A study conducted by Georgeta Ion in collaboration with Marta Kowalczuk-Walędziak from the University of Białystok (Poland), and published in the journal Professional Development in Education, examines the development of the teacher-researcher profile. The study, based on interviews with teachers and analyzed through a “restorying” approach, applies Evans’ (2012) “Research Development Framework” to explore the narratives of 16 teachers from schools in Spain and Poland who have successfully engaged in research.
The findings show that the growth of the teacher-researcher does not depend solely on knowing research techniques and methodologies, but rather constitutes an evolutionary, context-dependent process, closely linked to dynamics of collective reflection and mutual support within educational institutions. The study emphasizes the importance of everyday inquiry practices—such as observing, recording, sharing, and analyzing pedagogical evidence—over large-scale research projects, highlighting that it is through these sustained micro-practices that a genuine research culture and continuous professional learning are consolidated.
Furthermore, the article underscores that developing a teacher identity as a researcher contributes to strengthening the sense of professional agency, enabling teachers to feel more capable of making informed educational decisions tailored to their students’ needs.
The data from Spain were collected within the framework of the PBE_TOOLS project (Ref. EDU2017-88711-R), developed under the research line of Evidence-Informed Educational Practice (EIEP) of the EDO group.