All the contributions for these two consecutive symposiums are based on papers submitted for a special issue of the EERJ which is centered around the question: “What are the Contested Qualities in Teacher Education Research which are Relevant for Education Today?” Research on teacher education is a relatively new field according to the report of the AERA panel on research and teacher education (Cochran-Smith and Zeichner, 2005). The research on teacher education presented in these two symposiums discussions will deal with issues concerning professional development. Professional development could in some ways be said to deal with the self-understanding of teacher education – what is it that we do in teacher education and how does this contribute to the quality and professional development of teachers. Educating teachers necessarily raises questions about: what sort of education: why this or that type of educational program; and, eventually, who is this education meant for and who are the teacher educators. The attempt of this symposium is to generate discussion and analysis based on research from different national contexts as to our conceptions of professional development in teacher education, to what it could become and what research in this field should aim for. In the first contribution by Colluci-Gray and her colleagues, the question concerning the complexity of teacher education will be addressed. The idea of a direct link between teacher quality and pupils’ outcomes will be discussed in relation to what definition one may use when deciding on what are pupils’ gains. The Finnish contribution by Kiviniemi and Piesanen draws on a study undertaken in Finland showing the extent of teacher participation in-service training. Their argument concerning professional development for teachers is that it should connect more closely with institutional and school specific development plans. Isabel Rots, Belgium, research is oriented at the beginning of a professional teaching career, by connecting questions about teacher retention to student teachers’ high or low commitment to teaching. This research tells us something about students’ perceptions of their own teacher education programmes and it opens up the debate on links between teacher commitment, teacher quality and professional development. The demands made on the teaching profession from the growing culture of performativity in schools will conclude this section. Gerry MacRuairc and Judith Harford from University College Dublin will examine the degree to which meaningful reflective practice can be part of this performance culture. This discussion will seek to identify a mechanism that could combine the positive elements that emerge from a culture of performance with meaningful and professionally enriching reflection.

In the contributions presented in this symposium a range of methodological perspectives and research methods are used. This is demonstrated in the short outline from each of the contributors

The main idea of this symposium is to set up a forum for a discussion on professional development in teacher education, drawing on different national research studies. The outcome of this discussion is not possible to foresee. One hope is that this can contribute to a better understanding of the complexities of this field within teacher education and that it may generate more research and collaboration across national borders.