ABSTRACT
This chapter identifies two linked conceptions of the ‘teacher-as-researcher’: researcher into one’s practice; and a more general conception of the research-engaged teacher. It describes an emerging landscape of curriculum policy and practice that requires more active engagement by teachers in curriculum making. The chapter explains how curriculum making can be undertaken through Critical Collaborative Professional Enquiry (CCPE). It provides an ecological conception of teacher agency to analyse how CCPE enhances teachers’ ability to engage proactively and constructively with new curriculum policy. The chapter focuses on an initiative in Scotland, which sought to enhance teachers’ capacity for curriculum making, utilising the methodology of CCPE. It draws upon qualitative data generated from three cohorts of participating teachers, including artefacts from the programme, programme evaluations and one-to-one interviews. The teachers were supported by university researchers, acting as critical colleagues and providing access to pertinent cognitive resources, as they engaged in challenging conversations about research, theories and practices, developing understanding and skills of enquiry.
