Teacher-researcher development? Unpacking the understandings and approaches in initial teacher education in Kosovo

Abstract

The teacher-researcher is a prevailing concept in the post-professional-ism age of teacher education. The development of teacher-researchers is discussed alongside reforming initial teacher education programmes as research-based. At this time, there is no consensus regarding the understanding and methodologies of teacher-researcher development. The purpose of this study is to examine student teachers’ and teacher educa-tors’ understandings of and approaches to teacher-researcher development in initial teacher education in Kosovo within the research-based teacher education movement. The study used a qualitative research design. The data were collected through open questionnaires (n = 270 student teachers), interviews (n = 15 teacher educators), and programme content (n = 5) at two initial teacher education institutions in Kosovo. Using Healey and Jenkins’s research curriculum categories as a guiding framework, the study identified four clusters of contradictory understandings and approaches relating to teacher educator practice and programme values and goals, fragmenting the context of teacher-researcher development in Kosovo. In order to build consensus in teacher-research-er development, coordinated efforts are recommended to address the current isolated and differing understandings and practices within the broader context of initial teacher education.