Challenges of research(er) development in university schools of education: a Scottish case

From the 1990s the professional preparation of intending teachers in Scotland moved from monotechnic colleges to seven university schools of education. ‘Universitisation’ (Menter et al. 2006 Menter, I., Brisard, E. and Smith, A. 2006. Convergence or divergence? Initial teacher education in Scotland and England, Edinburgh: Dunedin. [Google Scholar]) created new opportunities for the creative adaptation of work cultures to value teaching and research. New appointments are expected to demonstrate research potential and to hold higher degrees. The need to build research capacity in and for teacher education is a recognised international priority and is particularly important given the demographic profile of the UK educational research community (Mills et al. 2006 Mills, D., Jepson, A., Coxon, T., Easterby-Smith, M., Hawkins, P. and Spencer, J. 2006. Demographic review of the UK social sciences, Swindon: ESRC. [Google Scholar]). Through a series of 19 semi-structured interviews in two schools of education located in research intensive universities in Scotland during 2009–10, this research explored: (1) the experiences and tactics of emerging researchers with teacher education roles; and (2) institutional strategies to promote research engagement and development. This small-scale exploratory study identifies diversity within the ‘academic tribes’ of teacher education (Bechler and Trowler 2001 Bechler, T. and Trowler, P. 2001. Academic tribes and territories, 2d ed., Buckingham: Society for Research into Higher Education/Open University Press. [Google Scholar]; Menter 2011 Menter, I. 2011. Four ‘academic sub-tribes’ but one territory? Teacher educators and teacher education in Scotland. Journal of Education for Teaching, 37(3): 293–308. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) and suggests that research audits, in combination with political and economic influences on teacher education, may increase the bifurcation of research and teaching, inhibiting possibilities for productive interchange. A recalibration of school–university partnerships is suggested as one strategy to advance research-engaged professional education.