This proposal seeks to represent the ways in which teachers actively engaged in research can develop and sustain professional knowledge beyond that required by policy or national strategies. Within a critical theory framework, we explore the ways in which Habermas' emancipatory knowledge can be seen in action through our long established research network. The group, CamStar (Cambridge, School Teachers and Research) is a self governing and self reflective group of primarily secondary schools, using research as a means of establishing collaborative continuing professional development, but bringing to it the notion of Giroux's Teacher as Intellectual - that is, reclaiming the professional knowledge agenda which speaks of professional autonomy and the re-instatement of teacher professional judgement as a balance to the managerialism of the current 'knowledge economy' positioning. The network has been developing over some ten years and is seeking to work with our European partners in extending, supporting and developing the professional knowledge/research with like minded professionals. Our research question is therefore: In which ways and to what extent can it be said that teacher research is a major driver in recaiming the agenda of teacher professional knowledge.

We have taken a mixed methods approach to understanding the impact ofour network with questionnaires developed around the Learning To Learn model (ie representing the current position in relation to research and teacher knowledge; and then the position as the respondent might wish to see developed); interviews; and models of professionalism/self identification.

Ways in which being an active teacher researcher can contribute to the development professional knowledge and develop a concomitant sense of professional autonomy; establishing impact on teacher retention; establishing impact on teacher professionalism.