Identity and Inquiry: Reflecting on the Role of Research in Educational Settings

Episode 5 - How to Explore the Role of Research in your own Professional Identity

In this final episode of the podcast course, we bring everything together, exploring the personal and professional journey of engaging with research. We start by creating a personal definition of research, grounded in the idea that research is a social process situated within communities of practice. The episode also delves into autoethnography—a reflective research method that has been central to this podcast—and breaks down how it can be used to examine the relationship between research and professional identity. Through sharing personal experiences, connections to key literature, and theory, this episode invites you not only to reflect on your own professional identity and the role research plays in it, but to use autoethnography as a tool to help you in this reflective process. Whether you’re part of the EAP community, another area of higher education, or an entirely different professional group, the tools and ideas discussed here aim to spark your thinking about how your experiences and the communities you’re part of shape your approach to research. Tune in for a reflective, practical, and thought-provoking conclusion to the series!

Episode 4 - Situating Research in your Professional Identity

In this episode, we reflect on how the positioning of professional groups within higher education impacts individual identities and professional growth. Drawing on personal experiences within the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) community, I explore how working in UK higher education has challenged and reshaped my sense of professional identity—particularly in relation to research. Through examining differences in group norms, status, and traditions of knowledge creation, this episode highlights the tension between teaching and research-focused identities. While the discussion centres on my experiences in the EAP community, listeners are encouraged to use this as a springboard to reflect on their own professional groups, where they find belonging, and how research fits into their collective and individual professional identities. If you’ve ever grappled with questions about where you belong in your professional landscape or how research aligns with your role, this episode will provide valuable insights and invite you to reflect on your own journey. Tune in to explore how professional identity evolves in response to community, context, and connection.

Episode 3 - Research and Collective Professional Identities

In this episode, we use the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) community as a case study to explore how professional groups situate research within their identities. While the EAP group might not be directly relevant to every listener, it offers a valuable example of how professional communities navigate questions of status, group norms, and the evolving role of research. We’ll delve into the social identity approach, examining how the relative status of professional groups in UK higher education influences their priorities and identities. Specifically, we explore how EAP practitioners balance their teaching-focused identity with the research-driven norms of the higher education landscape. This episode invites listeners to reflect on their own professional groups, using the EAP example as a springboard to analyse and interpret how their communities view and integrate research. Whether you’re part of higher education or another educational field, this discussion offers tools to better understand the social and professional dynamics shaping your work.

Episode 2 - Research Traditions in the Discipline of Education

In this episode, we delve into the three key traditions of knowledge creation that shape education: the academic, practical, and integrated knowledge traditions. Building on Episode 1, we break down concepts like ontology and epistemology in accessible terms, helping you reflect on what counts as knowledge and how we generate insights in teaching and learning. Whether you’re a teacher, educational leader, or considering a career in education, this episode unpacks how research traditions shape practice—and how you might position yourself within them. Tune in to explore how these traditions influence teaching, research, and professional growth.

Episode 1 - What is Research in Education?

In this first episode, we explore the question: What is research, and how does it shape our professional identities? Through personal reflections, we examine research as a personal, problem-solving, and community-driven process rather than an isolated activity. We discuss how research is shaped by the values and norms of our professional communities and how it connects us through collaboration and reflective practice. Whether you’re questioning what research means to you or curious about its broader impact, this episode lays the foundation for a thought-provoking series. Join me as we begin this journey of inquiry.