For teaching to be seen as a profession, it can be argued that it needs to be research led (Lofthouse, 2016). To some extent, this is almost a rhetorical view as why would we not wish teaching practices to be underpinned by research. However, the reality of creating a research informed teaching profession has to date, proved problematic (Procter, 2015). Moreover, the notion of research underpinning practice needs to be valued conceptually by teachers. There are pockets of innovation, evidence-informed practice and excellence in teaching and learning, nationally and internationally, but if educators are to succeed in a time of global financial uncertainty and educational change, then we must act together to join these pockets up within a specialist environment, which connects us and our ideas and aggregates our networks for the betterment of our profession and the learners. 

Therefore the aim of this project is to make teachers research producers, not just consumers of research, thereby reducing the gap between research and practice and simultaneously strengthening the profile of the teaching professions (Hammersley, 1993). Moreover, for teachers to be supported, it is well documented that they need to see ‘a variety of living examples of implementation, as practiced by teachers with whom they can identify’ (Black & William, 2010). This project will inspire teachers to look at their own practice with criticality so that they engage in researching their own practice, moving them from being a teacher to being a teacher researcher (Hammersley, 1993). 

Project Objectives:

The key objective of this project is to develop teachers into teacher researchers and evidence-informed practitioners through a supported infrastructure and resources which themselves are evidenced based, thereby giving back agency to the very people who will need to make use of and should be driving forward research in schools. To achieve this, we will develop and build an online research infrastructure for teachers, which supports teachers’ lifelong learning through evidence-informed research throughout their professional careers. The primary target audience are school teachers, however for this project to realize it’s objectives, it will necessarily have secondary target audiences which include strategic leaders in schools, educational researchers, teacher educators and policymakers. 

Project Activities and Results:

This project seeks to respond to a central question: ‘how do we support teachers to become teacher researchers and evidence-informed practitioners?’ The project is therefore primarily aimed at teachers in the school sector. The project deliverables will enable teachers to access research, academic researchers and teacher researchers; learn how to carry out small scale research; collaborate on and publish research; support teachers as they take part in robust small scale classroom research. 

The activities and expected results can be summarised thus:

1. Scoping Study and Reports 
2. Development of a Mobile App 
3. Training Programme for In-Service Teachers 
4. Influencing Strategic Leaders in Schools 
5. Multimedia Scenarios and Case Studies 
6. Academic Outputs 
7. Establishment of a transnational Teacher Researcher Network 

Participants:

Throughout the project we will involve a wide variety of key stakeholders, including teachers, educational researchers, school leaders, teacher educators, trainee teachers, local, regional, national and international organisations, charities and institutions, policy makers and other stakeholders interested in translational research. 

Methodology:

This project will be implemented using a Design Based Research (DBR) approach, which will guide all phases of the project, including the collection of evidence to measure the impact on participants, participating organisations and other stakeholders. DBR is ideally suited to this project because it aims to address systematically - in a participatory and principled fashion - the multiple dependent variables that characterise universities, schools and classrooms in their inherent complexity as diverse and dynamic settings. DBR is fundamentally participatory, employing inclusive, cooperative evaluation methods to involve learners and key stakeholders and this approach will be fundamental for this project which relies on partners from different sectors working together to create an app and associated teaching/learning resources. 

Impact Envisaged and Long Term Benefits:

Impacts and benefits for participants, participating organisations, target groups and other relevant stakeholders will be realized through the various dissemination channels and specifically will amount to the professionalisation of teaching through the development of teachers as research producers and evidence-informed practitioners, thereby giving back agency to the very people who will need to make use of and should be driving forward research in schools.