The Swedish National Agency for Education advocates collegial learning (kollegialt lärande) as a way to improve teaching and learning in Swedish schools. The term originates in a Swedish translation of collaborative learning (Kornhall, 2015) and has become a buzzword with a rather wide meaning that can be used in many different situations. A common feature though is that collegial learning normally refers to processes in which teachers learn about, and develop, their teaching together. The debate and actual work in schools under the label of collegial learning are often inspired by literature on for example professional learning (Timperley, 2011), formative assessment (Wiliam, 2015; 2016) and learning study (Marton & Lo, 2007) arguing that teachers should learn and do developmental work in groups.

In line with e.g. Timperley (2011) and Marton & Lo (2007), one common argument behind collegial learning is that teachers are key players in education. Therefore, teachers’ perspectives, problems and questions are important starting points when developing the teaching in order to meet the needs of the students. Where e.g. Timperley (2011) and Marton & Lo (2007) argue that schools preferably should engage external experts or researchers that lead the professional learning and learning studies, Swedish schools often have a stronger focus on peer-learning and using skilled teachers as “in-house experts” leading the collegial learning (e.g. Kornhall, 2015; Scherp, 2013). These teachers are often appointed lead teachers.

As pointed out by many researchers (e.g. King, 2013), teacher professional learning is often a complex phenomenon that has effects on many levels and can evolve in many different ways. This paper discusses experiences from a project in Malmö, Sweden, carried out in 2016. In this two teachers trained in research and appointed as senior lecturers, meaning that they work 50% with teaching and 50% with school development at the local school administration, examined and analysed the collegial learning in an upper secondary school. The aim of the project was to support school leaders and lead teachers in developing the collegial learning at the particular school as well as to contribute to the knowledge base of how this type of teacher professional learning and development works in different school settings. Engaging the senior lecturers as researchers was by large beneficial and made it possible to point out important strengths and weaknesses of the on-going process. However, this approach also caused some ethical tensions and dilemmas.

The aim of this paper is to show how the senior lecturers worked to help school leaders and lead teachers support the ongoing process, as well as to highlight and discuss advantages and ethical tensions and dilemmas that can arise when teachers trained in research are part of the processes and organisation that they are researching.

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