How do university experts perform their boundary broker role to support teachers’ learning in the school-university partnership? An exploratory study in China

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe school-university partnership is considered a promising approach to teachers’ learning. However, few studies have focused on the brokering practice of university experts and its potential influence on teachers’ learning. Employing two years’ longitudinal qualitative data from a small-scale partnership in China, this study explores from teachers’ perspective how university experts perform their boundary broker role to support teachers’ learning. Firstly, findings show that the university expert’s broker role has multiple facets ranging from resource linker, knowledge conveyor, translator and co-creator to learning network builder and authoritative judge. Secondly, the study discusses the connection between university experts’ brokering practice and teachers’ learning at multiple levels. Thirdly, the study re-examines the impact of university experts on teacher professionalism and stresses the significance of university experts’ competences to cross school-university boundaries. The paper concludes with several implications and the way forward for future study.