“Becoming” Teacher Education Researchers in Diverse Rural Communities

Abstract

Rural research practice is the focus of a project exploring how two teacher education researchers prepare to partner with ethnically diverse rural school communities in Australia. Through critical conversations and engagement with the literature, the authors unpack their own located identities cultural and academic – and reflect on “becoming” rural teacher education researchers. They explore the ways in which professional identity, worldviews, and location influence their engagement with rural school communities and how this in turn influences their contribution to teacher education. In this work new understanding is considered as an important part of self-study requiring collaboration with others. The authors examine their attempt to deepen their awareness of what has influenced their own worldviews and informed their understanding of what constitutes ethical practice in teacher education research.