Projects

Findings

Universities of teacher education in Switzerland are at varying levels of development within the process of tertiarisation. This means that scientific focus varies from institution to institution. All institutional representatives consider it important to strive for a common “management, socialisation and application of research knowledge” (Bettoni, Bernhard & Schiller, 2009, p.130) in the two fields of research and teaching. The forms of connection between research and teaching can be described in four connection concepts: on the one hand side, there is the personal union, where both fields are united in one person (similar to the university model), on the other hand side, there are three connection concepts in which both fields are organisationally separated. In these concepts, the two fields exhibit, with gradual increments, the characteristics of more or less close collaboration and mutual benefit:

• Connection concept loose connection – both areas have a loose connection. This form of connection is regarded as somewhat negative and can be understood as a transitional stage.
• Connection concept enhanced mandate – this is when a transfer of knowledge from the field of research into the field of teaching and the occupational area takes place. Teaching is connected to research in order to communicate occupational problems as ideas for research (unidirectional). This connection concept also includes so-called teacher research where teacher's participate in research projects or initiate them themselves. This requires a qualification in research methods from the research side. Furthermore, the field of research not only facilitates the teacher's knowledge of research methods, but also that of the student's (method workshops). Most institutions employ a connection concept based on the enhanced mandate.
• Connection concept collaboration – here people from both areas collaborate as a team and work together for a set period of time on a research project or module. The advantage of this concept lies in the cumulating of competencies and the continual transfer of knowledge; there is an exchange within the team where the generation of knowledge returns to both fields (circular).