The international evidence base consistently indicates that high quality CPD is characterised by activities that are collaborative, extended in duration and clearly articulate the intention for pupil achievement. However, there is lack of empirical evidence that links CPD activities to either teacher or student learning (Lawless and Pelligrino, 2007) or that evidences the potential of collaborative CPD to generate and mobilise knowledge across the school system.

To contribute to building this evidence base, this is the first in a set of papers that seeks to extend understanding of whether, and if so the ways in which, collaborative research and development (R&D) across schools acts as a professional development tool to underpin school improvement and generate and mobilise knowledge for system wide improvement.  This paper focuses on the perceptions and experiences of school staff who lead collaborative research and development across a group of schools to illuminate the following questions:

• In ways do R&D leaders in schools conceptualise the nature of, and operationalise, ‘collaboration’ and ‘enquiry’ in the context of undertaking R&D across schools?
• What outcomes do R&D leaders in schools expect to emerge from collaborative R&D and what approaches do they take to measure impact?

In addition to reporting empirical findings, a further objective of this paper is to develop a tentative conceptual model to enable exploration of the linkages between understandings of, and approaches to, collaborative R&D and impact on professionals, pupils, organisations and on knowledge generation and mobilisation in the school system.  The model will be supported by a set theoretical tools drawn from literature on collaboration, enquiry and work-based learning.

We draw on Harris and Jones’s (2010) three phase model of collaborative enquiry as a framework for conceptualising the enquiry process. The implementation, or planning phase, which is concerned with establishing collaborative relationships, developing a focus and initial enquiry design, is followed by a cyclical phase of trialling and refining a pedagogical, professional development or leadership innovation. The impact phase compares baseline and end point impact data on outcomes for pupils, professionals and schools.

Harris, A. and Jones, M. (2010) Professional learning communities and system improvement in Improving Schools 13:2, 172-181 Hargreaves, D. (2011) Leading a self-improving school system Nottingham, National College for School Leadership Lawless, K.A. and Pelligrino, J.W. (2007) Professional Development in Integrating Technology into Teaching and Learning: Knowns, Unknowns, and Ways to Pursue Better Questions and Answers in Review of Educational Research 77:4, 575-614