The four papers have a common thread: the extent to which educational research can survive in an increasingly competitive market place where ‘value for money’ is a major, if not the major, driver. Educational Research as an elite, eclectic, self-justifying activity is increasingly under attack, and, accordingly, relatively underfunded and supported. The research questions that obtain support are generically from the HEIs that balance academic freedom and judgment with pragmatic considerations. The Dublin paper’s research question even has a direct fiscal orientation: to what extent is out-of-school private tutoring having a deleterious effect upon main stream schooling, with specific reference to the professional development of Newly Qualified Teachers? Leicester has a different, but significantly similar focus in terms of intent: how valuable are carefully structured student teacher involvement in critical even scenarios beneficial to the quality of their professional development, with specific reference to high quality reflective practice? The research question of the Plymouth team is directly linked to the issue of the survival of the HEI educational provision in a market place where increasingly professional development is in the hands of individual schools or school consortia. At Plymouth the research focus of the faculty is on the key question: what are the benefits to the professional development of the teaching work force of integrating the complementary expertise of the HE, Local Authority and School sectors? Swansea’s contribution is equally focused on value-for money with specific reference to supply teachers: How can the Local Education and the HE sector support the professional development of supply teachers to ensure their coherent, progressive and effective professional development? The objectives of all four research teams are remarkably similar: to apply the theoretical, academic, professional and applied knowledge that HEIs and LAs can bring to bear upon solving problems affecting the professional development of different elements in the teaching workforce. Overall, the HEIs research programmes address one major issue: the extent to which they make a unique contribution that has sufficient cost benefit for the school sector to enter into full and active partnership with the HEs involved. The theoretical framework of the research programmes explores the processes of cognitive and skills transfer in a situated setting where the expertise/knowledge of the HE sector is mediated through the close professional working relationship between HE staff with its unique expertise and the school work force in its mentoring/tutoring and coaching role.

The symposia members draw upon an eclectic range of research methods tailored to their specific needs. The Plymouth Express project uses a number of case-studies that structured interviews, lesson observations and concept mapping of participants. Qualitative and quantitative data includes informal interviews with key stakeholders, semi structured questionnaires, student focus groups, lesson observation, concept webbing, documentary & statistical data analysis. The Leicester research programme evaluates the impact of new course materials through modelling scenarios based on Critical Incidents and the use of ‘scaffolds’ which might support the resulting professional learning conversations between beginning teachers and their senior teachers in schools. Data includes observation and interview schedules. Swansea uses questionnaires, interviews and focus groups to examine the challenges facing LEAs, Head teachers and supply teachers in Wales in relation to accessing good quality CPD. The UCD research methodology draws on the same methodology as the Swansea study.

The development of HEI policy and practiced grounded in theory, scholarship and research to provide added value to professional development in demand-driven market economy of schools/colleges/institutions/stakeholders. At Leicester the critical events work will add to the quality of HEI training/professional development of students where the HEI is able to make a unique contribution to the creation, implementation and dissemination of professional development programmes. At Plymouth crucial is the creation of a genuine partnership between HEIs, LAs and Schools where the unique, valued added aspect ensures the HEIs survival in a market economy. The Swansea study addresses the major issue of training supply teachers and their and effectiveness through identifying ways in which LEAs and schools are able to make available opportunities for supply teachers to engage in CPD. The UCD programme deals with how the state sector can respond to targeted private interventions which subvert and undermine state provision?