This longitudinal research project investigates the identity trajectories of university lecturers in teacher education over a number of years. The study of such lecturers in professional fields, where there are strong partnerships with employers and end users of research, provides useful insight into contemporary academic work and identity (Clegg 2008; Smith & Boyd 2012). The quality and professional development of teacher educators is also an important concern for teacher workforce development in Europe and internationally (Snoek, Swennen & van der Klink 2011).

The first stage of the longitudinal project used semi-structured interviews to investigate the work and identity of 16 recently appointed lecturers in teacher education (Boyd & Harris 2010). They had previous experience as school teachers and between one and four years of experience in their higher education posts. The study is based in a case study Education department in a higher education institution which may be characterised as a ‘university of applied science’ in England. In common with academics in such institutions across Europe and internationally, the lecturers are experiencing an increasing expectation for developing research and researcher identity (Cochran-Smith 2003; Karagiorgi & Nicolaidou 2013; Chetty & Lubben 2010). The development of research and researcher identity has been shown to be a particular challenge for teacher educators internationally (Murray & Male 2005; Martinez 2008; Swennen, Jones & Volman, 2010). Our research project has informed a collaborative effort in the UK to enhance academic induction for teacher educators through an ongoing series of workshops organized by the Teacher Education Advancement Network (TEAN) and guidelines published by the Higher Education Academy (Boyd, Harris & Murray 2011).

Situated learning theory has provided a useful theoretical framework for analysing academic workplaces (Jawitz 2009).  From these perspectives the key unit of analysis is the social workplace group or groups in which the new lecturers gradually become a full member  as they interact with ‘old-timers’ within a community of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998).  Informal learning is seen as the key to professional learning (Eraut, 2000) although more formal support such as taught courses may also contribute (Fuller et al. 2005).

In stage one of the current study the new lecturers’ transition to higher education roles involved them in reconstructing their multiple identities within their new workplace activities. As Wenger argues, there is a ‘profound connection between identity and practice’ (1998: 149). These academics may be seen to be learning in the ‘third space’ between university and schools (Williams 2014). In this second stage of the project the new lecturers have continued along their identity trajectories influenced by their boundary-crossing workplace context and communities. Wenger considers the identity ‘models’ provided by a community as ‘paradigmatic trajectories’ offered by established experienced members and argues that ‘exposure to this field of paradigmatic trajectories is likely to be the most influential factor shaping the learning of newcomers’ (1998, p. 156) and that it offers the ‘proposal of an identity’.

In stage one of our longitudinal study our analysis showed that as newly appointed university lecturers in teacher education the participants were seeking credibility as effective school teachers with their students (Boyd & Harris 2009). The new lecturers were highly motivated and immersed in teaching and supporting their student teachers. However an unintended effect of institutional emphasis on student evaluative feedback encouraged the new lecturers to maintain their existing identities as effective school teachers rather than embrace new identities as academics. This paper is reporting on stage two of the project, there are 9 lecturers remaining in the study sample who are still working as teacher educators in the case study department.

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