutor 4 )

Next Steps Further analysis of qualitative data from focus groups, survey and individual interviews Recommendations for further research development for the team and wider University.

Additions to Bibliography Murray et al (2009) Capacity = expertise × motivation × opportunities: factors in capacity building in teacher education in England in Journal of Education for Teaching Vol. 35, No. 4, November 2009, 391–408 Lave, J. & Wenger, E. (1991) Situated learning: legitimate peripheral participation (Cambridge,Cambridge University Press).