Institutionalising Research in Teacher Education: The creation of a research centre as a means of lifelong learning for teacher educators

Abstract

SUMMARY Teacher education is being challenged by a new global context in which research becomes an integrated part of the work of today's teacher educators. This paper focuses on the efforts made by one of the Norwegian university colleges to institutionalise research among the academic staff. It provides an account of different steps taken by the college's leadership, together with a group of teacher educators/researchers, to establish a research environment at the institution and describes the strategy used to stimulate research among its academic staff. Part of the discussion focuses on hindrances for establishing a research environment in an institution that has a strong teaching-dominated tradition and is the result of a merger of various previously independent small colleges. The paper presents a narrative of some specific events that have had a special impact in the establishment of a research centre at the college.