Scallops, schools and scholars: reflections on the emergence of a research-oriented learning project

This article is based on the emergence of a small research group and its journey to enhance scholarly activity within a new school of education. While exploring a research‐orientated learning project to determine what makes a beneficial school experience, the group comprising seven academics developed a way of working collaboratively. Narrative enquiry and hermeneutic analysis were used to develop descriptions and interpretations of the phenomenon from the perspective of the participants who in themselves were the researchers and also the researchers of the research process. Drawing on actor‐network theory to explore the network of relationships, the pattern that emerged closely followed that described by Michel Callon in his study of the scallops of St Brieuc Bay. The analysis is presented and discussed to help understand the processes that contribute favourably to research capacity building in an academic institution.