Middle leaders and research-informed professional learning: from beginner teacher to expert colleague

The empirical research presented in this article interrogates the influence of research-informed practice in the mentoring of beginner teachers and the longitudinal impact of embedding a research culture in schools. Through facilitated workshops and professional learning conversations, this enquiry invited school-based teacher educators to reflect on the extent to which they draw upon research literature together with their rich experience and existing professional knowledge when mentoring beginner teachers. The collaborative nature of the workshops also served to provide space for dialogue between school-based teacher educators to develop their relational practices in their mentoring role. Findings demonstrate a renewed sense of optimism for being a school-based teacher educator, increased perceptions of the value of research literature, and the subsequent influence of middle leaders becoming immersed in collaborative professional learning. Implications for professional practice include recognising teacher education and professional learning as relational, collaborative and contextual processes grounded in dialogue and shared enquiry. Sustained, school-embedded engagement with research can be supported by middle leaders and professional learning communities can develop research capital and enhance evidence-informed practice. Reciprocal school-university partnerships further enable meaningful knowledge exchange and co-constructed professional growth across the system.