As an area of inquiry, teacher learning has grown increasingly important in the field of teacher development and school improvement. It is commonly believed that teacher development is a form of professional development; and professional development implies 'learning' by teachers. Even though opportunities for teachers' professional development have increased in recent years, there has been little advancement toward a commonly shared understanding of the vital aspects of professional development: What are the essential factors for success? What do teachers really learn from professional development? Based on the idea of facilitating school improvement and teacher development more effectively, several important university-school collaborative projects were introduced and launched in Hong Kong and Beijing in the last decade.
This study aims to delineate teacher learning in the context of university and school collaboration. The two projects under investigation are based in Hong Kong and Beijing. While the two projects have different missions, the participants in both projects share a common belief that collaboration should enhance teacher capacity and ultimately help to improve students' learning.
A sociocultural theoretical lens is used to study university and school collaboration, and the ways in which a context for teacher learning is created in this process. It also examines the results of teacher learning. Using qualitative data gathered in the two projects, the study confirms that collaboration can offer a supportive context for teachers to learn.
During the process of appropriation, teachers master and own the necessary cultural tools, and then aquire about new knowledge and skills that enhance understanding on practice. During the process of collaboration, which is established on the principles of trust and equality, university faculties provide teachers with cultural tools, which is essential for teacher change. Only when the cultural tools are