Enhancing practitioner research in school settings
Insights from close-to-practice partnerships
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22430340 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Kate Mawson (0000-0002-6389-6401, Nottingham Trent University, corresponding author), Rebekah Charlotte Gear (Nottingham Trent University), Rebekah Gear (0000-0003-4063-7340, Nottingham Trent University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-18 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-04 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Professional Development in Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1941-5257 • E-ISSN: 1941-5265 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/19415257.2026.2625125 |
| OpenAlex | W7127568351 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 31 |
This article presents a case study on the development and implementation of Close-to-Practice (CtP) research partnerships at a UK university, designed to enhance teacher professional learning through collaborative inquiry. CtP research positions educators as co-researchers, fostering practitioner agency, identity, and context-awareness while bridging the gap between academic research and classroom practice. Drawing on qualitative data from workshops, interviews, and reflective accounts, the study examines how structured professional development, creative and ethical research approaches, and cross-disciplinary collaboration empower teachers to engage meaningfully with research. Findings are presented under six themes: professional development, creative and ethical methodologies, collaboration across disciplines, power dynamics, impact on practice, and conference experience. These highlight both opportunities and challenges, including tensions around time and authority, as well as the transformative potential of CtP partnerships for embedding research into everyday practice. The article concludes with recommendations for integrating CtP approaches within institutional professional development frameworks to support sustainable growth, confidence, and a culture of inquiry.
Action research · Best practice · Faculty Development · General partnership · Practitioner research · Professional development · Qualitative research · Early Childhood Education and Development · Educational Assessment and Improvement · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies
Undertaking practitioner research
Principles of Collaborative Education Research With Stakeholders
Fostering educational improvement with research-practice partnerships
On the intellectual horizons of social realism
A practical guide to reflexivity in qualitative research
Why “What Works” Won’t Work
Understanding and improving teachers’ research engagement
Leaving the comfort zone
Building teachers’ research literacy
Education research and educational practice
The importance of collaboration for knowledge co‐construction in ‘close‐to‐practice’ research
Why close to practice is not enough
Practice, pedagogy and education as a discipline
Research on Teaching and Teacher Research
Disciplines of Inquiry in Education
Educational Studies and Educational Practice
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Naturalistic inquiry
Agents, Agency, and Teacher Education
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |