T-REX (Teachers' Research Exchange): Infrastructuring teacher researcher collaboration through an open educational ecosystem

Tony Hall, Marie Ryan, Jennifer McMahon, Marek McGann, Alison Egan, Cornelia Connolly

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Supporting teachers to use research, and moreover collaborate in research are key aspirations for modern educational systems globally. As never before, it seems the need for research-led teaching is becoming more pressing. The teacher researcher holds the promise of bridging the problematic gap between practice and theory in classrooms and schools. However, how do we best support teachers to begin to incorporate research into their teaching in a systematic manner, and even encourage them to engage in and share research? Teachers are highly committed and talented, but very busy and pressured professionals. Engaging in research - often not valued outside academe - can seem extraneous to the exigencies of everyday teaching in schools. However, today, there is international evidence of formative collaborations happening, especially through the deployment of bespoke, open educational resources for teacher researchers. This chapter introduces T-REX: The Teachers' Research Exchange (www.t-rex.ie), a nationally funded initiative aimed at nurturing a teacher researcher community in Ireland. The chapter positions the T-REX OER platform in the context of wider developments and innovations taking place in educational research nationally, and internationally. Accomplishments of the project are highlighted, which include bringing teachers into collaboration with educational research professionals, and augmenting teachers' use and sharing of research. Concurrently, T-REX promotes and enhances teachers' research confidence, efficacy and literacy. The chapter concludes with plans for the future of T-REX, as an innovative technology-enhanced OER infrastructure to support teacher researchers, and their interaction and collaboration with the wider professional educational research community.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHandbook for Online Learning Contexts
Subtitle of host publicationDigital, Mobile and Open: Policy and Practice
PublisherSpringer International Publishing
Pages309-325
Number of pages17
ISBN (Electronic)9783030673499
ISBN (Print)9783030673482
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 29 May 2021

Keywords

  • Classroom
  • Open education
  • Open educational resources
  • Teacher research
  • Technology

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