One of the central goals which the Teacher Education Europe (TEPE) Conference 2008 sought to address was ‘advancing research in and on teacher education’. This indicates a concern that there is an urgent need for research capacity building, which is reflected in the critical voices raised by academics within the European context (Menter et al, 2006; Erixon Arreman, 2008; Ponte, 2007; Lunenberg, 2007) and in North America (Cochran-Smith & Zeichner, 2006). It is recognized that as a ‘young field’ teacher education research in Europe faces unique and specific challenges in developing its research capacity (Ponte, 2007; Erixon Arreman, 2008). This paper will outline and evaluate the development of the Teacher Education Research Network (TERN), one of two pilot projects funded by the Economic Social Research Council (ESRC) in the UK in 2008-09. The aim of TERN is to explore new ways of research capacity building in teacher education by developing a regional network involving 7 universities in Northwest England. The paper will offer an initial and informal analysis of the extent to which the project is meeting its specific objectives: • to foster institutional networking across one English region, ensuring collaboration between research-intensive and teaching-intensive universities; • to ascertain the existing provision for research training and researcher needs in each institution • to contribute to building the institutional research capacity of the participating universities • to provide a research training programme by means of a blended learning environment (5 face-to-face workshops and online activities) to improve existing regional provision and develop institutional and individual research capacity • to develop a network sustainable beyond the life of the project and an effective model for capacity-building which can potentially be applied more broadly. This paper will in particular present an analysis of factors in the support, structure and context which have contributed to the success of the project and in particular bidding team and offer a realistic assessment of how effectively the collaborative work has enhanced opportunities for individual and communal learning. The evaluation will include an international dimension by drawing on previous investments in capacity building in educational research, such as the Teaching and Learning Research programme (TLRP), the Applied Educational Research Scheme (AERS), the Welsh Education Research Network (WERN), the TEG mapping and the findings of relevant TLRP projects, both in teacher education specifically and in related fields such as work-based and lifelong learning.

With the aim of capturing participants’ experiences and perceptions as well as present statistical data a mixed methodology was employed. Data collection involved: • An initial mapping exercise of participants’ research experiences and interests and institutional provision for research training by means of semi-structured questionnaire. • Semi-structured, face-to-face/telephone, recorded interviews with institutional research leaders to identify institutional issues re. RCB • Monitoring of patterns of engagement of online activities • Participant online evaluation and exit questionnaires • Expert peer-evaluation of the tangible project outcomes, i.e. the bids developed by each research group • In-depth interviews with a representative sample of 10 project participants (mentors and workshop participants) and with 4 Steering Group members to explore the efficacy of leadership and management arrangements Procedures for the collection and analysis of data will adhere to BERA and ESRC guidelines. Data analysis will involve SPSS (quantitative) and thematic analysis of interview transcripts.

The paper will offer an initial and informal analysis of the extent to which the project will generate a high quality, potentially sustainable and collaborative model for regional development of research capacity in the substantive area of teacher education research in relation to the following objectives: o to provide well-focused research training and mentoring to early and mid career researchers in teacher education via a blended learning environment (face-to-face and online) o to explore the theoretical, methodological and substantive issues involved in generating high quality teacher education research; and o to identify and address an under-researched issue, which has contemporary relevance and potential to inform practice in teacher education o to generate collaborative research across the regional network which serves individual and institutional priorities and extends beyond the boundaries of the project