What is the impact of professional programmes of education and development for undergraduate initial teacher education in England; and doctorate of practice in Education programmes for Arab and Jewish educational professionals in Israel? Students in Teacher Education generally want to make a difference to the learners and institutions they work with. We would like to develop a deeper explanatory model of impact assessment, to analyse the nature of the contribution of our programmes to the professional lives of our undergraduate and post-graduate students. The research provides an insight into different cultural dimensions of teacher education and professional development: at a professional level (undergraduate and doctoral) and an international level (England and Israel). We believe that ‘impact’ is a problematic and complex notion (Gu and Day 2007). There are quantitative aspects to impact: retention of professionals, pupil achievement and inspection data in some countries which refers to the quality and effectiveness of the teacher. However, we believe that an analysis of the professional narrative of the teacher (Bruner 1996, Crossley 2000) provides a more valid account of impact, based on a richer and deeper set of qualitative data obtained through interview and survey. As Teacher Educators and doctoral supervisors we are always anxious to investigate the success of our programmes. Currently in England as in many countries of the world, the notion of ‘impact’ is given significant prominence. In fact in England, the culture of performativity in Education seems now to equate ‘impact’ with success in evaluation. There is currently little systematic quantitative and qualitative data once students leave these professional programmes. We carry out exit surveys of students; but what do we know about the impact on former students once they have left the programmes? There is no evidence-base for the professional impact of ITE programmes (Smethem 2007) beyond employment data and some anecdotal communication with former students in respect of causal links between their education and later professional experiences (Gu and Day 2007). Not less important in teacher education is that internationally there is a 40% loss of those who qualify on pre-service courses who leave the profession within 5 years of qualification. It is vital that we fully engaged with this challenge and to investigate the views of current and past students as to the professional impact of their education.

A qualitative approach underpins the social constructivist epistemological position taken by the applicants in line with Kvale (1996). The nature of professional impact is seen by the applicants as problematic, uncertain and culturally determined in a context of increased performativity in the professions (Wilson 2005). Two principal methods of data collection are used: § E-survey of approximately forty current and former students using the web-based ‘Survey Monkey’, and § Semi-structured interviews of approximately six current and former students and associated individuals such as employers and learners. Research ethics § Need to obtain informed consent of respondents. This will include full explanation of research aims, purposes, methodology, and dissemination. Participants will have the freedom to withdraw at any point in the research § Anonymity and confidentiality of the research participants will be maintained through the use of pseudonyms

Research aims and objectives To develop and pilot a model of impact assessment in undergraduate initial teacher education (ITE) in England and international-based professional doctorates of practice in education (Ed.D): § What are the similarities and differences in professional impact assessment for undergraduate and doctoral students in both domestic and international programmes? To develop and pilot a methodology for professional impact assessment in professional ITE and Ed.D programmes: § How can electronic and e-based resources be used to develop a sustainable and manageable professional impact assessment tool? To analyse the potential feed-forward of impact assessment and evaluation for marketing and Quality Enhancement in the ITE and Ed.D programmes; § How can education professionals’ narrative accounts be used to develop a coherent, valid, reliable and ‘relateable’ picture of the professional impact of the ITE and Ed.D programmes? Research outcomes Whilst the research is currently being completed, there is evidence of the following outcomes: § Greater understanding of domestic and international student experience § Benchmarking of professionally impactful effective learning experiences § Increased understanding of the international dimensions to professional impact § Development of a 360°model of educational impact based on participant narrative