In 1904, Dewey first discussed the importance of teachers engaging in pedagogic enquiry to fully engage with processes and outcomes in their classrooms. Since then the concept has been in and out of fashion and more or less tied up with the concept of the research engaged practitioner. Emerging practice in Scotland is therefore a useful case to explore as the new National Model of Professional Learning has ‘learning by enquiring’ as one of three main strands of professional learning (Education Scotland, 2019). The dominant approach from this policy draws on the work of Cochran-Smith and Lytle (2009) with ‘inquiry as stance’ being a common phrase, whereby inquiry becomes part of a teacher’s professional identity with every aspect of professional practice and the curriculum as a whole becoming potential subjects for inquiry and professional scrutiny. However, Wall (2018) noted that this epistemological tradition of practitioner enquiry is contrasted with practices that are often more ‘project based’ whereby teachers are focused on issues of method and data in relatively isolated enquiries. This means research engagement tends to be a one off and have more in common with a traditional research project than what Stenhouse (1981) proposed.

Underpinning these debates has often been an assumption that practitioner enquiry will naturally lead to an engagement with research as a means to generate answers to pertinent questions of practice (Nias and Groundwater-Smith, 1988). For many this position naturally involves the participation of university academics to facilitate this engagement (Baumfield & Butterworth 2007; McLaughlin & Black-Hawkins, 2004) and Timperley (2008) states an important role for the expert (although not necessarily university-based) in facilitating professional learning and providing critical support. This paper therefore looks to explore five different models of implementing a practitioner enquiry approach to research engagement in Scottish schools and nurseries when working in partnership with a university research team.

We will explore five different, locally developed, school university research partnerships (Thornley et al. 2004). All have their impetus in the Scottish education drive towards research engagement and enquiry, but each have found their own path to making this practicable within their own community of professional learners. We will look at the role of the university (and other organisations where appropriate) in the partnership, the structures, formal and informal, that facilitate professional learning through enquiry, and how supportive spaces for dialogue are created spanning what might be called a third space for learning (Reeves and Drew, 2013). The affordances and constraints of the school-university research partnership will be evaluated in regard to the model of research encouraged, the balance between enquiry process and outcomes, as well as their inclusivity, sustainability and the extent to which their support teacher’s voice and metacognitive awareness (Wall and Hall 2016).

A case study approach (Yin, 2005) was used to examine practice in four schools and one family centre. The cases were chosen based on their commitment to a school university research partnership with the University of Strathclyde, where the intent was for all staff or a smaller group to undertake collaborative practitioner enquiry using a model of practice loosely based on Baumfield et al. (2012) and Hall and Wall’s (2018) approach to professional learning. In each case a visual model of the partnership was developed and validated, based on participants’ practice and experience over one academic year. These models attempt to show the partnership, who was involved and how this was maintained over time. This negotiated modelling was complemented by participatory observations and a presentation conducted by colleagues from each setting on ‘their professional learning’ through the process. The case studies are: Secondary school 1: This partnership targeted the whole school community through the concept of a research hub. Input from the university was through whole school development time and predominantly used coaching techniques to scaffold the teachers’ practitioner enquiry projects. The interaction was regular and iteratively developed in dialogue. Secondary school 2: A university postgraduate certificate formed the structure of this partnership, with a small group of staff engaged in three 20 credit modules on supporting teacher learning. The modules were taught in school and teachers engaged in practitioner enquiry to support colleagues’ learning therefore opening up the potential of expansion. Secondary school 3: A Teacher Learning Programme (TLP) run by Education Scotland formed the basis of the third case study with the university input providing coaching support for the participating teachers. The dialogue and enquiry was strongly scaffolded by TLP and so the university team acted as more of critical friend against this backdrop. Secondary school 4: This model was strongly influenced by the practice of school 3, but without the impetus of TLP. A group of staff looked to independently develop a practitioner enquiry group, coached by the university team, which the aim to eventually expand to a wider group of staff. Nursery/family centre: 4 small teams of staff undertook collaborative practitioner enquiry within the family centre. The impetus was previous engagement with the university, but the questions explored were generated around the family centre’s development plan. This case was characterised by a much stronger engagement from the children that in the other 4.

Analysis is on-going, but we hope that the use of visual models will help us to establish the key structures and processes characterized by each of the school university research partnerships that form the five case studies. This will allow us to make comparisons and explore similarities and differences across the contexts and associated influences. Hall and Wall (2019) suggested four principles of a practitioner enquiry culture (autonomy, disturbance, dialogue and connectivity) and our discussion will use these principles to engage with the key characteristics of the practitioner enquiry community created within the partnership and the professional learning that resulted. Key to our conclusions will be the concept of partnership and a critical engagement with the roles played by practitioners in each setting and the university team as they came together under the guise of practitioner enquiry. We will aim to explore dynamics of power, voice and inclusion as well as assessing the potential for sustainability over time in an attempt to draw out potential guidance for other settings embarking on a similar professional learning journey.

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