ABSTRACT
The relationship between theory, practice and research in higher education represents a critical aspect in the process of teacher training due to its implications for teacher professionalism. This relationship can include research integration within study programmes and can contribute to the process of developing student teachers’ research competencies.
This chapter explores student teachers’ perceptions of the integration of research in their studies and examines how it contributes to enhancing students’ engagement with research, professional practice and capacity for reflection.
A total of 114 students in teacher education programmes in Spain answered an adapted version of Visser-Wijnveen et al.’s (2016) Student Perception Research Integration Questionnaire (SPRIQ).
The findings reveal that integrating research in study programmes is a useful strategy for developing students’ research competence at different levels. Research is integrated through curriculum design through different levels and strategies. Although students believe that research integration is a critical aspect of their professional training, the presence of research in the study programme is still weak. The results may be useful to academics and programme managers who aim to use this form of brokerage to strengthen links between research, teaching, and professional practice.
