Teacher-research from an international perspective (Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands)

Within many present-day debates on the teaching profession, the role of research within the profession is often emphasized. Within these debates, a close link is assumed between the process of research and teaching (Toom et al. 2010; Bronkhorst 2013; Munthe & Rogne 2015; Smith 2015). This link can be recognized in literature on research-based teacher education, which focuses on the development of student teachers as autonomous and reflective teachers who are capable of using research in their teaching (Toom et al. 2010), and who can act as consumers as well as producers of research (Smith 2015). However, the relation between research by student teachers and their future practice is often not very clear. In most publications the impact of research skills is mostly seen at the level of students and teachers being able to base their pedagogical decision making on a theoretical foundation, to reflect on their work as teachers (Toom et al. 2010; Smith & Sela 2005) and to use that to make independent pedagogical judgements (Toom et al. 2010). However little is known about the impact of the focus with teacher education programmes on developing research identities and research skills of (future) teachers. Studying and comparing case studies from different countries can help to increase our understanding of this interaction.